Over 62 percent of artworks sold at CI Bloom

The fourth edition of “CI Bloom,” a contemporary art fair organized by Contemporary Istanbul (CI), welcomed artists, international media and art professionals.

According to a statement from the fair’s management, CI Bloom featured 520 artworks by 263 artists and attracted 11,780 visitors. More than 62 percent of the works were sold and added to new collections.

The fair, which drew significant interest from a young audience and hosted 780 university students free of charge, brought together 25 galleries and four art initiatives.

Contemporary Istanbul Chairman Ali Güreli, quoted in the statement, said the fourth edition of CI Bloom concluded successfully.

“The participation of emerging galleries and art initiatives from Ankara, Diyarbakır and Eskişehir added great value to the fair. One of CI Bloom’s core principles, encouraging these participants by giving them space for production, visibility and sharing, will continue to be a priority in the coming years. CI Bloom became a meeting point not only for young artists but also for young collectors in its fourth edition,” he said.

Güreli noted that Contemporary Istanbul is celebrating its 20th anniversary, adding, “As a complement to Contemporary Istanbul, we believe CI Bloom is the perfect stepping stone for young artists and collectors who are just beginning their art journey. With its sales success and newly emerging audience profile, CI Bloom has presented an inspiring outlook for the industry.”

International art professionals and media representatives with a specific interest in art were invited to Istanbul in collaboration with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA).

Among the guests were representatives from Art Tribune and Artslife (Italy), Le Quotidien de l’Art (France), Canvas (United Arab Emirates), Qantara (Germany) and Clarin Newspaper (Argentina).

In addition, artworks by CI Bloom artists that were not displayed at the physical fair were presented on the online sales platform “Artwide.” The online auction ran concurrently with the fair, expanding the in-person experience into the digital realm and marking the first step toward a hybrid model.