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We are pleased to share that Šejla Kamerić will be participating at the 7th Mardin Biennial, titled SKYground. Curated by Çelenk Bafra, the biennial brings together 41 artists and collectives from 20 countries across historic sites and exhibition venues in Mardin. The biennial will take place across multiple venues in Mardin, southeast Türkiye with Peugeot as its main sponsor.
SKYground invites audiences to consider both the ground of reality and the horizon of imagination, establishing a dialogue between contemporary artistic practices and the multilayered cultural heritage of Mardin. Moving between sky and earth, the individual and the collective, and the past and the future, the biennial traces a conceptual and spatial trajectory across the city and its surrounding landscape. Birds—figures that hold a particular place in the cultural memory of the region—serve as symbolic guides throughout the biennial. Carrying the winds unique to Mardin and the stories embedded in its stone architecture, they map invisible routes between exhibitions, site-specific installations, and public programs.

7th Mardin Biennial: SKYground
15 May – 21 June 2026

For the first time, the biennial extends beyond the boundaries of the historic old city, inviting visitors to explore the wider region. New exhibition venues are Dara Ancient City, Deyrulzafaran Monastery, and Ates¸ Beyler Hamami – a hammam in Kiziltepe – alongside Kervansaray, Marangozlar Kahvesi (Carpenter’s Café), and Sakip Sabanci Mardin City Museum in Upper Mardin.

The 7th Mardin Biennial brings together 41 artists and artist collectives from 20 countries, including six artists based in Mardin and its surrounding region. While several participants are developing newly commissioned works for the biennial, others present existing works adapted to the conceptual framework and historical context of the city. The exhibition spans painting, sculpture, video, photography, performance, sound, and site-specific installations. The biennial also includes curatorial collaborations with House of Taswir for “Gaza Biennale Initiative” and with Stadtkuratorin Hamburg / City Curator Hamburg for “From the Cosmos to the Commons” program.

The 7th Mardin Biennial will open with a ceremony on the evening of 15 May 2026 in Upper Mardin. On the same morning, the biennial venues will welcome visitors for preview ahead of the general opening. From 15 May to 21 June, the 7th Mardin Biennial will be open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with free admission for all visitors. Please note that Dara Ancient City, as an archaeological site, is closed on Mondays. Access to Deyrulzafaran Monastery is subject to the rules and admission fees set by the monastery administration. The opening program—including performances, workshops, and talks—will take place 16–18 May, while the closing festival, 20–21 June, coincides with the summer solstice.