Turkish contemporary art spreads to London and Seoul
ISTANBUL
The meeting attended by Cİ artistic director Stephan Ackerman and consultant Ali Akay, and raised the question of an art platform, which will contain the contemporary art galleries of Turkey. The committee will work to open a new platform to support the galleries.
Istanbul’s main art fair, Contemporary Istanbul (Cİ), aims to carry the fair to London and Seoul in 2012. To discuss the latest developments and aims in 2012, Cİ board members met with Turkish galleries in Sofa Hotel.“Our main aim is to remove the obstacles Turkish contemporary art has, and that’s why to realize our aim we are working like an institution,” said Cİ Chairman Ali Güreli.
With the aim of spreading Turkish contemporary art to the world and awakening the conscience of Turkish contemporary art in the international scene, Cİ will carry its know-how to other countries. In July 2012, South Korea’s capital Seoul will host the fair of Turkish contemporary art, while in September and October 2012 London will host the same fair by the curatorship of Cİ General Coordinator Hasan Bülent Kahraman. “With these shows we are approaching our aims,” Güreli said.
Cİ also announced that art galleries will be recognized with the status of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and will utilize Small and Medium Industry Development Organization (KOSGEB) loans beginning this year.
Business status for art
A further new development of Cİ focuses on its art magazine, ICE. Looking forward, ICE will be published four times each year and also be available on iPad. ICE will also be one of the media partners of Art Dubai, which will be organized in March. The magazine will meet with the visitors of Art Dubai.
“We are also trying to support Turkish contemporary art galleries to open to the world and make their presence felt in other countries,” Güreli said, adding that they tried hard to attract collectors from the Americas, Europe and the Far East. “Once again, we will do everything to support our collectors and our galleries in the world art scene,” he said.
The meeting was also attended by Cİ artistic director Stephan Ackerman and consultant Ali Akay, and raised the question of an exclusive art platform, which will contain the contemporary art galleries of Turkey. The committee will work to open a new platform to support and present the galleries in Turkey’s art scene.
More success each year
Celebrating its sixth anniversary, Istanbul Contemporary art fair opened its doors Nov. 24 to 27, 2011, at Istanbul Congress Center, Exhibition Area and Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center, Rumeli Hall.
“From the year the fair was established, our aim was to support Turkish art and spread its knowledge to the whole world,” said Güreli, adding that each year the success of the fair increased.
A total of 3,000 contemporary works of art by 526 local and global artists was exhibited, attracting more than 1,000 collectors and 60,000 visitors to Cİ in 2011. Cİ showcased contemporary paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs, installations and limited editions with the participation of national and foreign galleries. Cİ brought together 90 contemporary art galleries from 20 countries, featuring art initiatives, independent projects and publications along with art institutions and exhibitions.
