Ara Güler Museum

09.11.2024 - 31.08.2025

Istanbul Awakens

Ara Güler, while photographing Istanbul, not only documented the city as a physical space but also captured its soul. Istanbul Awakens is a testament to the mastery in which he recorded the transformation of the city from night to day, and day to night. The selection, which includes photographs Ara Güler printed in his darkroom at the Güler apartment in Beyoğlu, reveals the moments and places at times overlooked.

Ara Güler’s photographs offer a glimpse not only into the familiar silhouettes of Istanbul, but also into the quiet moments that exist within the solitary hours connecting night to morning.  These photographs, which explore the city’s awakening, trace the steps of Istanbul’s early hours while also alluding to the inner journey of its dwellers.  As daylight gradually awakens the city, the sounds that faded into whispers during the late hours of the night begin to rise once more, and the city returns to the noise and bustle of daily life.

While the text Morning in Istanbul written by Ara Güler in 1946 at the age of 18, serves as the inspiration for the exhibition, the photographs emphasize his deep love for Istanbul and the nostalgia he cultivated for the city. In these frames, Ara Güler captures a moment in time and chronicles the essence and light of the city.

Istanbul Awakens presents a timeless selection where Ara Güler, by following the city’s light, poetically captures both the human spirit and everyday life.