The Istanbul Biennial is not for the faint of heart. Where else would one encounter a UEFA Football event between Israeli and Turkish teams on the same evening (and on the same road) as the biennial's opening? From the moment one arrives at the airport and waits interminably to purchase a visa to first encountering the almost unimaginable traffic jams — which can turn a 20-minute jaunt into a two-hour nightmare of a journey — even the most intrepid art explorers might be tempted to turn back. But that would be a mistake.

This year's biennial, named "Untitled," is a response to the political, personal, and social themes in the works of Felix Gonzalez-Torres. A Cuban-born Puerto Rican-American artist, Torres died of AIDS at the age of 42 in 1996. While his works may serve as a thematic anchor for the biennial, the artist's presence is actually underscored by the absence of any of his actual works.

In keeping with the conceptual nature of Torres's work, Istanbul Biennial curators Jens Hoffmann and Adriano Pedrosa chose to divide the exhibition into five groupings and 50 solo works. Even the venue spaces were pared down to reflect the curators desire for a spare, simple approach. As in previous years, works were displayed in "Antrepo" — the Turkish word for "warehouse" — number 3 and number 5 next door to the Istanbul Modern museum, but unlike past biennials, the curators chose not to use multiple exhibition spaces around the city.

In order to keep the focus on the theme, or perhaps as a sort of anti-marketing strategy, the curators and organizers did not reveal a list of the artists who would be participating until the exhibition's opening, and even then, details were vague, leaving press and visitors alike to explore the venue without preconceived expectations. By orchestrating the biennial in this way, the aggregate whole exceeded the sum of the individual installations.

Despite the complexity of this year's layout, the show is successful in recreating what the organizers term "the visual seduction of walking from street to street, neighborhood to neighborhood, through courtyards, passages," that creates "its own world." Designed by the architect Ryue Nishizawa (of SANAA and Serpentine Pavilion fame), the overall layout is brilliantly structured through the use of white plastic boards for the solo presentations and gray metal containers for the group exhibitions. Thus the setting manages to be evocative of both Istanbul and Gonzalez-Torres's minimal aesthetic — no mean achievement in and of itself.

The five Torres works chosen by the curators ("Untitled (Abstraction)," "Untitled (Ross)," "Untitled (Passport)," "Untitled (History)," and "Untitled (Death by Gun)"), serve as a departure point for the solo presentations and group exhibitions which together encompass over 500 works — evoking Gonzalez-Torres's philosophy that the meaning of a work of art is always changing, and should therefore remain untitled.

The overarching theme and quality of the Istanbul Biennial contrast sharply with the commercially-oriented and poorly-edited Art Beat Istanbul, a contemporary art fair that coincided with the biennial's opening. Collectors interested in exploring the Turkish art scene would be better served by visiting some of Istanbul's galleries, such as RAMPA Istanbul, which represents the older and much-overlooked conceptual artist Cengiz Cekil as well as the abstract painter Ahmet Oran. If time is a problem, head to Misir Apartment No. 163 on Istikal Caddesi, an old converted building where virtually every floor contains a gallery.

Other good alternatives are Galeri Zilberman, which represents the Turkish artist Azade Koker, or Galeri Nev, which is currently showing Canan Tolon and Ali Kazma. Along the same street, at number 211, is Omer Koc's venue ARTER, which is currently exhibiting Kutlug Ataman, Turkey's most prominent video artist (Ataman's work is included in the biennial, as well). If, as for many visitors to the Istanbul Biennial, the art leaves no time for sightseeing, grab a kebab while enjoying the view of the Topkapi Palace in the Richmond Hotel nearby.

While there might not be time for sightseeing, there are always the VIP parties hosted by local collectors. The Cingillioglu couple threw a sumptuous dinner in honor of the artist Matt Collishaw, whose work is featured in the biennial. Set on a hill overlooking the Bosphorus, the party, with its carousel of chandeliers and a guest house inspired by the harem in the Topkapi Palace, went on until the late hours.

Omer Koc, who founded ARTER, also opened his magnificent home and unique collection to friends. In an age when many wealthy collectors rely upon the advice of art advisors, Omer has found his own unique voice, which is on display throughout the house. An eclectic art lover of daring taste, his collection ranged from first edition books and Iznik tiles to provocative contemporary art by artists including the Chapman brothers.

The increasing international awareness of Istanbul has created a palpable sense of excitement in the city. With its finances guaranteed by Koc Holdings until 2016, it is to be hoped that future curators can maintain the momentum and independence of this biennial, as was demonstrated this year.