BMW's Turkish importer Borusan Otomotiv backs Türkiye Pavilion at Venice Biennale

Borusan Otomotiv, BMW's official importer in Türkiye and the brand's largest importer worldwide, is a key partner of the Türkiye Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, running through November 22, 2026. The pavilion, commissioned by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), showcases 'A Kiss on the Eyes' by Nilbar Güreş, curated by Başak Doğa Temür, until November 2026 at the Sale d'Armi, Arsenale. This marks Borusan Otomotiv's first-time support of the pavilion.

Curated by Başak Doğa Temür, 'A Kiss on the Eyes' presents Güreş's practice in sculpture, installation, painting, and mixed-media works. It explores themes of intimacy, resilience, and cultural identity through textiles, everyday objects, and organic forms carrying personal and collective histories. The pavilion is realised under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, co-sponsorship from Trendyol Art, and additional support from Turkish Airlines and the SAHA Association. The Biennale period coincides with the artistic leadership of the late Koyo Kouoh, a long-term collaborator of BMW Group Culture who also initiated BMW's engagement with the Education Centre at Zeitz MOCAA.

In 2025 alone, Borusan Otomotiv reinforced its commitment by supporting Contemporary Istanbul, Türkiye's leading international art fair, and playing an important role in BMW's 50th Art Car anniversary celebrations. The company brought the BMW Art Car World Tour to Turkish audiences through a series of events, art fairs, festivals, and dealer openings, showcasing iconic works by Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu's latest 2024 'rolling sculpture'. By creating touchpoints between international art movements and local audiences, Borusan Otomotiv continues to strengthen Türkiye's position in the global cultural landscape.

Borusan Holding has been at the heart of contemporary art for two decades. Borusan Otomotiv contributes to contemporary art through its partnership with Contemporary Istanbul, and Borusan Holding also supported the Istanbul Music Festival since its first edition as a founding member of İKSV. Since 1977, Borusan Sanat has worked to make classical music more accessible, continuing under the Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation, and Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (BIPO) was founded 26 years ago. Borusan Contemporary fosters dialogue between artists and audiences at the historic Perili Köşk with its unique office-museum concept, featuring works by Bill Viola, Doug Aitken, Axel Hütte, and Edward Burtynsky, and develops exhibitions and public programmes centred on the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, which is a member of ICOM and the first Turkish collection in IACCCA.

BMW Group's cultural engagement has a clear strategic focus on contemporary art, design, sound, film, classical music, and jazz, viewed as corporate citizenship. Every year on the occasion of the Venice Biennale, together with the Neue Nationalgalerie, BMW hosts a joint event celebrating their partnership of the Preis der Nationalgalerie, which will be awarded to Maurizio Cattelan in 2026. Already in 2011, BMW teamed up with artist Hajnal Németh for her 'CRASH – Passive Interview' installation for the Hungarian Pavilion. BMW supports initiatives such as the BMW Art Journey, the Berlin Biennale, and Art Basel. İKSV, a non-profit advancing culture since 1973, has coordinated the Türkiye Pavilion since 2007, with a permanent venue at the Sale d'Armi, Arsenale since 2014.