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Arts & Communication Transnational mobility and art market centers

market and exhibit divergent mobility practices. Touring international experiences and networks to attract a diverse
collectors participate in art fairs or travel for short periods array of artists and critics to Istanbul, enhancing the city’s
and function significantly in connecting discrete art visibility and prestige. His curation emphasized Istanbul’s
markets. Expatriate collectors denote another crucial unique position as a cultural crossroads where East meets
group and reside in emerging art market cities. Collectors West and historical depth intersects with contemporary
often transcend the role of buyers and engage in different vibrancy.
aspects of the art scene through their patronage of artists The Istanbul Biennial functioned pivotally in catalyzing
or art events. They sponsor exhibitions, commission new structural investments that resulted in a significant boom
artworks, and support artist residencies, contributing to the in the 2000s. This period witnessed the launch of numerous
vitality and diversity of the local art ecosystem. Moreover, private museums and foundations. In particular, Istanbul
collectors sometimes establish cultural institutions such as Modern (Figure 1) was founded in 2004 and played a key
museums and foundations, which can cement the status of role in elevating Istanbul’s cultural landscape. The local
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a hub city. art market experienced unprecedented growth during
3. Istanbul: Hypermobile curators and this period, which led to a proliferation of galleries that
contributed to the internationalization of the art scene.
artists Notable galleries such as Galerist, Dirimart, and Rampa
This section focuses on the case of Istanbul and the roles became instrumental in promoting contemporary
played by hypermobile curators and artists in the rise of Turkish artists and participating in international art fairs.
this city as a significant center of the global art market. The The establishment of Contemporary Istanbul in 2006
Istanbul Biennial was established in 1987 and this event has further solidified the city’s position as a key player in the
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helped to transform the city into a transnational space of global art market. This annual art fair attracts galleries
creative experimentation. The biennial is organized by the and collectors worldwide, showcases both Turkish and
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Istanbul Foundation for Arts and Culture (IKSV) instituted international artists, and facilitates cultural exchanges.
by the prominent Eczacıbaşı family and was explicitly This dynamic also increased the attractiveness of the
intended to position Istanbul on the world art map. 65 city for artists, many of whom saw Istanbul as an emerging
The Istanbul Biennial’s strategic approach entails art hub and chose to settle there to work, develop projects,
inviting highly mobile and influential curators who can and collaborate. Artist Julie Upmeyer founded the artist
bridge the local art scene with the global art world. For residency Caravansarai. She is emblematic of the frenzy
instance, renowned curators such as René Block (1995), that surrounds Istanbul. Born and educated in the United
Dan Cameron (2003), and Hou Hanru (2007) were offered States, Upmeyer has held residencies in multiple countries
the carte blanche to experiment with diverse urban spaces including Armenia, Canada, Latvia, Japan, Spain, and
and turn the city into a site-specific canvas for creative South Korea. Upmeyer ran Caravansarai in Istanbul from
exploration. These curators carried extensive international 2007 to 2014 and explains why she chose Istanbul:
networks and commanded an intensive understanding I wanted a place that is not too developed for
of global art trends, aspects that were crucial to boosting contemporary art, not like Berlin, where everyone
the biennial’s reputation and influence. The biennial’s is an artist... But I didn’t want a place where
ability to attract high-profile curators and artists facilitated contemporary art doesn’t exist. It’s not fun to be
exchanges related to ideas and practices between Istanbul the only contemporary artist. So Istanbul was this
and other major art centers.
Hou Hanru, the curator of the 10 Istanbul Biennial
th
in 2007, is particularly emblematic of the hypermobile
curators invited to reinforce the reputation of Istanbul
as an emerging art hub. Hou was born in Guangzhou,
graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and is
based in San Francisco, Paris, and Rome. His perspective
on Istanbul encapsulates the city’s dynamic as a space
in constant transformation: “What makes Istanbul so
incredibly creative and productive is exactly this chaos
and this flexibility, with the risks that go with it.” Hou’s
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curatorial approach during the 2007 biennial crucially
situated Istanbul in the global art scene. Hou leveraged his Figure 1. Istanbul Modern. Source: Photograph by the author, 2024

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/ac.3734