Istanbul's ArtInternational contemporary art fair launches third edition

ISTANBUL

The third edition of Istanbul’s global contemporary and modern art fair will open at the Haliç Congress Center on Sept. 4 welcoming both local and international VIP visitors.

The fair will feature 87 galleries this year, representing 27 countries and presenting works by more than 400 of world’s most innovative artists.

Participants come from 27 countries spanning Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China. Several galleries will be attending the fair for the first time including Victoria Miro (London), Sakshi Gallery (Mumbai), Aspan Gallery (Almaty), Galerie Du Monde (Hong Kong) and Aicon Gallery (New York & London). 

Turkish galleries Kuad, Öktem&Aykut and the Empire Project will participate for the first time, joining previous participants artSümer, Dirimart, Galerist, Gallery Nev Ankara, Pi Artworks, Pilot, Sanatorium, Rampa, x-ist and Galeri Zilberman. 

Through generous support of the Catalan government, 12 galleries from Art Barcelona (Associació de Galeries) will participate in the fair, including ADN Galería, Àngels Barcelona, Galeria Joan Gaspar, Miguel Marcos Gallery, N2 Gallería, Poligrafa Obra Gráfica, Galeria Joan Prats, Galeria Sicart, Galeria Senda, Galeria Carles Taché Projects, Galeria Trama and Valid Foto BCN Gallery.

“Artinternational continues to grow in stature as the preeminent contemporary art fair in the region,” Sandy Angus, co-founder of Artinternational, said. “It has firmly established itself as the main focus for collectors from the myriad of countries which surround it and who enjoy the further cultural attractions which Istanbul has to offer. It is a unique combination further enhancing the reputation of Istanbul as the main cultural center for the region,” Angus added.

Artistic program

Stephane Ackermann, artistic director of Artinternational, has curated a series of performances, installations and interventions for the 2015 edition. The artists commissioned to present work at the fair this year are Ali Taptik, Arslan Sukan, Burcak Konukman, Dominique Petitgand, Hera Büyüktaşcıyan, Maya Hayuk and Nevin Aladağ. 

This year’s artistic program includes a number of performances taking place in and around the fair or obliquely commending a level of involvement from visitors.


‘Videos on Stage’

“Videos on Stage” is part of fair’s artistic program and consisting of a series of films by artists from participating galleries. The section’s curator, Başak Şenova, will this year present a series of films to be screened at the fair’s auditorium.  

“Ruins and Wounds,” the title of this year’s screening program, traces secret road maps of personal histories, stories, memories and dreams about wounds and ruins. Şenova said, “Some wounds heal, leaving nothing behind, but a scar and some wounds stay with a pain that lingers. While indicating the infinity and cruelty of time, ruins also stabilize the sense of ephemerality. The correlation between wounds and ruins could branch out into multiple narratives, perspectives, entities and realities that exist and [are] possessed at the same moment.” 


‘Alternatives’

“Alternatives” is a section of Artinternational dedicated to independent art initiatives and brings together prominent local and international not-for-profit spaces, independent institutions and artists’ collectives. Artinternational has this year commissioned artist, writer and curator Paolo Chiasera to curate the “Alternatives” section.  This year’s participating institutions include 5533, the David Roberts Art Foundation, Masa, Near East, Nesin Art Village, Protocinema, Spot and Torun.

A 26-meter painted canvas evoking a nocturnal garden will be displayed in the fair’s “Alternatives” section, conceived as a place for artists, curators and institutions to come together and exchange ideas. The project follows a concept initiated by the Chiasera in 2013 with his elaboration of the concept of “Secondo Stile,” a genre he invented which features canvas exhibition space and includes works by different artists done in the past or commissioned for the occasion. 

Taking the form of a rite of passage-like game, “The Hunter-Gatherer” will engage fair visitors in a citywide game in order to search out its non-profit institutions. Participants will need to enter into direct dialogue with each non-profit space in order to learn and understand the role of each institution. Only by answering questions and tasks set by each will the visitor be able to pass through the different stages of the treasure hunt and be able to return to the fair to claim the reward. 


‘By the Waterside’

“By the Waterside” is the fair’s dedicated sculpture terrace, which spans the length of the Haliç Congress Center’s waterfront on Istanbul’s historic Golden Horn. 

Ten works have been chosen for the third year running by Artinternational’s selection committee from applications by the fair’s participating galleries, including works by acclaimed artists Rada Boukova, Guldo Casaretto, Şakir Gökçebağ, Karl Karner, Yerbossyn Meldbekov, Ichwan Noor, Stefan Nikolaev, Javier Pérez, Paul Schwer and Walid Sitl.