{"id":87370,"date":"2025-09-26T20:05:29","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/87370\/"},"modified":"2025-09-26T20:05:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:05:29","slug":"first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/87370\/","title":{"rendered":"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641627ac8d018af7847a-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100%;\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 1 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6641627ac8d018af7847a\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"476\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"eager\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641627ac8d018af7847a-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_1.jpg\" style=\"min-height: var(--featured-height, auto); aspect-ratio: auto 640 \/ 476\" width=\"640\"\/><\/a>Khalil Rabah \u201cRed Navigapparate\u201d | Garden of the Former French Orphanage. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/p>\n<p>    Share<\/p>\n<p>Share<\/p>\n<ul class=\"afd-share__networks clearfix\">\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"facebook_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" data-social=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Twitter\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"twitter_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" data-social=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=First%20Chapter%20of%20the%2018th%20Istanbul%20Biennial%20Opens%2C%20Exploring%20Self-Preservation%20and%20Futurity&amp;url=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity&amp;via=archdaily\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Twitter<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"email_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" data-social=\"email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity&amp;body=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\"><\/a>\n<p>Mail<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Pinterest\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"pinterest_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" data-social=\"pinterest\" href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1034498%2Ffirst-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.adsttc.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F68d6%2F6416%2F27ac%2F8d01%2F8af7%2F847a%2Flarge_jpg%2Ffirst-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_1.jpg%3F1758880844&amp;description=First%20Chapter%20of%20the%2018th%20Istanbul%20Biennial%20Opens%2C%20Exploring%20Self-Preservation%20and%20Futurity\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Whatsapp\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-action=\"share\/whatsapp\/share\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"whatsapp_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" data-social=\"whatsapp\" href=\"whatsapp:\/\/send?text=First+Chapter+of+the+18th+Istanbul+Biennial+Opens%2C+Exploring+Self-Preservation+and+Futurity+%7C+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1034498%2Ffirst-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity%3Futm_source%3DWhatsapp%26utm_medium%3DIM%26utm_campaign%3Dshare-button\" rel=\"nofollow\"><\/a>\n<p>Whatsapp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Or<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity<\/p>\n<p>The 18th <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul-design-biennial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul Biennial<\/a>, organized by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul-foundation-for-culture-and-arts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (\u0130KSV)<\/a>, has opened its first phase to visitors and will remain on view until November 23, 2025. Curated by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/christine-tohme\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Tohm\u00e9<\/a> under the title <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1023115\/18th-istanbul-biennial-appoints-christine-tohme-as-curator-for-upcoming-edition-in-turkiye?ad_campaign=normal-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;The Three-Legged Cat,&#8221;<\/a> the biennial is envisioned as a three-year process unfolding between 2025 and 2027. The second phase, scheduled for 2026, will focus on establishing an academy and collaborating with local initiatives through a series of public programs. The third and final chapter in 2027 will bring together the accumulated encounters through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/exhibitions\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">exhibitions<\/a> and workshops.<\/p>\n<p class=\"thumbs afd-desktop-e clearfix\"><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6641227ac8d018af78479\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641227ac8d018af78479-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 2 of 13\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6641227ac8d018af78479\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_3.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641227ac8d018af78479-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" title=\"Khalil Rabah \u201cRed Navigapparate\u201d | Garden of the Former French Orphanage. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66669a154de017f333081\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66669a154de017f333081-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 3 of 13\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66669a154de017f333081\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_9.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66669a154de017f333081-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" title=\"Works of Eva F\u00e0bregas and Pilar Quinteros | Meclis-i Mebusan 35. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6681ea154de017f333082\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6681ea154de017f333082-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 4 of 13\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6681ea154de017f333082\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_11.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6681ea154de017f333082-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" title=\"Celina Eceiza | Zihni Han. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6647327ac8d018af7847b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6647327ac8d018af7847b-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 5 of 13\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6647327ac8d018af7847b\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_4.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6647327ac8d018af7847b-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" title=\"Lungiswa Gqunta &quot;Assemble the Disappearing&quot; | Galata Greek School. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"gallery-link afd-desktop-e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641627ac8d018af7847a-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - More Images\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_1.jpg\" itemprop=\"image\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAUEBAAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=\"\/>+ 8<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641227ac8d018af78479-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 2 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6641227ac8d018af78479\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6641227ac8d018af78479-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758917121_33_first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_3.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Khalil Rabah \u201cRed Navigapparate\u201d | Garden of the Former French Orphanage. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/christine-tohme\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Tohm\u00e9<\/a>, based in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/beirut\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Beirut<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/country\/lebanon\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a>, is known for her work at the intersection of cultural production, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/arts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">arts<\/a> education, and community-building. For this edition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul-design-biennial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul Biennial<\/a>, her curatorial framework reflects on self-preservation and futurity while acknowledging the global climate of violence. In her words, &#8220;Artmaking is engaged as a counterpoint to erasure, in summoning what has been buried, in generating surplus from loss, and in projecting possible worlds, it becomes a form of testimony and an index of persistence.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6647327ac8d018af7847b-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 5 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6647327ac8d018af7847b\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6647327ac8d018af7847b-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758917122_135_first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_4.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Lungiswa Gqunta &#8220;Assemble the Disappearing&#8221; | Galata Greek School. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"10.036496350365\">\n<p>The Three-Legged Cat proposes that preservation is world-building. To rest, to linger, to scavenge, to laugh, to refuse \u2013 these are not minor gestures but foundational blocks towards a yet-to-come. &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/christine-tohme\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Tohm\u00e9<\/a> on the introduction of the 18th <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul<\/a> Biennial Guide<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  Related Article <a class=\"rel-article__link\" data-insights-category=\"related-article\" data-insights-label=\"3\" data-insights-value=\"1034498\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1033444\/the-18th-istanbul-biennial-unveils-venues-and-artists-for-its-first-leg?ad_campaign=normal-tag?ad_medium=widget&amp;ad_name=related-article&amp;ad_content=1034498\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The 18th Istanbul Biennial Unveils Venues and Artists for Its First Leg<\/a>  <a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6698927ac8d018af78485-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 13 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6698927ac8d018af78485\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6698927ac8d018af78485-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_13.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Zihni Han. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/biennials\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">biennial<\/a> extends across eight venues in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/beyoglu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Beyo\u011flu<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/karakoy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Karak\u00f6y<\/a>, forming a walkable route that interweaves art with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/city\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">city<\/a>&#8216;s architectural fabric. In a context where spaces for cultural production face pressures of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/gentrification\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">gentrification<\/a> and commodification, many of the venues, abandoned, under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/renovation\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">renovation<\/a>, or in transition, reflect the precarious state of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul<\/a>&#8216;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/built-environment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">built environment<\/a>. Minimal interventions, limited to essential <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/refurbishment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">refurbishment<\/a>, allow the works to respond directly to the existing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/architecture\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">architecture<\/a> and surrounding urban conditions.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6681ea154de017f333082-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 4 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d6681ea154de017f333082\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d6681ea154de017f333082-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758917124_906_first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_11.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Celina Eceiza | Zihni Han. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 2025 edition features works by 47 artists presented across eight sites: Galata Greek School, Zihni Han, Muradiye Han, Galeri 77, Cone Factory, Meclis-i Mebusan 35, the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, and Elhamra Han. Each venue carries its own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/historic\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">historical<\/a> and architectural significance. Muradiye Han, for instance, was designed by M. Vedad Tek, an architect of the First National <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/architecture\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Architecture<\/a> Movement, originally serving as a trading house before becoming a French military post during the occupation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul<\/a>. Restored in 2021 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/office\/mimarlar-ve-han-tumertekin?ad_name=project-specs&amp;ad_medium=single\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Han T\u00fcmertekin<\/a>, it now hosts Ana Alenso&#8217;s installation as part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/biennials\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">biennial<\/a>. Galeri 77, a former wine storage facility from 1895, features works by Haig Aivazian, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/ola-hassanain\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ola Hassanain<\/a>, Mona Marzouk, and Dilek Winchester. Elhamra Han, one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul<\/a>&#8216;s earliest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/theater\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">theater<\/a> halls, built in 1827, was later adapted for entertainment and commercial uses and now includes works by Mona Benyamin, \u015eafak \u015eule Kemanc\u0131, Jagdeep Raina, Riar Rizaldi, Lara Saab, Natasha Tontey, and Sevil Tunaboylu for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/biennials\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">biennial<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66417a154de017f33307d-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 8 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66417a154de017f33307d\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66417a154de017f33307d-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_2.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Khalil Rabah \u201cRed Navigapparate\u201d | Garden of the Former French Orphanage. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Among the highlights, Khalil Rabah&#8217;s &#8220;Red Navigapparate,&#8221; presented in the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, operates at the intersection of spatial intervention and conceptual inquiry. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/installation\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">installation<\/a> engages with questions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/land\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">land<\/a>, displacement, and contested histories. A narrow water channel cuts through the site, traversed by a rigid red pipe evoking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/infrastructures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">infrastructures<\/a> of extraction and control. On one side, a manual transpalette placed on a marble pedestal contrasts mobility with constraint. Opposite, a field of more than 1,000 red barrels, each planted with olive, citrus, or nut trees, forms a temporary nursery, where rootedness and displacement are staged in tension. <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d664daa154de017f33307e-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 9 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d664daa154de017f33307e\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d664daa154de017f33307e-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_5.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Ana Alenso &#8220;What Mine Gives, the Mine Takes&#8221; | Muradiye Han. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ana Alenso presents an immersive multimedia installation at Muradiye Han, reflecting on the social and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/ecological\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ecological<\/a> realities of gold mining in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/venezuela\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Venezuela<\/a>&#8216;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/amazon\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon<\/a> region. At Galeri 77, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/ola-hassanain\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ola Hassanain<\/a>&#8216;s &#8220;A Whispering Dam (2024)&#8221; explores the relationship between built <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/infrastructures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">infrastructures<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/ecological\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ecological<\/a> systems, and power regimes. The sculptural work references the modernist Sennar Dam on the Blue Nile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/country\/sudan\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sudan<\/a>, evoking the intersections of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/environment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">environmental<\/a> fragility, social life, and political structures. At the Galata Greek School, Lungiswa Gqunta introduces &#8220;Assemble the Disappearing (2024\u20132025),&#8221; a maze-like, post-organic terrain whose ruptures and twists evoke discontinuity and collapse. Drawing on the writings of anti-colonial thinker Am\u00edlcar Cabral, who emphasized a return to land as central to liberation, Gqunta&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/installation\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">installation<\/a> extends her practice of resisting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/colonialism\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">colonialism<\/a>, dispossession, and erasure, while addressing legacies of patriarchy, imperial violence, and apartheid in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/country\/south-africa\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66537a154de017f33307f-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 10 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66537a154de017f33307f\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66537a154de017f33307f-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_6.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Ola Hassanain &#8220;A Whispering Dam&#8221; | Galeri 77. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66589a154de017f333080-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 12 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66589a154de017f333080\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66589a154de017f333080-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_8.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Claudia Pag\u00e8s Rabal &#8220;Five Defense Towers&#8221; | Cone Factory. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>With its first chapter now open, the 18th <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul-design-biennial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul Biennial<\/a> situates contemporary artistic practices within both the shifting urban fabric of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/istanbul\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Istanbul<\/a> and broader global conditions. By engaging with themes of displacement, memory, ecology, and resistance, the biennial positions art as a means of reflecting on the present while projecting possible futures. Extending across historically layered venues in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/beyoglu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Beyo\u011flu<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/karakoy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Karak\u00f6y<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/exhibition\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">exhibition<\/a> underscores the interdependence of cultural production and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/built-environment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">built environment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66669a154de017f333081-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First Chapter of the 18th Istanbul Biennial Opens, Exploring Self-Preservation and Futurity - Image 3 of 13\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68d66669a154de017f333081\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034498\/first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity\/68d66669a154de017f333081-first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758917129_801_first-chapter-of-the-18th-istanbul-biennial-opens-exploring-self-preservation-and-futurity_9.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Works of Eva F\u00e0bregas and Pilar Quinteros | Meclis-i Mebusan 35. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In other international <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/events\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">events<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034388\/slow-pavilions-chapel-retold-and-more-6-key-highlights-from-the-first-copenhagen-architecture-biennial?ad_campaign=normal-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the inaugural Copenhagen Architecture Biennial opened on September 18 and will remain on view until October 19 under the theme &#8220;Slow Down.&#8221;<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1034009\/uzbekistans-inaugural-bukhara-biennial-2025-opens-across-restored-historic-landmarks?ad_campaign=normal-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The first edition of the Bukhara Biennial, open until November 20,<\/a> presents more than 70 site-specific commissions across the historic core of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/country\/uzbekistan\/page\/1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Uzbek<\/a> city, framed within a long-term <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/heritage\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">heritage<\/a> plan. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/venice-architecture-biennale-2025\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Meanwhile, the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale continues until November 23,<\/a> s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1029630\/meet-the-full-list-of-the-65-national-pavilions-at-the-2025-venice-architecture-biennale?ad_campaign=normal-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">howcasing 65 National Pavilions alongside contributions from more than 750 participants<\/a> working across disciplines and generations.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Khalil Rabah \u201cRed Navigapparate\u201d | Garden of the Former French Orphanage. Image \u00a9 Sahir Ugur Eren Share Share&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":87371,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[267],"tags":[367,595,365,46456,362,363,364,57457,57455,57456,1578,366,18,117,2037,23085,19,375,17,11384,57453,57454,57458,57459,6833,385],"class_list":{"0":"post-87370","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-architecture","9":"tag-art","10":"tag-arts","11":"tag-arts-culture","12":"tag-arts-and-design","13":"tag-artsanddesign","14":"tag-artsdesign","15":"tag-beyoglu","16":"tag-biennials","17":"tag-christine-tohme","18":"tag-city","19":"tag-design","20":"tag-eire","21":"tag-entertainment","22":"tag-exhibition","23":"tag-historic-buildings","24":"tag-ie","25":"tag-installations","26":"tag-ireland","27":"tag-istanbul","28":"tag-istanbul-design-biennial","29":"tag-istanbul-foundation-for-culture-and-arts","30":"tag-karakoy","31":"tag-ola-hassanain","32":"tag-renovation","33":"tag-turkey"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}