28 thousand people visit Contemporary Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

This year’s Contemporary Istanbul (CI) art feir has been visited by 28 thousand people within two days. The fair has hosted many famous artists. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

This year’s Contemporary Istanbul has been visited by 28 thousand people within 2 days. This year Contemporary has hosted many famous works of famous artists. Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Andreas Gursky, Fernando Botero, Slinkachu, Keith Haring’s works have been presented at the fair.

The goal of the fair is to make Istanbul the center of contemporary art.

Interest in the event has increased every year, he said. “It is our most important goal to draw the 5,000 people who lead the world art market to Istanbul. We expect 70,000 visitors this year.”
Total of 600 artists would attend the fair with 3,000 works of art, adding that the total value of the works in the fair was $120,000 million.

The success of fair

Also speaking at the conference, Contemporary Istanbul General Coordinator Professor Hasan Bülent Kahraman said 102 contemporary art galleries – 57 from Turkey and 45 from foreign countries – would participate in the fair.

This year’s fair coincides with the launch of Art Istanbul, a city-wide, week-long initiative that sees participating institutions, including museums, and galleries, present a program of exhibition openings and artist talks. This year marks a unique year for Contemporary Istanbul, who in honor of 400 years of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Netherlands, will host a selection of Dutch galleries that include Grimm Gallery, Galerie AKINCI, Amstel Gallery, Expeditie Zsa-Zsa Eyck, Galerie Gabriel Rolt and Ron Mandos and a number of Dutch artists, gallery owners and collectors that will participate in the fair’s panel discussion program under the theme “Art as a collaborative space.” A selection of video works will be shown as well. The “Art from the Netherlands“ program is organized with the support of the Mondriaan Fund and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of The Netherlands. It will include a series of talks by prominent figures including Ann Deemester (Director, de Appel), Hedwig Fijen (Director, Manifesta), Sabrina Kamstra (Collection AMC, Chairperson, VBCN).