Contemporary Istanbul opens to the public with two very different works. Jaume Plensa brings a seven-metre sculpture to the Golden Horn, while Johnny Depp presents his first sculpture in bronze.
Contemporary Istanbul opens to the public this Thursday with two works that give the fair an immediate visual contrast. A seven-metre sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa sits on the shore of the Golden Horn. Nearby, visitors can see a two-metre piece created by actor Johnny Depp.
The event brings established artistic authorship and a celebrity debut into the same visitor route. EFE reports from Istanbul that the works are among the main attractions at this year's fair. The 21st edition runs from 22 to 27 September 2026 at Tersane Istanbul. It includes 70 galleries and a programme focused in part on Asia, according to Turkey Today.
Plensa's sculpture occupies the waterfront. Its size and position make it part of Istanbul's landscape, rather than simply another work inside a gallery. The Golden Horn places contemporary art beside one of the city's most recognisable urban settings.
Contemporary Istanbul 2026 is the fair’s 21st edition and brings together 70 galleries at Tersane Istanbul from 22 to 27 September, with a stated focus on Asia.
Depp's contribution takes a different route.
The actor's first sculpture is titled 'The Bunnyman' and stands two metres high. It is made of white bronze. The work has been installed outdoors among cafés and trees, but it is not freely accessible from the surrounding area. Only visitors to the fair can reach the space where it is displayed. WION reports that the project was realised with the participation of the SIGG Art Foundation.
Plensa’s work is titled ‘Juana’ and is presented in the Tersane Istanbul Sculpture Park, an open-air section that includes 12 monumental sculptures. The venue extends the fair beyond its pavilions and connects the exhibition with the Golden Horn waterfront.
The arrangement gives the piece a clear place within the event. Visitors encounter a work tied to Depp's film career and public profile as they move through a fair that also presents a monumental sculpture by Plensa.
The contrast is straightforward. Plensa's work dominates the waterfront through its seven-metre scale. 'The Bunnyman' draws attention through its creator and unusual material. The sculpture is also linked to personal imagery from Depp's drawings and childhood memories, according to Turkey Today.
Contemporary Istanbul opens with two different kinds of visibility. Plensa's installation uses the city as its setting. 'The Bunnyman' stays inside the fair's controlled visitor area. That pairing connects public space with an exhibition setting that only ticketed visitors can enter, while keeping the identity of each work clear.
Sources describe 'Juana' as Plensa's first public artwork in Istanbul. Depp's sculpture is being shown for the first time at this fair.
Visitors can see a large Spanish sculpture beside the Golden Horn before encountering Depp's first sculptural work among cafés and trees. The fair's opening is built around the physical presence of both works. One reaches into the city; the other remains within the fair's visitor route.
