The 18th Istanbul Biennial, departing from the usual biennial format, meets art lovers with its unique structure spanning three years. The first phase of the biennial, curated by Christine Tohmé under the title “The Three-Legged Cat,” will be open to visitors free of charge between September 20 and November 23, 2025, thanks to the support of Koç Holding. In this first phase, shaped around the themes of “self-preservation” and “future possibilities,” works by 47 artists from over 30 countries will be exhibited in 8 different venues along the Beyoğlu-Karaköy line. The exhibitions will be accompanied by a public program consisting of performances and film screenings.
A press meeting was held on Tuesday, September 16th, in the garden of the former French Orphanage, one of the biennial’s exhibition venues, to share details about the 18th Istanbul Biennial. The 18th Istanbul Biennial, designed for the first time in its history with a structure spanning three years, shared experiences regarding the preparation process, venue and artist selections, and details of the public program in a conversation between curator Christine Tohmé and Istanbul Biennial Director Kevser Güler. At the press meeting, Bülent Eczacıbaşı, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İKSV, and Ömer M. Koç, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Koç Holding, which sponsored the biennial between 2007 and 2036, also gave speeches.
In his speech, Bülent Eczacıbaşı, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İKSV, stated, “The Istanbul Biennial, organized by İKSV since 1987, is one of the most important steps in our vision to transform our city into a global center of culture and art. We are delighted that this event, which reflects trends shaping the international art agenda, opens new discussions, and offers surprising, thought-provoking, and enriching forms of expression, contributes to Istanbul’s art life not only through its high-quality exhibition and event programs but also by providing a multi-layered space for dialogue. At the Biennial, we strive to establish meaningful interaction between the cultural and artistic worlds of Turkey and abroad. Through our learning programs for young people and children, our free guided tours for students, refugees, and various disability groups, and our free children’s picture book, which always receives great interest, we work to ensure that contemporary art appreciation and love are embraced by a wide audience. We would like to thank our esteemed curator Christine Tohmé, who brought this exhibition to life, our artists who created the Biennial with their creativity, our entire team who worked hard to make the exhibition a reality, and our Biennial sponsor Koç Holding, who made it possible for the Biennial to be accessible to visitors free of charge.” “I wholeheartedly thank all the institutions and organizations that supported the biennale, especially those mentioned above,” he said.
Ömer M. Koç, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Koç Holding, the 2007-2036 Biennale Sponsor, stated that as the Koç Group, they see their support for cultural continuity as an important part of their social responsibility, and emphasized that they proudly continue their main sponsorship of the Istanbul Biennale between 2007 and 2036. Koç said, “Next year, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Group. In this journey that is approaching a century and transforming with every step, we wholeheartedly believe that our sense of social responsibility towards the future is at least as important as our commercial successes.” Continuing, Koç said, “The uncertainty and multifaceted challenges of the era we are living through are known to all of us,” and expressed that there is a greater need than ever before for the freedom, creative courage, and profound questioning offered by art. Koç stated, “The Istanbul Biennial offers artists a space of freedom for critical production by bringing together thought, intuition, and creativity in different forms of artistic expression. For this reason, I believe that the Biennial makes a very significant contribution to Istanbul and to our country’s international reputation.”
The 18th Istanbul Biennial, this year, goes beyond the usual biennial formats and meets art lovers with its unique structure spanning three years. The first leg of the biennial, curated by Christine Tohmé and titled “Three-Legged Cat,” will be open to visitors free of charge between September 20 and November 23, 2025, in 8 different venues located on the Beyoğlu-Karaköy line of Istanbul, thanks to the contributions of the biennial sponsor, Koç Holding.
The 47 artists invited to the first leg of the biennial were selected as a result of a comprehensive research process that included studio visits, artist meetings, and the evaluation of manuscripts received in response to an open call between October 31 and December 15, 2024.
The open call process was one of the most important steps in the curatorial research process of the 18th Istanbul Biennial. Curator Christine Tohmé spent three months reviewing applications from approximately 1,500 artists from 105 countries, and then held meetings with those she felt aligned with the exhibition’s conceptual framework.
The second phase of the Biennial will continue in 2026 with the establishment of the Istanbul Biennial Academy and public programs organized with the participation of art initiatives. The third and final phase of the 2027 Biennial will include workshops, performances, and a final exhibition.
