Four artists withdraw from İstanbul Biennial over curator controversy

Four prominent artists, Ateş Alpar, Bengü Karaduman, Kerem Ozan Bayraktar, and Yaşam Şaşmazer, have announced their decision to withdraw from the 18th Istanbul Biennial. This move comes in the midst of an ongoing controversy sparked by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) replacing the previously appointed curator, Defne Ayas, with Iwona Blazwick.

In an official statement released today, the four artists explained their decision as follows:

"We, the undersigned artists, were invited to the 18th Istanbul Biennial by IKSV during the summer. Subsequently, we became aware of the questions, discussions, and criticisms in the local and international media regarding the foundation's curator selection process.

"In a time when transparent communication and democratic decision-making processes are of utmost importance, we find it essential to express that we do not believe that the 18th Biennial and the polarizations surrounding it provide a conducive environment for art production and sharing.

"Due to the direct impact this situation has on our work and the responsibility we feel towards the art community, we have decided not to participate in the 18th Istanbul Biennial.

"We hope that our decision will contribute to the promotion of artistic freedom, the establishment of transparent and inclusive institutional cultures that encourage criticism, and the creation of a dialogue platform in this regard."

Background

The 18th İstanbul Biennial is scheduled to take place in 2024. The biennial is organized by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), a non-profit cultural institution that also organises other festivals and events in the city. The biennial aims to create a dialogue between artists from diverse cultures and the audience, and to showcase site-specific work in various venues across Istanbul.

The biennial’s curator selection process has been the subject of controversy since August 2021, when İKSV announced that it had appointed Iwona Blazwick as the curator of the 18th edition, replacing Defne Ayas, who had been unanimously recommended by the biennial’s advisory board. Blazwick is a British art critic and former director of the Whitechapel Gallery in London, who has curated exhibitions and commissions for Tate Modern, the Royal Commission for Al-'Ula in Saudi Arabia, and other institutions. Ayas is a Turkish-Dutch curator and former director of the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam, who has curated biennials in Gwangju, Moscow, and Vilnius, among other projects.

The reasons behind İKSV’s decision to replace Ayas with Blazwick have not been officially disclosed, but some media reports have speculated that it was influenced by political pressure from the government or its supporters. Ayas had been involved in a controversy in 2015, when she was the curator of the Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, and had to withdraw a catalogue that included an essay by Rakel Dink, the widow of the slain Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, that used the term “Armenian Genocide." Some critics have also suggested that İKSV’s decision reflects a lack of transparency, accountability, and respect for artistic autonomy and diversity within the institution.

The decision has sparked criticism and protests from many artists, curators, critics, and activists, both in Turkey and abroad. Some have accused İKSV of censorship, self-censorship, or bowing to political pressure. Others have expressed solidarity with Ayas and demanded an explanation from IKSV. Some have also questioned Blazwick’s suitability for the role, given her lack of familiarity with the local context and her involvement with controversial projects in Saudi Arabia and China. (AÖ/VK)