From Grand Tour to art biennials: Venice and Istanbul

This thesis attempts to analyse the advancements in art which paved the way to the large scale exhibition model in contemporary society which is referred to as the ?Biennial?. In the first element of the research, particular attention is paid to the origins of large scale international art exhibitions and biennials. The history of the Grand Tour, Universal Expositions and the Venice Biennale are therefore areas of particular interest since they are the catalysts of large scale international art exhibitions. It becomes evident that a need existed for an examination into the origins of a biennial and the various motivations for initiating and continuing a biennial. In order to understand what created the need for a contemporary art biennial in Turkey, the second element of the research focuses upon the local art scene until the 1980?s and various large scale exhibitions in Turkey after the 1980?s which provided a foundation for important shifts within the art and culture scene. The International Istanbul Biennial is the third element of the research which focuses upon the organizational structure, exhibition model and effects of the biennial. The research also highlights how Istanbul became universally acknowledged as a creative city via the International Istanbul Biennial which took the limelight through taking advantage of the rich historical heritage of the city. The method used in this work is widely based on desk research. The majority of the materials are mostly provided by the Knowledge Centre of Yeditepe University and various libraries in other educational institutes. Also academic trips to Venice and Norway provided first hand experience for the research in question.Keywords: Venice Biennale, Grand Tour, Universal Expositions, International Istanbul Biennial, Large Scale Exhibitions in Turkey