The 18th Istanbul Biennial, titled The Three-Legged Cat, opens on 20 September 2025. More than just an art exhibition, it promises to be a layered cultural conversation unfolding through installations, performances, screenings, and community events.
With a bold format and a poetic title, this Biennial positions itself as one of the most ambitious events in recent years. Here’s what we know so far.
Unlike most biennials that conclude within a single season, The Three-Legged Cat unfolds over three years, from 2025 to 2027. Its first “leg” runs between 20 September and 23 November 2025, followed by future iterations in 2026 and 2027. This long-span structure is designed to stretch beyond the fleeting intensity of a short exhibition, allowing artists, audiences, and the city itself to engage in a slower, more sustained dialogue. It reflects the curatorial vision of art as a process rather than a fixed event.
The Biennial’s first chapter will feature works by around 47 artists representing more than 30 countries. Exhibitions will be spread across eight venues along the Beyoğlu–Karaköy axis, transforming historic and contemporary sites into platforms for exchange. Beyond gallery walls, a lively public program will bring performances, film screenings, workshops, and talks to the city. Importantly, entry will be free, ensuring accessibility and inviting a diverse audience to participate in the unfolding narrative.
Curated by Christine Tohmé, the Biennial explores themes of self-preservation, resilience, and futurity. The three-legged cat becomes a metaphor for persistence, balance through imbalance, and creative adaptability. It challenges audiences to consider how art can survive, transform, and imagine possible futures in an uncertain world. Here, time itself is more than a backdrop—it becomes a material for shaping new cultural realities.
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