Contemporary Istanbul concludes 21st edition with Focus Asia initiative

The 21st edition of Contemporary Istanbul, held at the historic Tersane Istanbul shipyard, concluded after showcasing works from 70 galleries. The event featured the ‘Focus: Asia’ initiative, which aimed to build a cultural network between Turkey and Asia by highlighting artists and galleries from regions including South Asia and the Far East.

A new section titled ‘New Grounds’ was introduced to support emerging galleries and next-generation artistic practices, placing galleries from cities such as New York, Prague, Ankara, New Delhi, Tehran, and Istanbul side by side.

The fair’s Sculpture Park featured 12 monumental open-air works, including a notable white bronze sculpture titled ‘The Bunnyman’ by Johnny Depp and an installation by Jaume Plensa. Additionally, the work ‘Istanbul Kara Surları’ by Oddviz was added to the Istanbul Governorship collection.

Organizers announced that the 22nd edition, scheduled for 2027, will introduce a ‘Focus: Germany’ program.