The Istanbul Biennial, titled "The Three-Legged Cat," will not proceed with its planned second and third phases after curator Christine Tohmé resigned due to personal circumstances, as announced by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV). The first phase ran from September 20 to November 23, spanning eight venues and attracting over 600,000 visitors. The biennial's early end follows a turbulent period, including the overturning of the advisory board's 2023 curator selection, which sparked protests. IKSV stated that preparations for the 19th Istanbul Biennial, scheduled for 2027, will begin shortly, with a new curator to be announced in 2026.
This matters because the Istanbul Biennial is one of the most prominent international art events, and its abrupt curtailment highlights ongoing tensions between institutional governance, curatorial independence, and political pressures in Turkey's cultural sector. The cancellation of the biennial's extended, more transparent structure proposed by Tohmé raises questions about the stability and future direction of major biennials in politically charged environments. The event's early closure also underscores the fragility of large-scale art exhibitions amid institutional upheaval.