The upcoming and postponed 18th Istanbul Biennial has become the most controversial edition in its history. On a rainy Sunday, the 7th of January, in Istanbul’s boutique theatre Bahçe Galata, a significant portion of the city’s art scene gathered. They were brought together in an open forum to discuss what they define as the symptoms of a greater secret agenda by policymakers to shape Turkey’s arts and cultural policies. 

The crisis at the Istanbul Biennial emerged when members of the Executive Committee resigned amid controversy over the appointment of Iwona Blazwick. This sparked protests from art professionals, including artist Kerem Ozan Bayraktar, Ateş Alpar, Bengü Karaduman, and Yaşam Şaşmazer, who took a critical stance by announcing their refusal to participate in the forthcoming edition and urging the organiser institution Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) to address their flawed methodologies and ethical concerns.

The art community in Istanbul is scrutinising IKSV for perceived transparency issues, prompting monthly public gatherings under the forum series to address cultural and artistic concerns. Participants aspire to establish transparency, fairness and participation in Turkey's cultural institutions, avoiding dismissing critique as "cancel culture" or "polarising". The outcomes of these meetings will be publicly shared.

The forum witnessed diverse participation from various fields, including contemporary art, cinema, literature, architecture, and music, with attendees such as art critics, curators, musicians, film directors, and authors. Initial discussions revolved around IKSV's unfulfilled structural promises, leading to demands for transparency in committee selection methods. Debates further explored the concept of "publicity in Turkey," questioning the nature of institutions and their stakeholders, prompted by concerns over IKSV's legal status and accountability to the public. The prevailing opinion is that there should be a distance from capital sources to establish an independent institution. Turkish novelist Kaya Genç expressed, "Otherwise, these institutions are governed like monarchies without any questionable constitution or whatsoever," earning cheers from the crowd. Amidst the heated discussions, curator Beral Madra asserted, "There is only one way to be taken seriously in bringing criticism to the working methodology of these institutions and being a professional association or a union is the only solution for accountability." It is a fact that, despite all the controversies surrounding the Istanbul Biennial, there was no public relations effort aimed at portraying the complete story with its truth, which could be heard and taken seriously. This is primarily due to the dominance of the media by those in power or capital sources.

After the milestone Gezi protests which stemmed from the forceful eviction of demonstrators at Gezi Park, sparked nationwide demonstrations against issues such as freedom of expression and the government's erosion of secularism. Despite lacking centralised leadership, millions participated in thousands of protests, leveraging social media to amplify their voices, resulting in casualties and injuries in 2013, the arts and culture community appeared to unite on one common goal: the fight to regain control of public spaces. One of the participants remarked, "These arguments bring to mind the 13th Istanbul Biennial, curated by the esteemed Fulya Erdemci, which delved into the relationship between the public and capital, revealing a complex yet simply presented context driven by hidden agendas. "Indeed, what defines public space? Can it still be reclaimed when surrounded by intricate capital networks, ideological policies, and the utilisation of art and culture as tools for tourist attraction?

Since the 13th Istanbul Biennial, there has been no general admission fee, reflecting a deliberate design to engage Istanbul's residents and international visitors. Like many other biennials, its goals include fostering critical discourse cultural enrichment, promoting the local art scene globally and celebrating diversity, creation and innovation. When considered from an ethical standpoint, do these principles still hold for the 18^th edition of the Istanbul Biennial? The evolving landscape of significant art events reflects a pervasive international concern, as they have shifted away from values like critical discourse and cultural celebration towards themes driven by capital and ideology, leading to curator resignations and a departure from integrity.

As of January 15, 2024, curator and researcher Kevser Güler, who earned recognition in the art world for her notable work ethic and energy, assumed the directorship of the Istanbul Biennial just as tensions reached a boiling point. The second forum was held in çakSTÜDYO, an art and culture space in Beyoğlu, on January 21 to discuss the determination of the public nature and responsibilities of cultural institutions in Turkey. A collective response was issued by the forum organisers to İKSV on January 31, which strongly objected to its attempt to diminish the significance of the 18th Biennial case and its failure to acknowledge the withdrawal of four artists in October 2023. It underscored the origins and evolution of the Istanbul Biennial, emphasising its commitment to promoting dialogues focused on diversity, inclusivity and cultural exchange. The forum group monitors the Istanbul Biennial’s changes, prioritising inclusivity and critique. Despite İKSV's positive reception of the forum group's emphasis on future commitments, the challenge of developing a new biennial model amid Turkey's complex landscape of discriminatory policies and social challenges remains formidable.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of STIR or its Editors.)