Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of 2007-2036 Biennial Sponsor Koç Holding, the first leg of the 18th Istanbul Biennial closed on Sunday, 23 November 2025.
Beginning with preview days on 16 September, the biennial welcomed more than 600,000 visitors over its 10-week run.
Curated by Christine Tohmé, the biennial brought together works by 47 artists from around the world, presented across eight venues located within walking distance of one another along the Beyoğlu–Karaköy axis. This encouraged visitors to experience the biennial entirely on foot and to engage with the historical and architectural character of each site.
The venues of the 18th Istanbul Biennial were: Galata Greek School, Zihni Han, Muradiye Han, Galeri 77, Cone Factory, Meclis-i Mebusan 35, the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, and Elhamra Han.
Khalil Rabah’s Work to Remain on View After the Biennial
Khalil Rabah’s work Red Navigapparate (2025), exhibited as part of the 18th Istanbul Biennial, will remain in the Garden of the Former French Orphanage after the biennial concludes. Its extended display is made possible through the support of Koç Holding, the biennial’s sponsor, and the kind hosting of the Beyoğlu Municipality. The installation will be on view at the Former French Orphanage until 31 May 2026 and its next location will be determined later in 2026.
Biennial’s Public Programme
Zihni Han Floor Two functioned as a communal meeting point where visitors could rest, read, and organise their own gatherings and workshops. Throughout the biennial, the space hosted a wide range of talks, workshops, and activities engaging with themes of solidarity, materiality, collective production, and care. A modest library was also available, inviting visitors to browse the shelves for books related to the exhibition. Over the course of the biennial, more than 30 free events were held at Zihni Han Floor Two, including linocut printing, 3D origami, film screenings, and various collective production workshops.
Children and Youth at the Biennial
Learning Programme
Supported by Koç Holding and coordinated by İKSV Alt Kat in collaboration with PACE Children’s Art Centre, the biennial’s Learning Programme welcomed children and young people to the Galata Greek School. Participants examined selected works, exchanged ideas, and created their own artworks inspired by the exhibition. A total of 2,155 students took part in the programme.
Optigull and Pesigull: The Map of Lost Sounds
The beloved seagulls Optigull and Pesigull – companions of the biennial since 2017 – returned with a new children’s book, Optigull and Pesigull: The Map of Lost Sounds, produced in collaboration with İKSV Alt Kat and supported by Hisar Schools. Written by Yekta Kopan, illustrated by Gökçe Akgül, and edited by Burcu Ural Kopan. The book, which was printed in 10,000 copies in Turkish and 4,000 copies in English, was distributed free of charge to young visitors at the Galata Greek School and Zihni Han. The book will be available after the biennial at İKSV Alt Kat.
Guided Tours
The biennial offered a wide range of guided tours, including multi-venue routes and single-venue introductions, as well as a series of special free tours. Twenty guides, who completed their training with the support of Koç Holding, accompanied 7,232 attendees throughout the exhibition, enriching their experience of the works on view.
Special Biennial Tours
Accessible Biennial Tours for visitors with visual or hearing differences were offered free of charge with the support of DenizBank and in coordination with Erişilebilir Her Şey (Accessible Everything).
In collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), specially designed Refugee Tours were organised, shaped by principles of social inclusion and sensitivity to exhibition content.
Production Tours, also offered free of charge, provided behind-the-scenes insights into the making of biennial works at Zihni Han. These tours concluded in the reading lounge with informal discussions and opportunities to explore biennial publications and printed materials.
