Contemporary Istanbul 2015

Contemporary Istanbul launches its 10th edition this week, beginning with a private preview, and opening to the public on 12 November. One of the region’s leading art fairs, Contemporary Istanbul celebrates its landmark anniversary with a showcase of over 700 artworks from 102 leading and emerging galleries from 28 cities worldwide. This year, the fair welcomes a total of 23 international newcomers, and sees a medley of both old and new sectors appearing across the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC) and Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC).

CI Plugin returns for its third year with a vast array of new media works. Presented at the ICEC, Plugin features a selection of galleries, architecture and design studios, and new media related initiatives that respond to the curatorial theme of X-CHANGE. Curated by Dr. Ebru Yetiskin, X-CHANGE explores emerging practices of production and interaction in contemporary media cultures and boasts a range of genres including sound and light installations, kinetic sculptures, interactive and generative design, hologram installations and robotic designs. Featured artists include Bager Akbay, Can Büyükberber, Deniz Derbent, Umut Gonca, Erdal İnci, while special displays are brought to the fair by popular exhibitors such as Borusan Contemporary, DAM Gallery, Galeri Zilberman, Lajevardi Foundation, LICHT FELD Gallery, Pearl Lam Galleries and the Australia China Art Foundation.

Accompanying Plugin is CI Focus, a dedicated showcase of cutting-edge work from a specific geographic region. In 2015, this sector will identify with a number of outstanding galleries and practitioners from Tehran. Exhibited projects include work by emerging and established artists such as Ali Akbar Sadeghi (Shirin Gallery); Morehshin Allahyari (Lajevardi Foundation); Nasser Bakhshi (Aaran Art Gallery); Houman Mortazavi (Dastan’s Basement) and Babak Roshaninejad (Assar Art Gallery). Elsewhere CI Solo Shows invites five galleries to curate exhibitions of one of their represented artists: Marco Di Giovanni (Il Chiostro Arte Contemporanea); Adam Jastrzebski (PROPAGANDA); İhsan Oturmak (Karavil Contemporary); Bogdan Rata (Nasui Collection & Gallery); and Zio Ziegler (Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea).

Lastly, Contemporary Istanbul collaborates with the Australia China Art Foundation to bring a diverse group of projects and experiences to Istanbul. Building Bridges will be exhibited in private and public spaces around the city and features artists Ling Jian, Shao Yinong and Mu Chen (ACAF), aaajiao (Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai), Tao Hui (Aike DellArco, Shanghai), Yang Xin and Zheng Jiang (Space Station, Beijing). The initiative also features Parade, a group show curated by art critic Aimee Lin, who suggests that the metaphor of “parade” represents the national collective imagination of China’s political and social modernity.

Contemporary Istanbul, until 15 November, Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC), Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC).

Find out more www.contemporaryistanbul.com.

Follow us on Twitter @AestheticaMag for the latest news in contemporary art and culture.

Credits
1. Can Dağarslanı, Identities Series, Scanned Negative Film, Print on Fine Art Paper, 80 x 120 cm / Edition: 2/4+1 AP, 2014. Mixer. Courtesy of Contemporary Istanbul.