Curators Announced for 2027 Istanbul Biennial
The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts has announced that Liu Ding and Carol Yinghua Lu will curate the 2027 Istanbul Biennial

Carol Yinghua Lu and Liu Ding. Photo: Courtesy the IKSV.
The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts has announced that Liu Ding and Carol Yinghua Lu will curate the 2027 Istanbul Biennial.
The Beijing-based curators have worked together since 2007. Most recently, they served as artistic directors of the 2024 Yokohama Triennale.
‘Today, as we navigate a landscape of extreme political volatility and the pervasive influence of algorithmic technologies, art often finds itself in a state of “elsewhere” – obsessed with seeking external horizons to alleviate our deep-seated existential anxieties. The 19th edition calls for a dire shift in focus’, said Liu and Lu in a statement. ‘We seek to move beyond reactive commentary and technological escapism to recognise and reclaim the primary agency of art and the individual. By confronting ourselves and the realities of our time, this biennial aims to restore the critical rigour and visceral greatness of ideas and art, creating a space to not just reimagine, but to actively build, a more sovereign and resilient future for artistic practice.’
The Istanbul Biennial will take place from 18 September to 14 November 2027.
Related content
Washington DC’s Kennedy Center Risks Fiscal Collapse
Hungarian Government Scraps New National Gallery
Qatar Museums to Build Dedicated Pavilion to Gerhard Richter
News

Washington DC’s Kennedy Center Risks Fiscal Collapse
Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post warn that the Kennedy Center faces “fiscal collapse” within weeks, after ticket sales and fundraising plunged amid upheaval following Donald Trump’s takeover

Hungarian Government Scraps New National Gallery
The Hungarian government's decision to cancel construction of the New National Gallery has ended a major European cultural initiative, raising questions over its future.
-1.jpg%3F2026-09-10T15%3A33%3A24.143Z&w=3840&q=100)
Qatar Museums to Build Dedicated Pavilion to Gerhard Richter
Qatar Museums will begin the creation of the Doha Pavilion, a new permanent structure to display the works of German artist Gerhard Richter.

Lucien Smith, Art-Market Star of the 2010s, Dies at 37
American artist Lucien Smith, who rose rapidly to prominence in the 2010s and became a fixture of New York’s downtown art scene, has died aged 37.

Japan Art Association Announces the 2026 Praemium Imperiale Prize Recipients
Jenny Holzer and Andy Goldsworthy are two of the five recipients of the 2026 Praemium Imperiale, the Japan Art Association’s prestigious international arts award.

Fundación Banco Santander Opens its Cultural Centre
The Faro Santander Museum opened its doors this week on the northern coast of Spain.

Geles Cabrera, Pioneering Mexican Sculptor, Dies Age 100
The sculptor Geles Cabrera, best known for being Mexico’s first professional female sculptor, has passed away age 100
_Teapot%2520and%2520Scrolls%2520(During%2520Trip%2520to%2520Mokpo)-1.jpg%3F2026-09-07T16%3A17%3A01.824Z&w=3840&q=100)
Gwangju Biennale Opens Without China’s Pavilion
Amidst a diplomatic storm over Taiwan, the Gwangju Biennale returns with a sprawling 16th edition of contemporary art

Toledo Museum to Return Five Objects to Ethiopia
A new 20-year partnership with Ethiopia’s heritage authority will investigate objects with incomplete provenance and establish a route for their return

Andy Burnham Fractures Hopes of Parthenon Marbles Restitution
The British Prime Minister has publicly cooled on his stance regarding the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece

Yayoi Kusama, Iconic Painter of Polka Dots, Dies at 97
The artist developed a body of work recognisable for its obsession with repetition

Gwangju Biennale Reinstates Taiwan Pavilion
Following accusations of censorship, the participation of Taiwanese artists will now be named the Taiwan Pavilion rather than the ‘NTMoFA Pavilion’
