Contemporary Istanbul founder planning new fair on city's Asian side
The 21st edition of the fair occupied a new single-floor site at the Ottoman era shipping yard Tersane Istanbul
Contemporary Istanbul, the largest contemporary art fair in Türkiye, staged its third consecutive edition at Tersane Istanbul this year. The fair, overseen by Ali Güreli, occupied a newly designated single-floor space in a 500-year-old Ottoman era shipping yard by the Golden Horn. With a layout of 6,000 sq.m. spread across two halls, the fair offered a seamless and spacious experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Güreli highlighted the advantage of having the entire fair on a single floor, noting the growing international visibility of the event. This year, 22 galleries made their debut at Contemporary Istanbul, including foreign galleries from Asia, such as Pearl Lam Projects from Hong Kong, Whitestone Gallery from Tokyo and Seoul, and Method Gallery from New Delhi.
Asia was specifically chosen as a focus for this edition, given Istanbul's location as a bridge between Asia and Europe. Notable local exhibitors also participated, such as OG Gallery, showcasing the benefits of the updated grounds. The fair's focus on specific markets, including Asia, aimed to cater to the growing interest of regional galleries and collectors.
The Abu Dhabi-based deep tech platform Numeraire Future Trends collaborated with Zilberman Gallery and Gillian Jason Gallery for the fair, offering authentication and valuation services for artworks through biometric identifications and value assessment. Contemporary Istanbul's 20th edition attracted 51 galleries from 16 countries, demonstrating the city's role as a regional culture hub amidst ongoing economic and political challenges.
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