A group of artists have published an open letter accusing the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) of being in crisis and that it has ‘failed to maintain a transparent, accountable, ethical, and inclusive practice’. The letter follows widespread criticism of the İKSV’s nomination of Iwona Blazwick to curate Istanbul Biennial 2024. The undersigned artists and members of the art community call on İKSV to respond to criticism, saying the Istanbul Biennial ‘has yet to address the following topics and criticism: Who is the decision-maker at the Istanbul Biennial? What are the criteria and ethical guidelines for the selection process of curators? If the Istanbul Biennial Advisory Board does not have de facto authority as declared by the institution, why have some of the members of the Advisory Board resigned after the selection process that resulted in the appointment of one of the serving Advisory Board members? Why has the public not been informed of how the curator selection took place?’
In August, Kaya Genç reported these criticisms in ArtReview, describing how the opacity of the selection process of the artistic director of the 18th Istanbul Biennial led to the formation of an initiative comprising a group of artists, researchers and art professionals who demanded transparency from İKSV. The open letter is the latest manifestation of these requests for clarity of process and governance at the Biennial. Genç also asserted how crucial this is in the local context: ‘In Turkey, demands for institutional transparency are rooted in fears about a pervasive political silence that may soon take the country hostage, particularly as government pressure on the fields of arts and culture continues to grow. These demands and concerns are fundamental in public life.’
The open letter ends with a call for İKSV ‘to respond to the recent criticisms and take the necessary steps in light of its public mandate’. It was signed by multiple Turkish and international artists, many of whom have participated in previous editions of the Istanbul Biennial, including Aslı Çavuşoğlu, Michael Rakowitz, Rabih Mroué, Ahmet Öğüt and Akram Zaatari; as well as curators who curated previous editions such as Vasıf Kortun (who curated the 3rd and 9th Istanbul Biennials) and What, How & for Whom/WHW (who curated the 11th edition).
Update: İKSV have responded with the following statement:
As the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), we always pay close attention to opinions and commentary in the culture and art world about our activities. In this spirit, we have carefully assessed recent criticism of how we selected the curator of the 18th Istanbul Biennial.
Over the years, we have continuously sought to improve our procedure for selecting the biennial curator and made many adjustments to this process. That said, curator candidates have always been evaluated solely on the basis of their artistic vision for the Istanbul Biennial, their proposed approach to the biennial, and the compatibility of their approach with İKSV management’s expectations. To further improve the transparency and impartiality of the curatorial selection, we have made the following changes to the regulations of the Istanbul Biennial Advisory Board:
Starting with the 2026 Istanbul Biennial, İKSV management will only be able to invite a curator from among the three candidates proposed by the Istanbul Biennial Advisory Board. If none of the proposed curators offer an approach aligned with the Foundation’s vision, İKSV management can ask the Advisory Board to reconvene and propose different candidates. An additional change to the regulation prohibits Istanbul Biennial Advisory Board members from being invited for curatorial posts during their term of office. Even if they resign from the board, they cannot be considered as candidates for the biennial in question.
All biennial curators thus far have made significant contributions to the development of the Istanbul Biennial. We are confident that these changes will have a positive impact in the long term and that, together, we will ensure a radiant future for our biennial.
Since 1973, İKSV has relied on artists, audiences, supporters and colleagues to sustain its vision as a non-profit cultural institution working in the public interest. This diverse collaboration powers our Foundation and enables it to organise the most comprehensive international culture and arts events in Istanbul. We would like to take this opportunity to convey our sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the development of culture and arts in Türkiye, nurtured public debates in this field, and supported our efforts through their unwavering interest in our events.
Preparations for the 18th Istanbul Biennial, to take place in 2024, continue as planned. In the months ahead, we will share with the public the conceptual framework of this biennial, its participants, and the new members of the Advisory Board.
