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The exhibition, which will open at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and continue until November 9, emphasizes not only the mastery of Ara Güler's eye, but also Güler's deep commitment to reflecting Turkey's cultural heritage. With the exhibition, which includes Güler's classic Istanbul shots, archaeological photographs and portraits of important people from around the world, visitors will be able to experience his deep influence on the art of photography and his efforts to preserve the common cultural memory.
Born in Istanbul in 1928, Güler is among the most important names in photojournalism and photography both nationally and internationally. The master photographer who we lost in 2018 witnessed almost the entire history of the Republic of Türkiye. With a career spanning 70 years, Güler's works are a visual record of both Türkiye and beyond.
“In the Footsteps of Ara Güler: A Look at the Photographer's Legacy” While the exhibition offers a comprehensive selection of the artist's works, photographs taken with a researcher's eye have the feature of immortalizing the historical monuments and daily life of Istanbul.In addition to 155 photographs, the exhibition also includes correspondence, cameras and equipment, and a selection of ephemera from the Ara Güler Archive and Research Center collection.
The exhibition, consisting of four different sections, starts with images from Istanbul, with which Güler is identified, and takes the viewer on a cultural and historical journey with Turkey's rich archaeological heritage sites and portraits of well-known people of the 20th century. The exhibition is completed with the screening of Ara Güler's experimental film The End of the Hero .
In the introductory section of the exhibition titled Endless Weaving , old technical prints from the Qatar Museums General Collection are exhibited, as well as photographs containing world-renowned frames taken by Ara Güler on the routes he frequently walks in Istanbul. Against the background of historical monuments and the city's architectural splendor, Güler presents a portrait of a city that is constantly in motion, whose sounds and smells spill beyond the frames. Building a bridge between centuries and perspectives, this section , brings together Ara Güler's intimate Istanbul shots with the Qatar Museums General Collection. The exhibition also includes 19th-century stereoscopes and albumen prints of pioneer photographers such as the Gülmez Brothers, who turned the city's charms and early images into souvenir books and postcards in Istanbul photography studios. Romanticized views of Istanbul are presented alongside Güler's candid photographs of Istanbul, emphasizing the power of photography as a bridge between cultures with its evolving depiction of the city.This episode invites viewers to explore Istanbul, a timeless crossroads between East and West, from different times and lenses.
In the second section titled Echoes from the Past , Ara Güler's interest in history and documentation is emphasized. Ara Güler's personal interest in archeology has led to his important photo-interviews. These include the rediscovery of the ancient city of Aphrodisias, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in the late 1950s and Nemrut Dağ photo-interviews. In addition to these two photo-interviews, which are considered among Ara Güler's most important works, photographs of historical sites and structures in Türkiye, from Neolithic period finds to Ottoman artifacts, are also exhibited. The visual narrative and poetic images in this section emphasize the awareness-raising role of photography in preserving the heritage of the past.
Among Friends In the section titled , portraits of the world's leading writers, artists, politicians, philosophers and other important contemporary people with whom Güler came into contact throughout his life can be seen. Among the prominent works in this section is the original handmade book model of the book Seven Traces on Earth , which includes portraits of seven important names such as Pablo Picasso, Tennessee Williams and Salvador Dali, and the artist's portrait taken by Ara Güler, paired with paintings by Fahrelnissa Zeid, borrowed from the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art collection specifically for this exhibition.
The exhibition ends with the screening of the movie Kahramanın Sonu (1973-1975), directed, written and produced by Ara Güler. The film, which tells the story of the dismantling of the battleship Yavuz, which played an important role in the Ottoman Empire's entry into the First World War, is a cinematic collage that brings together visual approaches from different sources, blended with unusual music. This film includes the compositions of the famous folk music artist Ruhi Su, as well as historical photographs and sketches, and Güler's own documentary recordings.
Curated by Sheikha Maryam Al Thani and Ara Güler Museum, the exhibition "In the Footsteps of Ara Güler: A Look at the Photographer's Legacy" will be open to visitors until November 9.
Exhibition Co-Curator Sheikha Maryam Al Thani regarding the subject; "This exhibition represents a special collaboration between Ara Güler Archive and Research Center and Qatar Museums. By bringing together Ara Güler's iconic photographs and ephemera with carefully selected objects from the Qatar Museums General Collection, we create a fascinating dialogue that offers new perspectives on both Güler's work and our own archive. This partnership not only shares our knowledge and resources, but also allows us to look at the works of a historical photographer with fresh eyes and allow Qatar Museums' collection of over 300,000 pieces to be opened." “Through this exhibition, we invite visitors to discover the stories woven by these two extraordinary collections, a testament to the timeless power of photography and its ability to bridge cultures and eras.” he said.
Doğuş Group Art Consultant Çağla Saraç added, "A mission of the Ara Güler Museum, which is the first museum in this context dedicated to an artist in Türkiye, is to share the works of the internationally renowned photojournalist Ara Güler with large audiences around the world and to pass on his legacy to future generations. Our museum's first exhibition in Qatar, in cooperation with Qatar Museums, includes a wide range of photographs and ephemera from our archive." We are proud to present Ara Güler's versatile artist identity to both existing and new audiences with this exhibition reflecting important themes from his archive.” he said.
Ara Güler Archive and Research Center and Ara Güler Museum were established by Doğuş Group.
