Istanbul Biennial 2019: Top Shows Beyond the Main Event

The 16th Istanbul Biennial, titled 'The Seventh Continent' and directed by Nicolas Bourriaud, opened on September 14, 2019, and runs until November 10, 2019, with exhibitions across the city. At Istanbul Modern, a retrospective of Canan Tolon (b. 1955) titled 'You tell me' runs until February 2, 2020, featuring abstract works blending photography and painting with organic and inorganic materials. At Yapi Kredi Culture and Art, Halil Altındere's solo show 'Abrakadabra' curated by Hou Hanru (artistic director of MAXXI Rome) presents over 25 surreal and dystopian works until November 3, 2019. Arter's new venue in Dolapdere opened in September 2019 with seven simultaneous shows, including Rosa Barba's 'The Hidden Conference' (third part of a film series shot in museum storage) and solo exhibitions by Altan Gürman, Ayşe Erkmen, İnci Furni, and Céleste Boursier-Mougenot. At Meşher, 'Beyond the Vessel: Myths, Legends, and Fables in Contemporary Ceramics around Europe' features 13 international artists including the Italian duo Bertozzi & Casoni, running until December 22, 2019, with parallel talks and workshops.