Istanbul Biennial curator Christine Tohmé resigns, ending 'Three-Legged Cat' project early

Christine Tohmé has resigned as curator of the Istanbul Biennial, causing the event to conclude prematurely. The Beirut-based curator's departure was attributed to personal reasons by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV). Her ambitious three-part program titled 'The Three-Legged Cat' will not be completed—only the first exhibition closed in November 2023, while planned conferences, workshops, and a second exhibition for 2026-2027 are now canceled. This marks another disruption for the biennial, which has faced multiple leadership changes. In 2023, Defne Ayas was initially appointed director by a jury, but IKSV reversed the decision and appointed Iwona Blazwick instead, who later resigned amid controversy. A new advisory board is now selecting a curator for the next biennial, scheduled for 2027. The board includes Turkish academic Ahu Antmen, Lydia Gatundu Galavu from the National Museums of Kenya, Turkish artist Gözde İlkin, Berlin-based curator Renan Laru-an, and Sally Tallant of the Queens Museum in New York. Tohmé's appointment was intended to reset the biennial after previous disputes, but her early exit leaves its future uncertain.