Iwona Blazwick to curate Istanbul Biennial in 2024

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – British writer and art historian Iwona Blazwick will be the curator of the 18th Istanbul Biennial slated for Sept. 14 and Nov. 17 next year, the organizers announced on Thursday.

“We are delighted that Iwona Blazwick has accepted our invitation to curate the 18th Istanbul Biennial,” said Gorgun Taner, the general director of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), in a statement.

“Her depth of experience and her long association with the Biennial make her an ideal choice to lead the team for 2024,” Taner added.

The 67-year-old Blazwick was director of the Whitechapel Gallery in London from 2001 to 2022 and was formerly at Tate Modern and London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. In 2007, she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for her services to art. She is a curator for the Royal Commission’s Arts AlUla project in Saudi Arabia.

Founded in 1987, the Istanbul Biennial has hosted over 1,200 artists and artist collectives, producing 650 new site-specific artworks, according to the statement.

“The Biennial works on an exhibition model which enables a direct dialogue between artists from diverse cultures and the audience,” it added. “In addition to showcasing site-specific work, the discovery of alternative and historical venues through contemporary art has been another essential component of the Istanbul Biennial.”