Throughout September, biennials, exhibitions, museums and festivals take place across Istanbul, transforming the city into an open-air art map.
With the arrival of September, Istanbul's culture and arts calendar is filling up quickly.
From the eagerly anticipated Istanbul Biennial to the captivating world of Van Gogh, Nilbar Güreş's first major solo exhibition, Robert Capa's historical photographs, and the installations and collective works of Suzanne Lacy, a pioneer of feminist art, the city offers art lovers a jam-packed program this month.
Here are the stops you shouldn't miss in September...
'Van Gogh: Chasing the Light'
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Kültür AŞ is hosting a special exhibition that combines the life and works of painter Vincent Van Gogh with advanced technology at Türkiye's first fully comprehensive Digital Experience Center.
'Velvet Look'
Arter is hosting Nilbar Güreş's first corporate solo exhibition in Türkiye, 'Velvet Gaze', on September 11th.
Emre Baykal's "Velvet Gaze" presents a wide selection from the artist's early works to his newer ones. Combining storytelling with critical discourse, the exhibition creates a constantly evolving, multicoloured world where human, animal, plant, and mythological elements intertwine.
'Truth is the Best Photo'
The exhibition "Robert Capa | Truth is the Best Photography", a collaboration between the Ara Güler Museum and the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center, is the most comprehensive selection of works by Robert Capa, one of the most important photojournalists of the 20th century, and will be open to visitors starting September 12.
In addition to Capa's world-renowned photographs, the exhibition also includes a special section consisting of 37 photographs he took in Türkiye in 1946.
'Together/Togaether'
Suzanne Lacy, a pioneer of feminist art, will exhibit her video installations and collective works centered on women's social experiences comprehensively for the first time in Türkiye at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, starting on September 12.
Two exhibitions at Pera Museum
Starting September 16, the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Pera Museum will present art lovers with two intriguing exhibitions on its 20th anniversary.
"Common Emotions: Works from the British Council Collection" presents works by 29 artists selected from the British Council Collection with a contemporary and speculative approach. Curated by Ulya Soley, the exhibition explores how collections not only preserve the past but also forge powerful connections with the social and political dynamics of the present. This is the first time the British Council Collection has presented such a comprehensive selection in Türkiye.
Swedish artist Asa Jungnelius's first solo exhibition in Türkiye, "A Line Written with Earth, Fire, Water, and Air," explores the relationship between humans and materials through the interaction of glass and stone. Curated by Elif Kamışlı, the exhibition invites the viewer to a presence-based experience and includes works created by the artist in collaboration with artisans at Şişecam's Denizli Glass Factory.
'Transforming Earth'
Borusan Contemporary opens its arts and culture season with the first major solo exhibition in Türkiye by Edward Burtynsky, one of the most important visual witnesses of our time, who interprets industrial landscapes in striking large formats. Opening at Perili Köşk on September 20, this exhibition's photographs, which trace the tracing of industrial activity, invite the viewer to confront the traces humanity has left on the earth.
'Three-Legged Cat'
The first leg of the 18th Istanbul Biennial, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of Koç Holding, the 2007–2036 Biennial Sponsor, will travel to the city free of charge from September 20 to November 23, 2025. Curated by Christine Tohme and titled "Three-Legged Cat," the biennial will present the works of 47 artists from over 30 countries in eight different venues along the Beyoğlu–Karaköy line.
'Contemporary Istanbul'
Contemporary Istanbul, Türkiye's international contemporary art fair, will bring together leading galleries and art professionals in the American contemporary art scene with art lovers for its two-day Focus America program, held from September 24–28, 2025, under the main sponsorship of Akbank for its 20th edition. This year, guests include the Brooklyn Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, MoMA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as various private collectors from New York, Seattle, and California.
Bonus: Istanbul Cultural Trail Festival
The festival, which kicks off on September 27th, will feature numerous exhibitions and events in the city. Most notably, the world-renowned Bolshoi Theatre will perform in Istanbul for the first time. The tour, which will take place at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) from September 26–30, 2025, will present two classic masterpieces: "Romeo and Juliet" and "Swan Lake."