Kamiar Maleki named director of Contemporary Istanbul art fair following controversial 2024 edition

Kamiar Maleki, who is based in London and works as a collector and curator, has been named the director of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair. He is a founding member of the ICA's Young Patrons and also holds the title of Young Patron at both Parasol Unit Foundation and Tate. Maleki emphasized Istanbul's significance as a pivotal arts center that links Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, highlighting its unique collector demographic. The 2024 edition of the fair encountered challenges when demonstrators protested against Ali Elmaci's sculpture, 'I Can't Reciprocate Your Feelings Osman III, 2016', which depicts a two-headed woman in a bikini with a knife in one mouth. Maleki intends to elevate CI's global profile by leveraging its current path and heritage.