Çelenk Bafra Appointed as Curator for the 7th Mardin Biennial

Çelenk Bafra, Curator of the 7th Mardin Biennial. Courtesy Mardin Biennial

The Mardin Biennial, one of Turkey’s longer running art biennials, will return for its 7th edition in May 2026, marking its 15th anniversary. Organized by the Mardin Cinema Association and co-directed by Döne Otyam and Hakan Irmak, the Biennial continues to animate the city of Mardin, bringing together local and global artistic communities.

For this milestone edition, the Biennial has appointed Çelenk Bafra as curator. Bafra is a leading figure in Turkey’s contemporary art scene and currently serves as Artistic Director of Istanbul Modern. Previously, Bafra directed the Istanbul Biennial at İKSV, where she was instrumental in supporting Turkish artists’ participation in major international platforms such as the Venice Biennale, São Paulo Biennial, Lyon Biennale, Havana Biennial, and Athens Biennale. She also contributed to developing key initiatives for artist and curator support, including founding SAHA Studio and the Turkey Atelier at Paris Cité des Arts.

Çelenk’s connection with Mardin dates back to 2005, when she conducted a research trip with the curators and artists of the Istanbul Biennial. Her engagement with the city has deepened over the years through projects such as the Güneş Sineması, a collaboration with the Mardin Cinema Association, and her involvement in various editions of the Mardin Biennial. She has written critical essays and conducted interviews on the Biennial, which have been published in Açık Radyo, as well as various books and journals.

The Advisory Board of the 7th Mardin Biennial features prominent voices from Turkey’s art and academic circles, including Esra Aliçavuşoğlu, Fırat Arapoğlu, Mehmet Said Aydın, Evin Sevgi Baran, and Paolo Colombo.

We look forward to hearing in which ways this edition follows Mardin Biennial’s legacy of encouraging dialogue, critical engagement and the production of seminal works within one of the most unique geographies of Turkey.

Follow ours and Mardin Biennial’s website and social media outlets for news to follow on the theme, the curatorial approach and of course the participating artists to next year’s edition!