18th Istanbul Biennial to be curated by Christine Tohmé

The 18th Istanbul Biennial will unfold in three distinct legs, each building on the previous one and carrying forward lines of inquiry and research from 2025 to 2027.

The first leg will feature exhibitions and public programmes running from 20 September to 23 November 2025. Throughout 2026, the Biennial will focus on establishing a permanent educational structure and offering a quarterly public programme in close collaboration with local art initiatives. This edition will culminate between 18 September and 14 November 2027, with a series of exhibitions, publications, performances, and discursive gatherings.

This three-legged biennial attempts to reclaim ‘time’, a necessary ingredient for transformative artistic processes, by stretching its timeframe and generating different strides. In her proposal, Tohmé states:

‘I have found working in the arts to be most transformative, not only in moments of formal presentation but, more importantly, during its production—in the creative process, everyday exchanges, openings, studio visits, and reading groups. Therefore, the 18th Istanbul Biennial should invest as much in the production process as in its presentation. The extended timeframe of three years will allow the Biennial to engage more deeply with the local scene and foster projects and collaborations around collective questions, contexts, and communities. Its multi-year programme aims to support generations of artists in connecting with their regional and international peers, building alliances, and confronting new realities.’

Christine Tohmé’s curatorial and institutional practice engages with cultural production, arts education, and community building. In 1993, Tohmé founded Ashkal Alwan, a non-profit organisation that continues to support contemporary artistic practices through various initiatives, including the tuition-free study programme, Home Workspace Program (2011–present), and online platforms Perpetual Postponement and aashra. As a curator, Tohmé conceived numerous multidisciplinary programmes, including Home Works: A Forum on Cultural Practices, Beirut (2002–present), and Sharjah Biennial 13: Tamawuj, which spanned multiple cities (2017–2018). Her work has been recognised with the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture (2018), the CCS Bard Audrey Irmas Award for Curatorial Excellence (2015), and the Prince Claus Award (2006). She serves on the boards of the International Biennial Association and Haven for Artists, a feminist cultural organisation based in Beirut. She lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon.

Main Image: Photograph: © Tanya Traboulsi, 2024.