Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by VitrA, the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial collaborates with Luma Arles and Z33 – House for Contemporary Art to bring over 90 interdisciplinary practitioners together to investigate the evolution of design education. 
A continuation of the 4th Istanbul Biennial – A School of Schools, the exhibition is curated by Jan Boelen, co-founding artistic director of the research programme Atelier Luma and curator of the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial, with Nadine Botha and Vera Sacchetti.
The 4th Istanbul Design Biennial presented an ambitious programme of exhibitions, projects and events which spanned the city of Istanbul. At the heart of the biennial was an ambition to create a safe space for learning in which established norms and conventions could be questioned. Now, A School of Schools will be presented at Luma Arles, an interdisciplinary cultural centre in the city of Arles, France between 27 April and 26 May 2019. The exhibition will also be a part of the Guest Program of Luma Days #3, a yearly forum of art and ideas which runs from 22 May to 25 May 2019, presenting public events, conferences, professional workshops, displays and art installations.
A School of Schools will also travel to Belgium in summer with the collaboration of Z33 – House for Contemporary Art, and will be exhibited in C-mine, a creative hub in Genk between 28 June and 29 September 2019. Co-curated by Ils Huygens, the Time School exhibition will be hosted by Z33.
The 4th Istanbul Design Biennial was held between 22 September and 4 November 2019 and brought together more than 200 interdisciplinary practitioners from 21 countries in 6 venues. Entitled A School of Schools, the biennial was visited by more than 200.000 people in 6 weeks. The biennial projects explored the multiple dimensions of design as learning in six schools: Unmaking School, Currents School, Scales School, Earth School, Time School, and Digestion School.
Participant List
Åbäke / Maki Suzuki; Alix Gallet; Ana Peñalba; Andrea Karch; Aslı Çiçek; Atelier Luma Algae Lab; Bogomir Doringen; Bora Hong; Camilo Oliveira; Can Altay; Cansu Cürgen and Avşar Gürpınar; Carlos Monleón; Chick Strand; CMP OFFICE; Commonplace Studio; Danilo Correale; Demystification Committee; Disarming Design from Palestine; Eat Art Collective; Ebru Kurbak; ECAL x MacGuffin Magazine; Ecole Mondiale; Emelie Röndahl; Fahmy Shahin; Farzin Lotfi-Jam and Mark Wasiuta; Fictional Journal Collective; Folder Studio; Gökhan Mura; Human Rights Foundation; Jamie Allen; Janna Ullrich; Jenna Sutela; João Roxo; Jorgen Leth; Judith Seng; Juliette Pepin; Kerim Bayer; LIFEPATCH; Lukas Engelhardt; Lukas Wegwerth; Mae-ling Lokko; Mark Henning; Mary Ponomareva; Medexpress; Meeus van Dis; N55; Navine G. Khan-Dossos; Nelly Ben Hayoun; New South; Noortje Van Eekelen; Nur Horsanalı; Pedro Neves Marques; Peter Zin; Pınar Yoldaş; Possible Bodies Collective; Selim Süme; Simone Niquille; Sissel Marie Tonn; SO? (Sevince Bayrak, Oral Göktaş and contributors); Studio Legrand Jäger; Studio Makkink & Bey and contributors; SulSolSal; Teis De Greve; Theo Deutinger.
The 4th Istanbul Design Biennial supporters
The 4th Istanbul Design Biennial is organised by İKSV under the sponsorship of VitrA.
The biennial’s theme sponsors include Metro Cash&Carry Turkey for Digestion School, İstanbul Kültür University for Earth School, Yapı Kredi for Currents School, Panerai for Time School, and Yeditepe University for Scales School.
The biennial workshops are sponsored by Edding. The biennial’s panel and conversations are sponsored by VitrA.
Mavi is the sponsor of the biennial’s ‘Design Routes’. Omnia Su Collection by Paşabahçe Stores is the special project sponsor of the biennial.
Other contributing corporations and institutions of the biennial are: Türk Tuborg A.Ş., Arçelik, 3Dörtgen, Borusan Holding, Ersa, Fibrobeton Yapı Elemanları San. İnş. Tic. A.Ş., İstanbul Bilgi University, Kartek Technologies, KUKA AG, MEF University, Metal Yapı İnşaat Taahhüt San. Dış Tic. A.Ş., QNB Finansbank, Q-artz, Sotheby’s, Tempo, The Stay Hotels, Türk Ekonomi Bankası (TEB), and YazıcıLegal.
The biennial is realised in collaboration with the Creative Industries Fund NL, Z33 – House for Contemporary Art, Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, British Council, DutchCulture | Genc Kultur, Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), Goethe Institut, Spaces of Culture, Flemish Ministry of Culture, Austrian Cultural Forum Istanbul, University of Southampton and Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language of Portugal / Embassy of Portugal in Turkey, Iaspis, Consulate General of Sweden and Swedish Institute.
The Founding Sponsor of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts is Eczacıbaşı Group, İKSV Official Hotel Sponsor is The Marmara Collection, the Carrier Sponsor is DHL, the Insurance Sponsor is Zurich Insurance Group, and the Service Sponsors are Navitas, GFK and AGC.
The 4th Istanbul Design Biennial also receives support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Governership of Istanbul, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Beyoğlu District Governership, Beşiktaş Municipality and Beyoğlu Municipality.
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