The 3rd International Yeditepe Biennial, which was opened in Yedikule Fortress with the presence of the President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was inaugurated as a qualified art meeting where classical arts are reshaped using contemporary aesthetics, with the participation of Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, hosted by Mr. M. Ergün Turan, the Mayor of Fatih Municipality and Mr. Muhammed Emin Demirkan, President of the Classical Turkish Arts Foundation.

The 3rd International Yeditepe Biennial, which was inaugurated at Yedikule Hisarı with the presence of the President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is set to leave a new mark in the historical memory of Istanbul with the theme ‘Where There is Shadow, There must be Light’. Bringing together the deep-rooted heritage of classical arts with today's understanding of art, the biennial invites art lovers not only to a visual journey but also to a profound climate of thought.

Organised under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye and in collaboration with Fatih Municipality and the Classical Turkish Arts Foundation, Yeditepe Biennial offers an aesthetic response to the need for classical arts in the contemporary world. The event, which is held in three important venues among the historical buildings of Istanbul, will host the subtle journey of art between shadow and light for two months.

The opening ceremony held in front of the stone walls of Yedikule Fortress was attended by the President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. M. Ergün Turan, the Mayor of Fatih Municipality, Mr. Muhammed Emin Demirkan, the Chairman of the Board of the Classical Turkish Arts Foundation and many names from the art community. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Turan, the Mayor emphasised that the Yeditepe Biennial provided a platform for the reinterpretation of classical Turkish arts with contemporary reflections and thanked President, Mr. Erdoğan for his support. He also expressed his gratitude to all the institutions, artists and sponsors who contributed to the realisation of the biennial.

Organised for the first time in 2018, Yeditepe Biennial, which is the first of its kind in the world in the field of classical Turkish arts, meets the audience with a different theme in each edition. This year's theme, ‘Where There is Shadow, There must be Light’, is not only an aesthetic expression, but also a proposal for philosophical enquiry. The balance between the meaning hidden by shadow and the truth revealed by light appears as a common focal point in the works of the artists.

A total of 215 works are exhibited in the biennial, which is organised this year with the participation of 263 artists from 30 different countries. The international dimension of the biennial allows classical Turkish arts to be re-expressed in a universal style. In this respect, Yeditepe Biennial stands out not only as an art organization, but also as an intercultural interaction and a common field of thought.

The exhibitions of the Biennial meet art lovers in three important venues that carry the historical memory of Istanbul. Yedikule Fortress hosts 163 works as the central exhibition venue of the biennial. The historical texture of the Fortress creates an aesthetic atmosphere accompanying the theme of shadow and light. There are 27 works at the Sirkeci Train Station Warehouses and 17 work in the Nuruosmaniye Mosque Cellar. Each of the three venues adds different layers to the theme with its own historical identity, and thus the opportunity to manifest is offered by the shadow and light not only to art but also to venue.

Visitors can see the exhibitions free of charge between 18 April - 18 June, every day of the week between 11.00 - 19.00. Those who want to participate in the biennial can pre-register on the official website of the biennial or at the registration points located in the exhibition areas. Thanks to this accessible structure, Yeditepe Biennial maintains its goal of bringing art to wider audiences.

The main sponsorship of Yeditepe Biennial is undertaken by Turkcell and Turkish Airlines. While both institutions contribute to the biennial with their social responsibility approach in the field of culture and arts, they also play an important role in strengthening the relationship between art and society.

This year's biennial is curated by Fatih Ömeroğlu and Furkan Türkyılmaz. Treating the theme of shadow and light not only as an opposition but also as an existential unity, the curators carry the language of expression in the works to intellectual layers. The shadow is constructed by the artists not only as a darkness but also as the ground where light gains meaning, while light is interpreted not only as a brightness but also as an inner awareness.

The Yeditepe Biennial, which has been in the memory of art lovers with the themes of ‘(Craftsmen in the Ottoman Empire [Ehl-i Hiref])’ and ‘Inside/Outside the Frame’ in its previous editions, takes its audience on a visual and mental journey this year. This artistic journey extending to the future with classical techniques combines the depth of tradition with today's form of expression.

Yeditepe Biennial brings audiences together through classical arts reshaped with contemporary interpretations in historical sites in the heart of Istanbul. This meeting is important not only as an exhibition visit but also as a cultural confrontation, an artistic inquiry and an aesthetic contemplation. In the transitions between shadow and light, the viewer can see both himself and the world anew.

This artistic voice rising among the time-defying stones of Istanbul comes to life as the contemporary echo of a heritage filtered from the past to the present. The Yeditepe Biennial is an invitation to a journey that explains the deep-rooted lines of art in today's style, brings together aesthetics and thought, and blends silence and light. It offers a call from beyond time to everyone who wants to meet in the light that emerges from the shadow.