ONE THOUSAND ARTISTS 4 THOUSAND WORKS
ArtContact Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair was held at Dr. Architect Kadir Topbaş Show and Art Center between 26-29 May. On 25 May, during the preview and protocol opening, Honour Awards were presented. The fair aims to spread art to the grassroots and ensure that it reaches a wider audience. ArtContact, where more than 100 galleries, over a thousand artists and nearly 4 thousand works will be exhibited, hosted art lovers between 25-29 May. The preview and protocol opening of the fair, which brought together the works of artists from nearly 30 countries, took place on 25 May. On the opening day between 11.00-20.00, Bahçeşehir University Modern Jazz Ensemble gave a concert under the conducting of Şevket Akıncı at 18.00. At 18.30, Honour Awards were presented to the winners at the award ceremony. At this year's 2nd edition of the fair, the 'Institution Honour Award' was presented to the Elgiz Museum and Odunpazarı Modern Museum, the 'Artist Honour Award' to cartoonist and writer Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu and the 'Contribution to Art Award' music artist, painter to Erol Evgin.
FAMOUS NAMES AT THE FAIR
Famous names from the world of cinema and television also participated as speakers at ArtContact Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair organised by Atis Fuarcılık. Names such as Tamer Levent, Gaffur Uzuner and Atilla Dorsay took part as speakers in panels and interviews within the scope of the fair. In addition to Istanbul, galleries from Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and many cities of Anatolia participated in the fair. While galleries from Russia, Korea, Spain, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Azerbaijan took part in the fair, the works of artists from 30 different countries were on display through galleries in Turkey. During the fair, 17 interviews, talks and performances were organised in different art fields such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, video, performance and digital art. SILK ROAD EXHIBITION Within the scope of the fair, Hacettepe University organised the 'International Macsabal Silk Road' symposium and exhibition. Along with the exhibition curated by Mutlu Başkaya and Kim Yong Moon, workshops and interactive performances were held with the participation of artists and students.
ArtContact Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair was held at Dr. Architect Kadir Topbaş Show and Art Center between 26-29 May. On 25 May, during the preview and protocol opening, Honour Awards were presented. The fair aims to spread art to the grassroots and ensure that it reaches a wider audience. ArtContact, where more than 100 galleries, over a thousand artists and nearly 4 thousand works will be exhibited, hosted art lovers between 25-29 May. The preview and protocol opening of the fair, which brought together the works of artists from nearly 30 countries, took place on 25 May. On the opening day between 11.00-20.00, Bahçeşehir University Modern Jazz Ensemble gave a concert under the conducting of Şevket Akıncı at 18.00. At 18.30, Honour Awards were presented to the winners at the award ceremony. At this year's 2nd edition of the fair, the 'Institution Honour Award' was presented to the Elgiz Museum and Odunpazarı Modern Museum, the 'Artist Honour Award' to cartoonist and writer Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu and the 'Contribution to Art Award' music artist, painter to Erol Evgin.
FAMOUS NAMES AT THE FAIR
Famous names from the world of cinema and television also participated as speakers at ArtContact Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair organised by Atis Fuarcılık. Names such as Tamer Levent, Gaffur Uzuner and Atilla Dorsay took part as speakers in panels and interviews within the scope of the fair. In addition to Istanbul, galleries from Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and many cities of Anatolia participated in the fair. While galleries from Russia, Korea, Spain, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Azerbaijan took part in the fair, the works of artists from 30 different countries were on display through galleries in Turkey. During the fair, 17 interviews, talks and performances were organised in different art fields such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, video, performance and digital art. SILK ROAD EXHIBITION Within the scope of the fair, Hacettepe University organised the 'International Macsabal Silk Road' symposium and exhibition. Along with the exhibition curated by Mutlu Başkaya and Kim Yong Moon, workshops and interactive performances were held with the participation of artists and students.
PEACE WALL BY GRAFFITI ARTISTS
Beşiktaş Municipality took part in the fair with a total of 27 artists, 3 of which were graffiti artists. Graffiti artists performed on the wall set up by the municipality during the fair. The artists transferred the peaceful side of art to the walls against the conflicts that have recently affected the world. The resulting work continues to be exhibited in the parks of Beşiktaş Municipality.
MASTER AND YOUTH MEETING
The works of the masters of Turkish painting and talented young artists were exhibited together at the fair. Gallery Baraz, Maçka Art Gallery, Galeri Selvin, Soyut and other leading art venues in Istanbul and Ankara exhibited the works of many distinguished artists. The works of Devrim Erbil, Ertuğrul Ateş, İsmail Ateş, Bedri Baykam, Ahmet Nejat Birdevrim and Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu were presented in solo exhibitions.
TRANSFORMATIONS IN ART HISTORY
On 26 May Thursday at 17.30, a panel titled "Great Historical Transformations and Art" was organised under the chairmanship of Zafer Bilgin. The speakers of the panel held in the conference hall of the fair were Prof. Engin Beksaç from the Department of Art History at Trakya University, artist Prof. Caner Karavit from Mimar Sinan University, artist Prof. Seyit Yöre from Istanbul University, architect and writer Doğan Hasol and film critic and writer Atilla Dorsay. The participants of the panel signed their books after the interview.
AN INTERVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTIST AND COLLECTOR
On 27 May at 14.30, cartoonist, writer and Yeditepe University Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphic Design Department lecturer Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu gave a talk on 'My Life and Philosophy of Art'. Famous artist Bedri Baykam gave a talk titled 'The Relationship between Artists and Collectors in Turkey and Some Examples from Art History' at 16.00 on the same day. At 17.30, actor, director and writer Tamer Levent, brand consultant and IZEV Honorary President Hakan Kural and painter Akın Ekici held a session on the healing power of art around the subject of 'The Password of Life is Yes to Art'. Işık University Lecturer and artist Mahir Güven gave a speech titled 'The Story of Paintings'.
THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT AND MIGRATION ON ART
Environment and migration were also discussed at the fair. On 28 May Saturday at 13.00, in a talk titled 'Climate Crisis and Art' moderated by artist Pınar Ayhan, Ankara City Council President Halil İbrahim Yılmaz, painters İmren İyem and Mine Alkan and sculptor Özcan Kılıç talked about the impact of the climate crisis on art. On the same day at 15.00, painters İmren İyem and Mine Alkan and composer and conductor Rustam Rahmedov presented a live music and painting performance under the title 'Duel of Colours Climate Crisis, Drought and Women'. At 18.30, actor and painter Gaffur Uzuner, curator Denizhan Özer and painter Mustafa Albayrak discussed the issue of migration, one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world in recent years, and its effects on art under the title 'The Effects of Migration on Art'. On the last day of the fair, four different interviews and speeches were organised under the titles of 'Art and Social Status', 'Innovation and Art', 'The Unifying Power of Art', 'Pictures Speak One Picture One Thousand Stories'.
THE GOAL IS TO SPREAD ART TO THE GRASSROOTS
Bilgin Aygül, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atis Fuarcılık and ArtContact, mentioned that ArtAnkara Art Fair, which was held for the 8th time in March, achieved a great success and said that they will carry this success to Istanbul. Aygül said, "54 thousand people visited ArtAnkara this year. We are targeting a high participation in ArtContact, which we will organise for the second time, and we expect nearly 50 thousand visitors. The success of ArtAnkara stems from the fact that it spreads art to a wider base. ArtContact was also organised with this perspective, taking into account the needs of Istanbul, by spreading art to the public sphere. We aim to organise an event where not only galleries and buyers take place, but also everyone who is interested in art can visit, come together with artists, chat about art and produce projects."
Beşiktaş Municipality took part in the fair with a total of 27 artists, 3 of which were graffiti artists. Graffiti artists performed on the wall set up by the municipality during the fair. The artists transferred the peaceful side of art to the walls against the conflicts that have recently affected the world. The resulting work continues to be exhibited in the parks of Beşiktaş Municipality.
MASTER AND YOUTH MEETING
The works of the masters of Turkish painting and talented young artists were exhibited together at the fair. Gallery Baraz, Maçka Art Gallery, Galeri Selvin, Soyut and other leading art venues in Istanbul and Ankara exhibited the works of many distinguished artists. The works of Devrim Erbil, Ertuğrul Ateş, İsmail Ateş, Bedri Baykam, Ahmet Nejat Birdevrim and Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu were presented in solo exhibitions.
TRANSFORMATIONS IN ART HISTORY
On 26 May Thursday at 17.30, a panel titled "Great Historical Transformations and Art" was organised under the chairmanship of Zafer Bilgin. The speakers of the panel held in the conference hall of the fair were Prof. Engin Beksaç from the Department of Art History at Trakya University, artist Prof. Caner Karavit from Mimar Sinan University, artist Prof. Seyit Yöre from Istanbul University, architect and writer Doğan Hasol and film critic and writer Atilla Dorsay. The participants of the panel signed their books after the interview.
AN INTERVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTIST AND COLLECTOR
On 27 May at 14.30, cartoonist, writer and Yeditepe University Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphic Design Department lecturer Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu gave a talk on 'My Life and Philosophy of Art'. Famous artist Bedri Baykam gave a talk titled 'The Relationship between Artists and Collectors in Turkey and Some Examples from Art History' at 16.00 on the same day. At 17.30, actor, director and writer Tamer Levent, brand consultant and IZEV Honorary President Hakan Kural and painter Akın Ekici held a session on the healing power of art around the subject of 'The Password of Life is Yes to Art'. Işık University Lecturer and artist Mahir Güven gave a speech titled 'The Story of Paintings'.
THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT AND MIGRATION ON ART
Environment and migration were also discussed at the fair. On 28 May Saturday at 13.00, in a talk titled 'Climate Crisis and Art' moderated by artist Pınar Ayhan, Ankara City Council President Halil İbrahim Yılmaz, painters İmren İyem and Mine Alkan and sculptor Özcan Kılıç talked about the impact of the climate crisis on art. On the same day at 15.00, painters İmren İyem and Mine Alkan and composer and conductor Rustam Rahmedov presented a live music and painting performance under the title 'Duel of Colours Climate Crisis, Drought and Women'. At 18.30, actor and painter Gaffur Uzuner, curator Denizhan Özer and painter Mustafa Albayrak discussed the issue of migration, one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world in recent years, and its effects on art under the title 'The Effects of Migration on Art'. On the last day of the fair, four different interviews and speeches were organised under the titles of 'Art and Social Status', 'Innovation and Art', 'The Unifying Power of Art', 'Pictures Speak One Picture One Thousand Stories'.
THE GOAL IS TO SPREAD ART TO THE GRASSROOTS
Bilgin Aygül, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atis Fuarcılık and ArtContact, mentioned that ArtAnkara Art Fair, which was held for the 8th time in March, achieved a great success and said that they will carry this success to Istanbul. Aygül said, "54 thousand people visited ArtAnkara this year. We are targeting a high participation in ArtContact, which we will organise for the second time, and we expect nearly 50 thousand visitors. The success of ArtAnkara stems from the fact that it spreads art to a wider base. ArtContact was also organised with this perspective, taking into account the needs of Istanbul, by spreading art to the public sphere. We aim to organise an event where not only galleries and buyers take place, but also everyone who is interested in art can visit, come together with artists, chat about art and produce projects."
