One visitor commented on Contemporary Istanbul: Concentrated Mediocricy. I can see their point. These two examples I just couldn’t resist posting, to illustrate the situation:

The picture below is not from a local art market, but from Contemporary Istanbul. Ramex Gallery from Kassel in Germany was exhibiting works by Mehmet Güler, an artist who is at the time of writing not even featured on their website, but listed on artfacts, if you want to have a look. Their booth had the feel of an art market in the village next to where I live, with stacks and stacks of paintings that all look alike.

I’m not saying this makes it low quality contemporary art (in fact, I think it is, anyway), but if you then have a whole table of prints made up like greeting cards (the only thing missing was a “Get well soon!” headline) it’s a downer … if that would be part of the concept … but look as I might, I couldn’t detect even a trace of a concept.

And then, around the corner, and forgive me if I don’t even want to make the effort finding out which gallery it was, they printed out the artist’s name in Comic Sans typefont on hand cut sheets of paper. I think it even was the only artist they featured …

Please forgive the low quality pictures but I didn’t dare enter the booths out of fear of being talked to …

Without wanting to sound cynical I still firmly believe that there is a BIG difference between contemporay art and works by artists who happen to be alive.

Some other thinghs a lot of the galleries could have done better in my humble opinion is the number of works on display. Some booths were so crowded with sculptures and other stuff I didn’t date enter, again, because I was afraid I’d knock the stuff over.

Let’s be positive: Contemporary Istanbul has a lot of potential. Just don’t mention taxes.

My first day in Istanbul led me through a customs-couple searching what little luggage I had at Stuttgart airport, an almost empty (40 passengers) Airbus of Turkish Airlines whose inside panelling was making squeekie noises and a limousine ride through maniac traffic to what must be one of the poshest hotels I have ever been to.

I expected Istanbul to be different than most places I have visited in recent years, but when I looked out my window and saw this dude standing at the edge of the roof with his shopping bag, I had proof of my theory.

Off to the artfair (-> link) where I was greeted by a busy but nevertheless charming Jasmine who gave me my luxurious VIP package. I met one of the IC members who was attending, spoke to Fiza Akram from Canvas (-> link) and naturally I had a look at the art.

I could jump to a preliminary, not too charming conclusion, but I will have look again today and report back with pictures. I have seen at least 4 or five things that made me go back and in the special “Berlin section” of the Fair, I overheard the guys from “Zone B” (-> link) talk about their “Kunst-Tüte”.

I went back later and talked to them about it. It’s a series of surprise bags, each featuring one item of a 15 strong multiple by an artist from their gallery. The only thing you know, when you buy it, is the artist and the price: EUR 80.-

I bought one with a work by Oliver Scharfbier (-> link), whose name sounds like a drink I would like to try, and whose black/white/red “paintings” on display at their booth had caught my eye earlier (images will follow).

So here is the “Kunst-Tüte” in the hotel armchair. I will open it tonight …

I haven’t heard about their gallery or the artist before but I like the idea of buying something, not exactly knowing what it might be. True, it might not be the most original idea on the planet, but in the environment of Contemporary Istanbul last night it was the one thing that grabbed my attention in it’s lightness.