Contemporary Istanbul 2006 Art Fair Opens This Week at ICEC

Contemporary Istanbul 2006 Art Fair Opens This Week at ICEC
The premier edition of Contemporary Istanbul, Turkey's and the region's newest contemporary art show, will be held this week between December 21-24 at the Lutfi Kirdar Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center, located at the very heart of the city.

More than 65 galleries and art initiatives representing several countries will take part in this year's inaugural edition.

Deutsche Bank has become a sponsor of Contemporary Istanbul.

Next year, the fair will be held on September 5-9, 2007 to coincide with the opening week of the 10th edition of the Istanbul Biennial.

Contemporary Istanbul, already perceived locally as the most desirable art fair for contemporary galleries, artists, and collectors alike, will grow to become the region's most important art show by attracting top galleries and artists from the entire Middle East, the Balkans, the Turkic Republics of Central Asia, North Africa, as well as several of the more established galleries from the Western Hemisphere.

Istanbul, with its magnificent historical architecture and its vibrant nightlife, sets the perfect backdrop for a contemporary art show.

This year, Contemporary Istanbul is expected to attract approximately 50,000 visitors during the four days immediately prior to Christmas Holidays.