X-TALK #41 BY DENIZ OVA

The ever-expanding concept of a biennial: Istanbul Design Biennial

By Deniz Ova

Hosted in collaboration with Amman Design Week and Platform.

Lecture Abstract

As design becomes an essential part of contemporary culture, the biennial can be at the intersection of the fields of design and everyday life. It is not only an effort to bring ideas together; it also challenges narratives on urgent issues through exhibitions, conversations and multi-layered exchanges.

The Istanbul Design Biennial challenges the nature of a biennial. By rethinking the common practice, it tries to expand the experience of audiences by opening the making process and widening the exhibition through different activities.

Defining itself as a living organism, the Istanbul Design Biennial engages with designers, artists, students, academics, professionals, and visitors from all ages and backgrounds, providing a vibrant programme beyond a six-week exhibition. As a platform for creativity, experimentation and alternative learning, the biennial opens up a debate on a variety of design and educational strategies while taking the city of Istanbul as a starting point and extending its line of thought to represent a state of global connectedness. Raising questions, allowing mistakes, encouraging casual encounters will help to create new systems for a future in design.

About Deniz Ova

Deniz Ova is the Director of Istanbul Design Biennial at Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), since 2013. Ova started working at İKSV in 2007 as the project leader for the International Projects department, where she developed and organised the festivals and events of the foundation in different European cities, carrying on as the director of the department from 2010 to 2013. Besides the festivals, she has been coordinating the Pavilion of Turkey at the International Art Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia, the artist residency studio “Turquie” at Cité Internationale des Arts, and recently managed the participation of Turkey in the London Design Biennial. Since 2014, she has been an advisor to the Pavilion of Turkey at the International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia, and is appointed as jury member for the artist residency studio “Turquie”. She is also a fellow at the Salzburg Global Seminar and Stiftung Mercator “Turkey Europe Future Forum”.