Statement from IKSV: 18th Istanbul Biennial postponed to 2025

The 18th edition of the Istanbul Biennial was planned to be held between September 14 and November 17, 2024.

The Istanbul Biennial, which made headlines last year due to debates over curator selection and transparency, will not take place this year.

'IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO ORGANIZE'

IKSV stated in its announcement, "We have observed the formation of factions within the art community in a way we would never desire, and that artists who had agreed to participate or were considering doing so, as well as ongoing collaborations and partnerships, have been negatively affected. This situation has made it impossible to organize the Istanbul Biennial as planned."

The full text of IKSV's statement regarding the cancellation of the Istanbul Biennial:

"As the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), we have been working with 58 artists from all over the world for the 18th Istanbul Biennial since March 2023.

The conceptual framework of this biennial, which we aimed to enable the production of dozens of new artworks and productive collaborations on both local and international scales, was exploring what role art could assume after great losses and suffering.

During this time, we received criticism regarding the selection and decision-making processes at the foundation, and by evaluating these criticisms, we took action to make all operations more participatory. We aimed for the Istanbul Biennial to offer opportunities for artistic expression, dialogue, and coming together, as it always has.

Despite this, we have observed the formation of factions within the art community in a way we would never desire, and that artists who had agreed to participate or were considering doing so, as well as ongoing collaborations and partnerships, have been negatively affected. This situation has made it impossible to organize the Istanbul Biennial as planned.

For this reason, we regretfully announce to the public that the 18th Istanbul Biennial, which was planned to open its doors on September 14, 2024, has been postponed. We will bring the Istanbul Biennial, which we always strive to realize in the best possible way, back to audiences in 2025 through a process that will be handled within the framework of new regulations."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The 18th Istanbul Biennial was planned to be held in Istanbul between September 14 and November 17, 2024, under the curatorship of Iwona Blazwick.

However, allegations that Defne Ayas was actually the initial recommendation of the advisory board for the curatorship, and that IKSV appointed Blazwick at the last minute, occupied the public agenda for a long time.

Following the appointment, Ayas and the members of the IKSV advisory board resigned.