14th Istanbul Biennial

The press conference was held on Wednesday in the garden of the Italian High School in Beyoğlu, one of the venues that will host the 14th Istanbul Biennial.

The 14th biennial, designed by American writer, curator and historian and former curator of the documenta Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, will bring together more than 1,500 works of art by over 80 artists from all over the world.

During the conference the conceptual framework of the event was described briefly by its curator, who also addressed the assorted venues hosting this year’s exhibition.

Some participants in the biennial, including Pelin Tan, the Artık İşler Collective and Anton Vidokle, sent an e-mail asking others to suspend the presentation of their work for 15 minutes to express solidarity with the Peace Block , a coalition of academics, artists, writers and intellectuals who call for peaceful co-existence in Turkey in the face of the ongoing violence that erupted between the Kurdish population in Turkey and Iraq and Turkish security units and the bombing of villages in Iraq. When asked about her response to the e-mail, the curator explained that it will be totally up to the artists to suspend their work’s presentation.

She pointed out as well that Boliny Wanambi and Djambawa Marawili from Australia are participating into the exhibition and that they as native Australians are staying as approach that goes beyond the idea of a nation being geographically or genetically defined.

Four main locations will host the biennale’s group exhibitions: the İstanbul Modern, the ARTER art space, the Galata Greek Primary School and the Italian High School. Exhibitions will also be hosted in 32 other locations, including boats, hotel rooms, former banks, garages, gardens, schools, shops, private homes, a lighthouse and the former offices of assassinated journalist Hrant Dink and the Agos newspaper.