This year, the Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, coordinated by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), hosts Nilbar Güreş's exhibition titled "A Kiss on the Eyes"...
The exhibition, curated by Başak Doğa Temür, can be visited at the Arsenale, one of the main venues of the Venice Biennale, between May 9 and November 22, 2026.
Nilbar Güreş, whose artistic practice addresses gender, migration, belonging, and everyday power dynamics, brings together selected works from different periods with new productions in her exhibition at the Turkish Pavilion. The exhibition, with its transitional figures, makes visible the tensions within societal norms, inviting the viewer to reconsider established ways of looking at things. The diversity of materials and techniques, ranging from photography, collage, and oil painting to sculpture and installation; from fabric, macrame, wool, and brass to wood and everyday objects, opens up a space of expression that carries both personal and collective memories. The exhibition takes its name from the phrase "I kiss your eyes," used at the end of a letter or conversation; it points to a subtle form of co-existence without possessiveness or belittling.
The Venice Biennale 61st International Art Exhibition, Turkey Pavilion, is organized under the coordination of IKSV, under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, and sponsored by Borusan Automotive and Trendyol Art. SAHA Association provides production support for the exhibition, and Turkish Airlines is the airline partner. The Vehbi Koç Foundation also provided publishing support for the exhibition catalog.
The 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale is structured around the theme "In Minor Keys," chosen by the biennale's curator, Koyo Kouoh. This theme proposes listening to quieter, more fragile, and often overlooked experiences instead of dominant narratives.
The opening of the Turkish Pavilion, located in the Arsenale, one of the main exhibition venues of the Venice Biennale, took place on Wednesday, May 6th. The opening was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Rome, Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen; the Cultural and Public Relations Counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Rome, Zeynep Selvi; the Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Milan, Mehmet Özöktem; and the President of the Venice Biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, and its General Manager, Andrea Del Mercato.
The opening ceremony was also attended by senior executives from Borusan Automotive and Trendyol Art, this year's sponsors of the Turkish Pavilion, as well as supporters who contributed to Turkey's permanent presence at the Biennale and this year's exhibition, IKSV Tulip Card members, international press, and figures from the art and academic world.
Regarding the exhibition, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Rome, Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, stated: “I am pleased to see that our country's presence at the Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition is strengthening every year. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and thanks to the disciplined and dedicated efforts of the Istanbul Culture and Arts Foundation, Turkey has been flying its flag in its long-term venue at the Venice Biennale since 2014. I am grateful to all institutions and individuals who have contributed to this meaningful support on behalf of our country at the Biennale, which is considered a world exhibition of culture and art.”
IKSV Deputy General Manager Yeşim Gürer Oymak also expressed her thoughts on the exhibition as follows: “As IKSV, we are delighted to undertake the organization of the Turkish Pavilion at this important art event. This year, the exhibition prepared by Nilbar Güreş under the curatorship of Başak Doğa Temür for the Turkish Pavilion is in deep harmony with the Venice Biennale's theme of "In Minor Tones," offering a subtle and powerful artistic language where sincerity transforms into a form of resilience. I wholeheartedly thank Nilbar Güreş and Başak Doğa Temür, and all the teams who contributed to the exhibition, for inviting the viewer to establish a sincere relationship with art. I would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey for their support in the realization of the Turkish Pavilion, Borusan Automotive and Trendyol Art, who provided great support by sponsoring the exhibition this year, and all our individual and corporate supporters and sponsors.”
Hakan Tiftik, CEO of Borusan Automotive, one of the sponsors of the Venice Biennale Turkey Pavilion, said regarding the matter: “As Borusan Automotive Group, we see this sponsorship, which is a new expression of our close relationship with art for over 40 years, as a very valuable milestone for our institution. This support is a natural continuation of the long-standing approach to culture and art of the Borusan Group, under whose umbrella we operate, and the strong relationship that the BMW brand, which we represent in Turkey, has established with art. As Borusan Automotive Group, we will continue to draw strength from this deep-rooted heritage and shape our vision in the field of culture and art with this light.”
Çağlayan Çetin, Chairman of Trendyol Group, one of the sponsors of the Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, said: “We are proud to support the Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, with the aim of contributing to the global representation of our country in the field of art. As Trendyol Art, on this journey we embarked on with the goal of making contemporary art accessible and creating space for young artists, we are bringing our contribution to Turkey's artistic production to the international stage. We see the Venice Biennale as an important milestone where we strongly demonstrate our global vision and represent the beginning of our long journey.”
Source: https://www.iksv.org/tr/haber/venedik-bienali-61-uluslararasi-sanat-sergisi-turkiye-pavyonu-acildi