New art fair eyes Middle Eastern collectors, opens a new era for Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The ArtInternational Istanbul will be exhibting artists such as Sami Al Turki, Mounir Fatmi and many more.

ArtInternational Istanbul, a new international platform for contemporary art, will take place September 15 to 18 at the spectacularly situated Haliç Congress Center, which sits along the shores of the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. ArtInternational Istanbul aims to create bridges between the global art community by offering collectors access to international contemporary art with a focus on Turkey, the Middle East and beyond. Presented by the co-owners of Art HK and the India Art Fair, ArtInternational Istanbul brings together leading and emerging international and regional galleries. Drawing on its unique geographic location as a gateway between “East” and “West,” in a city that is a less-than-four-hour flight from over 50 countries, the fair is well positioned to fast become a cultural bridge spanning the art community, and a significant event on the international art circuit.

In addition to the participation of leading and emerging contemporary galleries, the fair will also provide a program of exhibitions, events and forums, enabling visitors to experience the rich cultural history of Istanbul alongside the flourishing contemporary art scene developing today. Tapping into the growing international interest in the Middle Eastern and Asian contemporary art scene, it offers collectors a focused space in which to consider the compelling art emerging from these regions.

Attracting collectors

According to the written statement of the fair: “A team of knowledgeable and experienced individuals in the field of international art fairs are behind the organizers of ArtInternational Istanbul. Leading partner Interteks, which was founded in Turkey in 1976, has cultivated a formidable network of contacts through their numerous cultural and business activities in Turkey, having organized fairs for more than 34 years including 460 international events in over 30 different fields. With an unrivalled level of experience behind it, Interteks has proven expertise in marketing events, logistics, attention to the needs of exhibitors and delivering a high quality professional event with large numbers of visitors in attendance. It has recently partnered with established Italian exhibition group Fiera Milano to form Fiera Milano Interteks.”



Sandy Angus of Angus Montgomery is a co-founder of the Fair and brings extensive experience in the art world, having co-founded ArtHK, the Hong Kong international art fair, which has grown at an exponential rate. More recently, furthering his interest in emerging art scenes and markets, Sandy Angus became a Shareholder and Director of India Art Fair. Angus said “We have been considering Istanbul as a potential location for a new fair over the last few years. The city offers a persuasive location with immense draw for both new and more established collectors. The Turkish art scene is also incredibly vibrant and we are delighted to be partnering with Interteks in Turkey, with whom Angus Montgomery have a long-standing relationship dating back several decades.”

“Our aim is to create a dynamic art-world convergence in Istanbul, showcasing exciting new works and focusing on quality over quantity. We hope to develop a strong cultural program in tandem with the fair and to connect in particular with artistic developments in Turkey and the Middle East, whilst bringing in a considered selection of other international galleries,” fair director Dyala Nusseibeh said.

“Gallery Krinzinger has developed relations with Turkish artists, galleries and collectors from Istanbul over several years. I am convinced that a professional art fair in the city of Istanbul, such as ArtInternational Istanbul, is absolutely needed and I wanted to contribute as much as I can. For me Istanbul is besides the fantastic art scene, collectors’ scene and artists’ scene, one of the most beautiful cities of the world and this is also a reason to go there,” Ursula Krinzinger, a member of the Galleries Selection Committee for the fair, said.

In addition to the participation of leading and emerging galleries, the fair will also provide 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 offers collectors a focused space in which to consider the compelling art emerging from these regions.