Mardin Biennial 2026 Reveals Artist Lineup and Expanded Venues

The seventh edition of the Mardin Biennial has announced its participating artists and program details for 2026. Scheduled to run from May 15 to June 21, the event will feature 41 artists and collectives from 20 different nations, including six creators from Mardin and nearby regions. Curated by Çelenk Bafra, the artistic director of Istanbul Modern, the biennial is titled 'SKYground' and uses the bird as a symbolic motif to explore connections between earth and sky, reality and imagination. The exhibition will take place across multiple sites in Mardin, located in southeastern Türkiye, expanding for the first time into the surrounding area. New venues include Dara Ancient City, Deyrulzafaran Monastery, Ates¸ Beyler Hamami, Kervansaray, Marangozlar Kahvesi (Carpenter’s Café), and Sakip Sabanci Mardin City Museum. Artists will present works in various media such as painting, sculpture, photography, video, performance, sound art, and site-specific installations, with several pieces commissioned specifically for the event. The artworks are designed to engage with Mardin's historical context and the biennial's theme. Notable participants include Khalil Rabah, Slavs and Tatars, Michael Rakowitz, Hiwa K, Ahmet Dogu Ipek, and Gözde Ilkin. Additionally, the biennial will involve curatorial partnerships with House of Taswir for the Gaza Biennale Initiative and with Stadtkuratorin Hamburg / City Curator Hamburg for a program titled 'From the Cosmos to the Commons.' The full artist list comprises names such as Hamra Abbas, Yasmeen Al Daya, Carlos Aires, Rozelin Akgün, Hüseyin Aksoy, Fares Ayash, Vahap Avsar, Alper Aydin, Mehtap Baydu, Bi Acayip Hâne (Senem Râbia Sekban & Fatma Alara Akgün), Mehmet Ali Boran, Hilal Can, Cansu Çakar, Isaac Chong Wai, Canan Dagdelen, Özgür Demirci, Bawer Doganay, Jakup Ferri, Alfredo Jaar, Ekin Kano, Šejla Kameric´, Ali Kaaf, Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos, Pelin Kirca, Kite (Dr. Suzanne Kite), Basim Magdy, Maro Michalakakos, Malgorzata Mirga-Tas, Zahit Mungan, Erkan Özgen, Camila Rocha, Selçuk Artut, Xul Solar, Erinç Seymen, and Irem Tok.