The 20th anniversary edition of Contemporary Istanbul has confirmed its status as one of the most dynamic art fairs in the region — a place where global blue-chip names meet the energy of a rapidly evolving Turkish art scene. The fair’s milestone year brought not only impressive sales and ambitious installations but also a true sense of internationalism that extended from the Golden Horn to the global art market.
Record Prices and Star Names
At the fair’s press conference, founder Ali Güreli announced the top sale: a work by Lucio Fontana priced at €4 million. That record-setting number set the tone for a fair that balanced prestige with playfulness. Fontana’s piece was quickly sold by DG Gallery, which showcased an impressive lineup of market heavyweights including Fernando Botero, Takashi Murakami, Mark Quinn, and George Condo, whose large canvas carried a price tag of $2 million.
DG Gallery, though relatively young, occupied one of the fair’s most striking positions — a glass-fronted space with its own street entrance. Just next door, Pilevneli Gallery, founded by the influential Murat Pilevneli, reinforced its standing as one of Turkey’s leading contemporary art spaces. Both galleries formed part of a new luxury complex designed to integrate art into the fabric of urban leisure, bridging the gap between culture, commerce, and lifestyle.
Tersane: An Industrial Past Reimagined
The fair once again took place in Tersane, the historic dockyard district on the Golden Horn. The area’s transformation has been remarkable: warehouses once used for shipbuilding have become hotels, restaurants, and galleries, while massive rusted cranes remain as monuments to its industrial past.
In one of these former workshops, Italian artist Arcangelo Sassolino presented a monumental kinetic installation titled State of Desire. The 18-meter structure features two marble blocks suspended like counterweights, shifting in precarious balance with the help of motors. The piece was not for sale — a reminder that some of the fair’s most powerful statements resisted the market altogether.
A Market in Motion
While the top prices impressed, mid-range and emerging markets also thrived. Dubai’s AWC Gallery offered an oversized textile installation by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos for €450,000 — a spectacular and characteristically ironic monument to the art of knitting.
Among Turkish artists, Erdag Aksel stood out with his foldable bright yellow sculptural structure priced at $125,000, exhibited by the long-established Ankara gallery Siyah Beyaz, which proudly notes its artists’ presence in major international collections. The work, which can be reconfigured for interior or outdoor display, symbolized the adaptability of Turkish contemporary art itself.
Between Critique and Glamour
Although political and social commentary appeared only sporadically, a few works struck a critical chord. A neon sign spelling out a local idiom equivalent to “tighten your belts” was installed atop a panel of handwritten debt records — an unvarnished glimpse into everyday economic realities. Presented by Anna Laudel Gallery, which operates in Istanbul, Düsseldorf, and Bodrum, the work embodied the gallery’s dual mission of promoting Turkish artists abroad and bringing international names to local audiences.
Yet the fair’s overall tone leaned more toward the aesthetic and the glamorous. Painting dominated — from Tony Cragg’s sinuous sculptures to lush canvases exploring interior spaces. One of the most eye-catching examples was a grand library scene by Florentine painter Massimo Giannoni (€35,000, Muse Contemporary), while Pedro Sera Gallery (Lisbon/Madrid) offered plexiglass paintings inspired by 1950s magazine interiors, priced between €43,000 and €48,000.
Women at the Forefront
Gender equality was a major theme. Ferda Art Platform dedicated its entire booth to women artists, led by Merve Şenel’s exuberant Venus Ecstasy — a vibrant reimagining of classical myth through impressionistic color bursts. Works by internationally recognized figures such as Shirin Neshat and Nil Yalter also commanded attention. Neshat’s 2024 photograph, inscribed with her signature Persian calligraphy, sold for $120,000 at Dirimart, while Mira Gallery (Madrid) presented Yalter’s collage work for €160,000.
The Digital Frontier
One of the fair’s true highlights was the presentation of Marina Abramović’s Impossible Performances, brought by TAEX Gallery. The series of digital editions featured a hyperreal avatar of the legendary performance artist interacting with surreal elements — from floating skulls to golden serpents. Projected on large screens during the fair’s gala celebration, these digital works were priced between $2,250 and $5,500, signaling how technology continues to reshape the performative and collectible.
Turkish artist Güvenç Özel also made a strong statement with Neuroflux, a monumental looping sculpture-screen displayed outdoors. Known for his collaborations with Frank Gehry and appearances at Sundance and Coachella, Özel represents a new generation of artists blurring the boundaries between architecture, art, and digital media.
Focus on the United States
This year’s special focus was on the United States, with five American galleries and a strong delegation of collectors and curators. On the booth of New York’s Heft Gallery, a large “carpet” assembled entirely from Lego bricks drew crowds. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the work of Sarp Kerem Yavuz, artist and art director of the fair, from his ongoing series Turkish Pixel — a witty meditation on cultural identity and pattern-making in the digital age.
A Confident Anniversary
Contemporary Istanbul 2025 celebrated its twentieth year not with nostalgia but with confidence. The fair showcased a country — and a city — that has become an essential hub in the global conversation on contemporary art. Between its historic setting, cosmopolitan scope, and playful engagement with both tradition and technology, Istanbul’s art fair proved that the bridge between East and West is not just metaphorical — it’s alive, evolving, and ready for the next twenty years.
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