ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Iwona Blazwick to Curate 18th Istanbul Biennial

exhibition · 2026-04-22

Iwona Blazwick, who used to be the director of the Whitechapel Gallery, has been appointed as the curator for the upcoming 18th Istanbul Biennial. This event, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), will run from September 14 to November 17, 2024. Currently, Blazwick is working as a curator on the Arts AlUla project in Saudi Arabia. She spent over two decades at Whitechapel Gallery from 2001 to 2022 and has also worked at Tate Modern and the ICA in London. Furthermore, she contributes to the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Commission and the Sculpture in the City initiative. İKSV's general director, Görgün Taner, praised Blazwick's extensive background and her strong ties to the Biennial.

Key facts

  • Iwona Blazwick is curator of the 18th Istanbul Biennial.
  • Biennial runs 14 September to 17 November 2024.
  • Organized by Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV).
  • Blazwick is curator for Royal Commission’s Arts AlUla project in Saudi Arabia.
  • She was director of Whitechapel Gallery from 2001–22.
  • She previously worked at Tate Modern and London’s ICA.
  • She serves on advisory boards for Fourth Plinth Commission and Sculpture in the City.
  • She was founding editor of art book series at Phaidon Press.

Entities

Artists

  • Iwona Blazwick

Institutions

  • Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV)
  • Whitechapel Gallery
  • Royal Commission’s Arts AlUla
  • Tate Modern
  • ICA London
  • Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Commission
  • City of London’s Sculpture in the City
  • Harewood House
  • MaxMara Art Prize for Women
  • Film London’s Jarman Award
  • Phaidon Press
  • MIT Press

Locations

  • Istanbul
  • Turkey
  • Saudi Arabia
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Yorkshire

Sources