Turkey's most popular contemporary art exhibition, the Istanbul Biennial, will begin on Saturday. A series of exhibitions will be organized at the Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul State Art and Sculpture Museum, the Pera Museum and Büyükada Island from Sept. 14 to Nov. 10, with the contribution of 56 artists' 220 works of art from 25 different countries. Thirty-six new works of art produced by artists working in different fields will also meet art lovers in Istanbul. Speaking at the news conference, Bülent Eczacıbaşı, board chairman of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and the Arts (İKSV) said: "Believing that culture and art are among the fundamental rights and needs of all individuals in society, we strive to increase access and participation in culture and to provide free expression platforms for artists."

Theme of this year's exhibition

Ömer Koç, board chairman of Koç Holding, said they have sponsored Istanbul Biennial since 2007.

"We are very happy to continue our support for this very valuable art event until 100th anniversary of our organization, which is 2026," Koç said, adding that free entry to the exhibition for all visitors will allow a record number of art lovers to view the works of art. Koc stressed that the theme of this year's exhibition is "The Seventh Continent," referring to the garbage dump floating on the Pacific Ocean.

"There could not be a more effective tool than art to explain how the great harm humanity has done to the world, the only source of life with its own hand, threatens our future," Koç said. "I believe that artists who take their power from culture and universal values will encourage us to question more and take bold steps towards our future. Since the clean world, which is the common desire of all of us, cannot exist spontaneously, each individual must determine their own zone of responsibility accordingly," he added.