18th Istanbul Biennale: The Three-legged Cat
Curated by Christine Tohmé
Istanbul
20 September – 23 November 2025

It is said that a cat has nine lives. A revered city dweller, the cat slips between gridlines, scavenges for the overlooked, and basks in the sun. Relying on wit and charm, it plays the unruly companion to neighbours and passers-by. Despite millennia of domestication, it preserves its wildness in times of peril.

Oscillating between play and danger, the cat has an anxious spirit that guides it through obscure passages. In a blasted landscape, this might cost it dearly, even a limb. The three-legged cat treads about silently, slinking in and out of view. Its altered gait carries the echoes of untold horror. Yet it still finds momentary respite, raising its gaze to the sky and questioning the planetary horizon. It practices new gymnastics, often faltering yet resolving with ceaseless grace. Following it off the beaten path allows us to mimic the cat’s mischief and make room for transformation, finding solace in the sun’s warmth.

Selma Selman performing Motherboards, 2025, at the 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman performing Motherboards, 2025, at the 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman performing Motherboards, 2025, at the 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman, Motherboards, 2025; Installation view of 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman, Motherboards, 2025; Installation view of 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman, Motherboards, 2025; Installation view of 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025. Photo by Mete Kaan Özdilek

Selma Selman, Motherboards (A Golden Spoon), 2025, Installation view of 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025, Silver gilded with gold, 14 × 3 × 1.5 cm. Photo by Sahir Uğur Eren
Selma Selman, Motherboards (A Golden Spoon), 2025, Installation view of 18th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2025, Silver gilded with gold, 14 × 3 × 1.5 cm. Photo by Sahir Uğur Eren