Maybe you didn’t notice the other art fair taking place last weekend. It was in Istanbul and had some contemporary art as well. The Hurriyet Daily News gives some details:

The pre-exhibition of the Contemporary Istanbul modern art fair at the city’s Lütfi Kırdar Exhibition Center has never been this crowded. I think the raising of awareness about modern art in Turkey has played a role in this. But renowned painter Burhan Doğançay’s piece the “Blue Symphony,” sold for a record price of 2.2 million Turkish Liras recently, also has had a share in creating such a crowd.

More than 300 artists represented by 73 galleries have joined the 4th Contemporary Istanbul event, which ends Sunday. Last year, the number of participating artists was 238. The total value of the artworks exhibited here amounts to $19 million and Contemporary Istanbul CEO Ali Güreli expects sales of around $10 million at the fair. Investments in art and the increasing number of art collectors despite the crisis are extremely hopeful developments for Turkey.

Another local source, Today’s Zaman, gives attendance figures. Click through to read about the interesting participation from Germany and the Ukraine:Continue Reading