An exhibition titled ‘The Eye of Istanbul’ is ongoing with photos taken by Turkish photographer Ara Guler.

Poster for the exhibition ’The Eye of Istanbul’.

Istanbul stands at the intersection of a multitude of cultures, religions and languages. At once modern and traditional, it’s a city that has fascinated and intrigued visitors for centuries.

Guler, born in 1928 in Istanbul, is arguably Turkey’s most eminent photographer having captured the everyday life of the city’s inhabitants for over 60 years. 

His images of Istanbul similarly demonstrate his deep love of the city and its inhabitants. 

They don’t really document modernisation, they capture what is disappearing in the city and in the Turkish society. In the images of the 50s and 60s, we can feel the deep nostalgia that Guler has for those times.

A testament to the responsibility he carries as a photojournalist, Guler once said, “photography is not an art, it is more important than art”.

The exhibition will run until August 21 at Leica Boutique Hanoi, 14 Ngo Quyen Street, Ha Noi.  — VNS