CI Bloom opens for art enthusiasts

ISTANBUL

The third edition of the CI Bloom contemporary art fair will meet the audience at Lütfi Kırdar Congress and Exhibition Center Rumeli Halls on April 26 and 28.

Organized by Contemporary Istanbul, 24 contemporary art galleries, along with five institutions and initiatives, showcase 568 artworks by 267 artists at the CI Bloom.

Continuing its tradition of connecting emerging artists and art professionals with art enthusiasts, the fair introduces the Mahal initiative from Çanakkale for the first time, alongside Bel’m art space from Ankara, 10_12 gallery and Brieflyart gallery from Istanbul.

The Living Things DECOL production in the digital art field merges art and technology. The renowned DJ Todd Terje from Sweden accompanies the spring festivities of CI Bloom with a performance on April 27.

Since 2019, CI Bloom has been making sustainability efforts by collaborating with partners on carbon footprint reduction, waste management and energy conservation, aiming to make long-term strides in these areas with an assembled team of experts.

"CI Bloom has established its place in the art world as the youthful fair of Contemporary Istanbul, bringing dynamism to the contemporary art scene in Türkiye and introducing a fresh perspective internationally. CI Bloom aims to reach every corner of Türkiye and bring together new players in culture and art with international collectors and art enthusiasts, in line with the creative and free vision of Istanbul,” Contemporary Istanbul Chairman of the Board Director Ali Güreli said.

The third edition of CI Bloom hosts the “Living Things” exhibition by media artist Ahmet Said Kaplan, providing viewers with the opportunity to experience the concept of "living things" in a different and impressive way.

Kaplan, the founding partner and creative director of Türkiye's first creative digital media collective DECOL, is exploring innovative ways and possibilities of human-computer interaction. “Living Things” focuses on concepts such as traditional life and artificial structures, examining the complex interaction between organic and inorganic worlds.

Each installation demonstrates how technology can mimic, enhance and interact with elements of the natural world.

BMW is showcasing the New BMW X2 in collaboration with Borusan Contemporary alongside Universal Everything Studio's project named "1000 Hands." Represented in the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, Universal Everything's "1000 Hands Project" consists of interactive drawings produced through a mobile application. In this collective work, dazzling shapes continuously evolve in response to the rising and falling tones of the background music.

LG OLED presents its global collaboration with Shepard Fairey, a prominent artist, social activist, and founder of the OBEY streetwear brand, at the CI Bloom for art enthusiasts to enjoy. The exhibition features specially selected works by Shepard Fairey that address some of the most urgent issues facing today's society, displayed on state-of-the-art LG OLED screens.

House of Brothers Lounge presents a site-specific installation by young artist Lal Batman in collaboration with host partner Pernod Ricard Türkiye at CI Bloom.

House of Brothers Lounge will be hosting an encounter for art enthusiasts with the new spatial installation titled "Blended Valley" by multidisciplinary artist Lal Batman. In this installation, Batman blends his video art, digital manipulation, sculpture, and oil painting productions using digital and plastic tools.

Contemporary Istanbul Foundation features two major exhibition projects: "The Taviloğlu Collection: A Half-Century Journey" and the solo exhibition "Mythologiques" by Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama.

Organized by the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation, the Taviloğlu collection, which will open simultaneously in five different venues in September, features 2,400 artworks along with 300 works by 157 foreign artists. The collection will be exhibited for four months at the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum, Artİstanbul Feshane, Müze Gazhane, Haliç Shipyard, Metro Han, and İş Bankası Kibele Art Gallery.

Matsuyama's solo exhibition "Mythologiques," curated by Swiss curator Christoph Doswald, will interact with the cultural, economic, and social energies of Venice. The exhibition consists of eight large-scale paintings, six "side altars," and a monumental work titled "You One Me Erase," creating a lively narrative about cultural complexity and the effects of global design.

It will take place in Venice parallel to the 60th International Venice Biennale. It can be seen from April 20 to Nov. 24, 2024, at Magazzino No. 41, Marina Militare, Arsenale di Venezia.