Contemporary Istanbul Fair opens with focus on Russia

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Contemporary Istanbul Fair opened last night at a ceremony at the Lütfi Kırdar Congress Hall with the attendance of Mayor Kadir Topbaş. Topbaş visited gallery booths. AA photo

Focusing on the art of Turkey’s northern neighbor Russia, the eighth Contemporary Istanbul opened last night at a ceremony at the Lütfi Kırdar Congress Hall with the attendance of Mayor Kadir Topbaş.

“This fair shows that Istanbul is developing in terms of art. The city has become a meeting point for the art world, and this shows the current situation of the city,” he said.

The New Horizons section explores contemporary artistic expression of the surrounding countries in the region. Having previously featured contemporary art from Syria, Iran, the Gulf and Central and Eastern Europe, the eighth edition’s focus is on Russia, with Contemporary Istanbul playing host to galleries, artists, curators, publications, art critics and collectors from the country.

The CEO of the fair, Ali Güreli, said Turkey had begun to participate in international fairs thanks to the success of Contemporary Istanbul.

Marlborough Gallery, New York; Galerie Lelong, Paris; Andipa Gallery, London; Opera Gallery, Geneva; Galeria Filomena Soares, Lisbon; Galeria Javier Lopez, Madrid; Senda, Spain; Michael Schultz, Germany; Klaus Steinmetz, Costa Rica, as well as Dirimart, Galerist, Galeri Mana, Galeri Nev, Pi Artworks, Rampa and xist from Turkey are among the expected galleries at the eighth edition, he added. The fair will continue until Nov. 10.