ArtInternational ends with 21 million euros sales

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

More than 300 artists from 62 galleries joined the Artinternational Istanbul fair, which was held at the Haliç Congress Center between Sept 15 and 18. AA photo

Artinternational Istanbul, a new three-day contemporary art fair in the city, ended on Sept. 18 with a sale of artworks worth 21 million euros in total.

According to a written statement issued by the fair organizers, the fair was visited by more than 1,500 collectors and art traders, as well as 15,000 visitors. The figures indicate that the fair will be one of the most popular fairs in the art world over the next few years.

More than 300 artists from 62 galleries joined the fair, held at the Haliç Congress Center. Among them were representatives from the world’s best known museums such as London’s Tate Modern, Royal Academy of Arts and Whitechapel Gallery; Rome’s Museum of Contemporary Art; Paris’ Centre Pompidou and La Maison Rouge – Fondation Antonie de Galbert; and Australia’s Art Gallery of Western Australia.

As well as representatives of the art world, figures from the Turkish business community also showed considerable interest in the fair.

The fair also provided a program of exhibitions, events and forums across the city, enabling visitors to experience the rich cultural history of Istanbul alongside the flourishing local contemporary art scene developing today.

Tapping into the recent burst of international interest toward art from the Middle East and Asia, it offered collectors a focused space in which to consider the compelling art emerging from these regions.