Istanbul Biennial Turns Ten

Contemporary art lovers who like to deconstruct globalization and who also want to get far off Istanbul's beaten path should not miss the 10th Istanbul Biennial, which opens September 8 and runs through November 4. San Francisco-based Hou Hanru (recently interviewed in the Wall Street Journal), curated "Not Only Possible But Necessary: Optimism in the Age of Global Wars," which explores Istanbul's historical and future role as a cultural and economic crossroads. More than 100 artists and artist groups from 35 different countries will exhibit. Even if you don't understand the art, the unusual venue choices give a completely different perspective on the city.

The unconventional venues selected for the main exhibits symbolize ways the ancient city and its residents have responded to globalization and modernity. The Ataturk Cultural Center -- a harsh, Modernist symbol of Turkey's fitful transition to Republicanism -- hosts exhibits that question the fate of Utopia, modernization, and democracy. The frenetic İstanbul Textile Traders' Market (İMÇ) in suburban Unkapanı, is the perfect site for the project "World Factory," which explores the economic give and take between the developed and developing worlds. The old customs warehouse, Antrepo No. 3 in Tophane, is home to two overlapping exhibitions. The first, a labyrinthine "Entre-polis" addresses global trade, migration and their impact on urban life. It sits under the second, a series of high-rise platforms called "Dream Houses," open only in the evenings. Finally, Santralistanbul is an Ottoman-era power station that Istanbul Bilgi University has converted into a Museum of Contemporary Arts, a Museum of Energy, and a cultural and educational center.

Also keep an eye out for "Nightcomers," mobile video installations shown on sidewalks throughout the city.

Istanbul Biennial [Official site]