Galerie Hilaneh von Kories - Ara Güler: The light of Istanbul


Ara Güler
The light of Istanbul

September 19th bis Dezember 18th 2013

From September 19th to December 18th, 2013, Hilaneh von Kories Gallery in Hamburg will present Turkey‘s most important photographer with a selection of his best images. His name - Ara Güler - and his work are legendary. He recently turned 85 and has received many accolades such as „Photographer of the Century“, „Documentarian of the Truth“, and „Visual Historian“. The most accurate characterization of his work would probably be „The Eye of Istanbul“. Since the 1950s, Güler has captured vibrant street life, the bustle of the big city and everyday acitvities of its inhabitants more vivid than anybody else. His pictures are full of impressions of sidewalks, shops, the jumble of streets and a traffic mix of horse drawn carriages, busses, and taxis. The special atmosphere of Istanbul is a symphony of buildings, bridges, ships and clouds, where tight and crammed spaces still offer views of a distant horizon. And in the center of all of this we find Güler‘s main characters, the happy, sad, giddy, melancholic people of Istanbul. What he captured intently, curiously and persistently became a major contribution to Turkish photography.

In the course of decades of his professional career, Güler has become a documentarian of major changes. Istanbul has been thrown into a turmoil of constant and swift transformation while forfeiting its vernacular architecture on a large scale. Traditional lifestyle vanished as well. The Bosporus fishermen are long gone. The old Galata Bridge has been replaced by a new structure. Wooden buildings are getting scarce. Except in the images of Ara Güler, who recorded, as he says, „what was lost in Istanbul“.

Born in 1928 in the Taksim neighbourhood on the European side, the heart of modern Istanbul, he was the son of a well-reputated pharmacist whose house in the Beyoğlu district close on the historic peninsula by the Golden Horn he inherited and still lives in. Its many floors have become a personal museum.
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Ara Güler
Straßenverkehr auf der Alten Galatabrücke, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier

45 x 30 cm

Ara Güler: Pferdegespann nahe Şehzadebaşı, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 30 cm
Vorschaubild
Pferdegespann nahe Şehzadebaşı, 1958
  Ara Güler: Café in Beyoğlu, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 45 cm
Vorschaubild
Café in Beyoğlu, 1958
  Ara Güler: Wasserverkäufer in Vefa, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 33,1 cm
Vorschaubild
Wasserverkäufer in Vefa, 1959

Güler‘s orginally had different ambitions. He trained as an actor and studied economics. After finishing college he decided on becoming a photo journalist. He taught himself the basics and was quickly in demand, even internationally. So when he met Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris in the fifties he facilitated the contact to the famous Magnum photo agency as well, with which he is still affilated. Güler traveled all over the world and was assigned by the most important international news magazines. At the same time he constantly glanced at and explored his home town, which became a boundless reservoir for his observations.

Ara Güler: Rückkehr der Kumkapı-Fischer, 1950
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 34,6 cm
Vorschaubild
Rückkehr der Kumkapı-Fischer, 1950
  Ara Güler: Hochzeit einer Einwandererfamilie in Taşlıtarla, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 45 cm
Vorschaubild
Hochzeit einer Einwandererfamilie in Taşlıtarla, 1959
  Ara Güler: Blick von der Alten Galatabrücke auf die Süleymaniye Moschee, 1955
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 45 cm
Vorschaubild
Blick von der Alten Galatabrücke auf die Süleymaniye Moschee, 1955

The soul of Istanbul will be on display in Hamburg for the first time. Hilaneh von Kories Gallery will show 44 images from Güler‘s vast collection of works which he, the ever humble man, calls his „archive“. A vital role in making the connection was played by Erdal Buldun, a Turkish-born filmmaker and photographer who lives in Munich. Buldun‘s film from 1998, „Ara Güler, the Photographer of Istanbul“ (“Der Fotograf Istanbuls - Ara Güler“), will be a part of the exhibit and a number of his still photos are as well. His series is titled “colours of memory“.

Ara Güler: Armenische Fischerin, Kumkapi, 1952
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 41 x 30 cm
Vorschaubild
Armenische Fischerin, Kumkapi, 1952
  Ara Güler: Korbträger auf dem Fischmarkt, Beyoğlu, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 23,9 cm
Vorschaubild
Korbträger auf dem Fischmarkt, Beyoğlu, 1954
  Ara Güler: Arbeitender Junge in der Werft, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 x 30 cm
Vorschaubild
Arbeitender Junge in der Werft, 1959
  Ara Güler: Apotheker in Tepebaşı, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 x 23,5 cm
Vorschaubild
Apotheker in Tepebaşı, 1958

Ara Güler
„ISTANBUL“
Orhan Pamuk
DuMont Buchverlag, 2012

ISTANBUL colors of memory

Erdal Buldun
„colors of memory“
edition m, 2010

More photos from this exhibition

Ara Güler: Straßenverkehr auf der Alten Galatabrücke, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
open image gallery "The light of Istanbul"
Ara Güler: „Salep“ Verkäufer auf der Alten Galatabrücke, 1957
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Provinzler auf der Alten Galatabrücke, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Kinder in Üsküdar, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 26,4 cm
Ara Güler: Inschrift „Allah“, Alte Moschee in Edirne, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 24,7 cm
Ara Güler: Hochzeit einer Einwandererfamilie in Taşlıtarla, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Musiker in Beyoğlu, 1962
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Bergleute, Divriği, Sivas, 1970
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Markttag in Siirt, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Pferde an den alten Stadtmauern, 1969
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Lastenträger zwischen Pferdekutschen, 1966
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Bauernmädchen im Armenviertel über Eyüp, 1965
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Straße in Tarlabaşı, 1965
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Lastenträger warten am Öl Quai auf Arbeit, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 36,5 cm
Ara Güler: Pferdegespann nahe Şehzadebaşı, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Apotheker in Tepebaşı, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 23,5 cm
Ara Güler: Wasserverkäufer in Vefa, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 33,1 cm
Ara Güler: Straßenbahnen in Galatasaray, 1960
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 35,8 cm
Ara Güler: Korbträger auf dem Fischmarkt, Beyoğlu, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 23,9 cm
Ara Güler: Paar in Zeyrek, 1960
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Brot und Pistole, 1970
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Storch im Hof der Eyüp Sultan Moschee, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Café in Beyoğlu, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Armenische Fischerin, Kumkapi, 1952
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 41 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Arbeitender Junge in der Werft, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Frauen in der Batteriefabrik in Taşlıtarla, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Pferdefuhrwerk und Straßenbahn in Sirkeci, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Abschied am Quai von Galata, 1955
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Touristenboot vor der Alten Galatabrücke, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Rückkehr der Kumkapı-Fischer, 1950
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 34,6 cm
Ara Güler: Springender Mann am Goldenen Horn, 1960
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Süleymaniye Moschee, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Flussschiffer am Goldenen Horn, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Galatabrücke, 1959
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Blick von der Alten Galatabrücke auf die Süleymaniye Moschee, 1955
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Kähne und Möven, Goldenes Horn, 1955
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Alte Galatabrücke, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 38,7 cm
Ara Güler: Werftarbeiter, Istanbul, 1956
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Bosporus-Dampfer verlässt Kandilli, 1965
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Kinder auf dem Şeyhülislam Yahya Efendi Friedhof, 1985
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Ara Güler: Kind auf osmanischem Friedhof, Zeyrek, 1957
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Betender Mann in der Carrahi Dervish Lodge in Karagümrük, 1958
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Mann auf dem Merkezefendi Friedhof, 1962
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 45 × 30 cm
Ara Güler: Alte Moschee, Edirne, 1954
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 36,7 cm

Erdal Buldun: Datca, Turkey / 2006
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
open image gallery "colors of memory"
Erdal Buldun: Çandarli, Turkey / 2006
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Erdal Buldun: Datça, Turkey / 2006
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Erdal Buldun: Çandarli, Turkey / 2010
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Erdal Buldun: Çesme, Turkey / 2005
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Erdal Buldun: Datça, Turkey / 2011
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm
Erdal Buldun: Didim, Turkey / 1987
Pigmentprint on Hahnemühle Büttenpapier 30 × 45 cm

Ara Güler
The light of Istanbul

September 19th bis Dezember 18th 2013
Ausstellung wurde verlängert bis 28. Februar 2013
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 14:00–19:00h and by appointment

Galerie Hilaneh von Kories
Stresemannstraße 384a (in the courtyard)
22761 Hamburg
Fon: +49 (40) 423 20 10
mail@galeriehilanehvonkories.de
www.galeriehilanehvonkories.de

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