ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL MET ART LOVERS FOR THE FOURTH TIME
Held at the Dr. Architect Kadir Topbaş Performance and Art Center, the 4th ARTCONTACT International Contemporary Art Fair received great interest between May 22–26.
The fair brought together over 1,200 artists and thousands of artworks under the roof of more than 100 participants, hosting international artists from nearly 40 countries. With more than 20 live performances, 24 panels and workshops, it offered unforgettable moments to art enthusiasts.
The opening ceremony began with a concert by the Istanbul Yeni Yüzyıl University Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Performing Arts. The event featured speeches by Bilgin Aygül, Chairman of the Board of ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL International Contemporary Art Fair, and Tamer Levent, founder of the “Sanat Evet” (“Yes to Art”) platform.
Renowned artist and critic Bedri Baykam, General Manager of Kültür AŞ Murat ABBAS, and Mayor of Beyoğlu İnan GÜNEY also made powerful speeches that marked the ceremony.
As part of the fair, the “Artist Honor Award” was presented to Ahmet Umur DENİZ, the “Institutional Honor Award” to Art TV, and the “Contribution to Art Honor Award” to Prof. Dr. Yılmaz BÜYÜKERŞEN. The ceremony concluded with an outdoor cocktail reception, accompanied by a jazz performance by Esra Gürçay Trio.
Among the distinguished visitors to the fair were Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Kadıköy Mayor Mesut KÖSEDAĞ, Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat ÇALIK, Belgium’s Consul General Tim Van ANDERLECHT, and Patriarch of the Armenians of Turkey, Sahag II MAŞALYAN. In addition, numerous consuls general, cultural attachés, and art collectors from around the world attended the fair.
The strong participation from abroad and various regions of Anatolia highlighted that ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL has become a significant part of the international art calendar.
Over 23,000 Art Enthusiasts Gathered at ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL
The fair saw tremendous interest from countries such as Russia, Iran, Europe, and South Korea, with over 200 artists participating from these regions. ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL featured contemporary works across all disciplines—from painting to photography, sculpture to installation art. On the international front, the fair was enriched by 11 artists from the Ilya Repin Academy of Arts who showcased their work and live performances.
Under the umbrella of the Art Market Budapest International Contemporary Art Fair, five art galleries from Hungary joined ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL. Galleries from Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, South Korea, Armenia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Iran also took part. A large number of artists from Spain, the USA, Bulgaria, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Armenia, Belgium, South Korea, and France were present alongside their galleries.
The 24 talks and conferences held during the fair attracted significant interest. Highlights included:
“From Traditional to Contemporary” by Belgian artist Jeroen DEMOEN
“Galeri Beylikdüzü and the Collection” by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Mahir POLAT and Gallery Director Neslihan YAKUPÇEBİOĞLU
“The Art of Living” by Tamer LEVENT
“Virtual Life Within Real Life” by Mahir GÜVEN
A special tribute titled “A Republican Artist: Zafer GENÇAYDIN”
Among the many participating galleries were:
“AB GALLERY” from South Korea
“ART EMBASSY GALLERY” from Armenia
“SIXTEEN ART & MORE” from Italy
“CONTEMPORARY HUNGARY” from Hungary (Art Market Budapest)
“ES GALLERY STUDIOS” from Tatarstan
“G GALLERY” from Russia
“GALLERY ORHON” from Kazakhstan
“MOJ ART GROUP” from Iran
“PARKART” from Spain
“YAKUTDER” from Yakutia
And from Turkey: ALARMART, ARDA SANAT GALERİSİ, CANVAS ART GALLERY, FIRÇA SANAT GALERİSİ, GALERİ SOYUT, GALA GALERİ, GALERİ SELVİN, IMOGA ART SPACE, THE BEST ART GALLERY, and many more.
With artists from Russia to Italy, Korea to Spain, over 23,000 visitors enthusiastically explored the fair throughout its duration. We look forward to seeing you again with the same excitement at the 5th edition, taking place May 21–25, 2025!
