Contemporary Istanbul turns 20

Welcome to Al-Monitor Istanbul.

Quite the coincidence: The week President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his long-awaited visit to the White House, we bring you an issue that focuses on the United States. Contemporary Istanbul marks its 20th edition with “Focus: America,” and we move from an American diner in Besiktas to a rose-tinted Turkish series set in New York, closing with Turkey-US ties in numbers. Along the way, İstanbul hosts the Gaza Biennial in parallel to its own, reminding us that art and politics meet in Istanbul’s streets as much as in Washington’s.

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Thanks for reading,

Nazlan (@NazlanEr on X)

P.S. Have tips on Istanbul’s culture scene? Send them my way at nertan@al-monitor.com.

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1. Leading the week: America, America

Judy Chicago featuring Nadya Tolokonnikova"What if women ruled the world?," Participatory quilt 2023, Satin cotton installed with videos (Courtesy of Contemporary Istanbul)

Contemporary Istanbul (CI), turning 20 this year, has America in its focus. The highlights of the huge fair at the historical Tersane building are unmistakable: Bill Jensen’s austere abstractions; Elena Damiani’s “Unfoldings I-IV,” hand-carved Rumi travertine blocks in copper and steel; and the curatorial centerpiece, Judy Chicago. The American feminist icon brings her seminal installation, “What if Women Ruled the World,” to Turkey for the first time. Tom Barrack, the hyper-visible US ambassador to Turkey, used his social media pulpit to champion CI, urging followers to visit the fair, which ends on Sept. 28. (so hurry up for tickets!)

Yet Istanbul’s voice rings clear. Sarp Kerem Yavuz unveils “Suleyman,” a monumental LEGO-brick portrait reframing Ottoman motifs. Anna Laudel, Ertugrul Gungor and Faruk Ertekin’s “Nothing Fits Anymore” fractures under-glaze tiles into a mosaic of aesthetic unease. The fair bridges Turkish greats and international household names: Nil Yalter, feminist pioneer of exile and memory, stands shoulder to shoulder with Louise Bourgeois, represented by her 2002 lithograph “Rose,” a fragile spiral of strength. Gulsun Karamustafa, doyenne of politically charged installations, appears alongside Alessandro Twombly, whose “Moment of Solitude” swells with abstract color fields.

Ertugrul Gungor & Faruk Ertekin’s “Nothing Fits Anymore”  (Courtesy of Anna Laudel)

CI vice chair Rabia Bakici Gureli keeps the message steady: “Each year, we welcome more international visitors. From Seoul encounters to Plugin’s digital art section, the goal has always been uninterrupted dialogue, even through crises.” That persistence made CI, in her words, “a brand representing Istanbul’s cultural identity on a global scale.”

More in the catalogue.

Location: Camiikebir, Taskizak Tersanesi Caddesi No: 5, Beyoglu

2. Word on the street: Upperdeck

Upperdeck American Diner (Photo Upperdeck Facebook)

If you’re craving the States after the fair, head to Upperdeck American Diner in Besiktas. Juicy burgers, ribs, hot dogs and milkshakes arrive under a neon glow. The vibe is Americana with an Istanbul twist — open counter, wooden tables and easy buzz. Come for a huge breakfast and comfort food, and stay for the screens and the late-night promise of stateside flavors on the Bosphorus.

Location: Sinanpasa, Hasfirin Cd. 5c, Besiktas

3. Istanbul diary

Camila Rocha's metal "Hanging Fern" at Folia (Courtesy of the artist and Oktem Aykut)

• “Folia” at Abdulmecid Efendi Kosku on the Anatolian side of the city brings together over 300 works curated by Selen Ansen and Eda Berkmen to reflect the age of eco-angst. The house of the last caliph, acquired by the Koc Holding, has long been a biennial highlight, and the tradition continues this year. Until March 2026.
• Gaza Biennale – Istanbul Pavilion at Depo presents more than 50 artists from Gaza and the diaspora, with video portraits, poetry nights and conversations running alongside the 18th Istanbul Biennial until Nov. 8.
• Fed up with city artwalks? On Sept. 27, Akpinar village hosts the fourth Buffalo Festival with CLIMAVORE x Jameel and local herders, celebrating Istanbul’s last pastoral practices through meadow walks, music, tastings and a buffalo portrait contest.