Istanbul biennial drew record visitors

The International Istanbul Biennial drew a record number of visitors this year, luring some 101,000 art lovers to its three venues during its two-month run, the event’s organizers announced on Tuesday. This year’s attendance figures mean a solid success for the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art (IKSV), which has been organizing the biennial since 1987. Visitor numbers at this year’s 11th biennial are more than 10 percent higher than the 10th biennial, held in 2007, which itself drew 91,000 visitors, almost double the 51,000 who came to the 2005 event. The biennial also attracted a high level of international interest, according to the IKSV. More than 600 members of the press from 35 countries followed the event, in addition to around 4,000 art professionals, such as critics, curators and museum and art gallery directors from around the world. The 11th biennial, held under the conceptual framework "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" under the curatorship of the Zagreb-based curators collective What, How & for Whom (WHW), featured 141 works of art by 70 artists and artists groups from 40 countries. Turning the city into a platform of contemporary art from Sept. 12 until Nov. 8, the biennial showcased its exhibits at three venues: the old customs warehouse Antrepo No. 3 in Karakoy, the old tobacco warehouse in Tophane, and the Ferikoy Greek School in Sisli, which served as an art space for the first time in its history. Billed as the most comprehensive international art event organized in both Turkey and its region, and considered one of the most prestigious biennials alongside Venice, Sao Paolo and Sydney, the Istanbul Biennial display model enables dialogue between artists and the audience, and offers the work of artists individually instead of in separate pavilions for each country. The biennial thus serves as an opportunity for contemporary artists to be promoted internationally.