GAZA BIENNALE – THE ISTANBUL PAVILION: A Cloud in My Hand
September 19 @ 18:00
19 September – 8 November 2025
Opening: Friday, September 19, 18:00
Curated by House of Taswir and associates. In collaboration with over 50 artists from the Gaza Biennale Initiative, the Forbidden Museum of Jabal Al Risan in Palestine, and Addar Center İstanbul.
GAZA BIENNALE – THE ISTANBUL PAVILION features the work of over 50 artists from Gaza, Palestine, and beyond. The exhibition unfolds across three floors at Depo, Istanbul during the 18th International Istanbul Biennale and is curated by House of Taswir in collaboration with the artists of the Gaza Biennale and international collaborators.
In 2024, in a breathtaking act of artistic defiance—and in collaboration with the Forbidden Museum of Jabal Al Risan in Palestine mountain near Ramallah—artists in Gaza launched the Gaza Biennale from a beach under siege. Since then, art institutions worldwide have begun hosting Gaza Biennale Pavilions—acts of diasporic solidarity that replace national representations with a transnational practice of artistic affinity and alliance.
Due to the ongoing genocidal war, the forced famine and closed borders devastating Gaza and Palestine, most Gazan artists are unable to travel, and their works cannot physically cross borders. In response, THE ISTANBUL PAVILION—together with the Gazan artists collective—re-imagines exhibition practices through co-creation, ghost-writing, tele-conversations, and collaborative installations.
Since its inception, in gestures of overwhelming generosity, more than twenty international artists have joined the GAZA BIENNALE – THE ISTANBUL PAVILION by donating works in support of the Palestinian artists. We are proud to show works by Alfredo Jaar, Walid Raad, Shirin Neshat, Elisabeth Masé, Furkan Akhan, Khaled Tanji, Ghayath Almadhoun, Christine Gedeon, Michael Barenboim, and more.
Featured formats include video portraits, mobile phone dialogues, wall writings, a table of scholars, a poetry festival, and the emergence of a Museum of Affinities and of Distant Collaborations. A public program of film screenings, poetry evenings, and in-situ conversation with the Gazan artists will be held during the entire seven weeks of the Biennale.
This exhibition is made possible by the support of family and friends, individual colleagues and artists, by spontaneous encounters and unexpected generosities.
“No war can stop the dreams of dreamers, and no mechanism of domination extinguish the light in the hearts and minds of creators.”
— Gaza Biennale Collective Statement, 2024
Public Program in September
The public program of the Gaza Biennale – The Istanbul Pavilion in September includes Palestinian film screenings, poetry and music evenings, a writing workshop and a Table of Scholars.
The Istanbul Pavilion opens on Friday, September 19 at 6:00 PM and features the work of over 50 artists from Gaza, Palestine, and beyond.
September 19, Friday, 18:00
Opening of the GAZA BIENNALE – THE ISTANBUL PAVILION: A Cloud in My Hand
Curated by House of Taswir in collaboration with Addar Center İstanbul, the Gaza Biennale Initiative, the Forbidden Museum of Jabal Al Risan in Palestine, and associated friends.
September 20, Saturday, 19:00
Opening of the Palestine Films, screening program moderated and introduced by Gülen Güler & Khaled Tanji. Film program starts with the screening of 5 short films and a talk with Waseem Khair, the director of the film Gaza Bride 17.
All films will be screened with Turkish and English subtitles, and the talk with Waseem Khair will be in English. All screenings are free of charge and registration is not required.
- Artist From Gaza
Director: Gaza Biennale
Palestine, 2025, 10’
Art from Gaza becomes the first language of truth—each artist capturing essential moments of resistance by creating in the most difficult times.
- Sweat
Director: Hasan Tanji
Palestine, 2016, 5’
From the sea of Palestine began the refugee’s journey, moving through exiles imposed by wars, where memories are killed and new ones are born. In a constant struggle with place and identity, the sea this time becomes the final path to exile.
- Waiting For Hasan
Director: Alper Şen
Turkey, 2022, 7’
In the middle of the battle, a sniper is trapped in an emplacement. While listening to the sounds of war at this moment, he cannot silence his inner voice.
- It Could Have Been Me
Director: Lina Abdulkari
Egypt, 2025, 12’
Seeing the harsh realities of life through your friends. A short film about coming of age.
- Gaza Bride 17
Director: Waseem Khair
Palestine, 2024, 20’
A fisherman from Gaza is trapped in his haunting memories. After losing his only child, he suffers from post-traumatic disorder that leads him on a psychological journey, reliving his tragedy in a different reality.
- Talk with Waseem Khair
September 21, Sunday, 12:00
Table of Scholars: Mapping Gaza with artist and curator Hala Alnaji (Gaza/Malmö), participating artist Azza Ezzat (Cairo), Gaza Biennale artist Mohammad Suliman (Gaza/ Cairo) and members of House of Taswir.
The event will be in English.
September 23, Tuesday, 19:00
Music evening with the band Ayna Ayna.
September 24, Wednesday, 19:00
Poetry & Music Evening
Poetry readings with Palestinian poet Khaled Alsaid, moderated by writer and performer Valérie Cachard accompanied by Sabah Rando on the oud.
The event will be in Arabic and English.
September 27, Saturday, 19:00
Palestine Films
- Artist From Gaza
Director: Gaza Biennale
Palestine, 2025, 10’
Art from Gaza becomes the first language of truth—each artist capturing essential moments of resistance by creating in the most difficult times.
- Abu Jabal
Director: Bisan Owda
Palestine, 2025, 20’
The dream of going back home, or to its ruins.
- Class Outside
Director: Aylin Kuryel, Fırat Yücel, Deniz Buga
Netherlands, 2025, 34’
A collective video-diary capturing everyday moments of resistance, in solidarity with Palestine.
- Awaiting For Appointment
Director: Tara Tarawneh
USA, 2023, 20’
An experimental documentary that explores the real and political dimensions of thirst.
September 28, Sunday, 12:00 – 15:00
Evocative Objects: Gazan stories told by objects
A workshop in creative writing with Valérie Cachard.
The event will be in English.
In addition, Depo will host frequent in-situ conversations with Gazan artists. The details of this event and the October and November program will be announced shortly.
