Beautiful monograph on photographer Ara Guler, aka 'The Eye of Istanbul'

"The power of Ara Guler's photography lies in the way it creates a unique visual language within the practice of photojournalism, which may not necessarily demand a 'personal touch'."


Turkey's best-known photographer, Ara Guler (1928-2018), depicted daily life in Turkey for three-quarters of a century. Guler captured the rough edges of Istanbul as well as all its splendour. Celebrated as 'The Eye of Istanbul', his poignant black-and-white images of his beloved city's inhabitants, streets and docks remain his most celebrated works. But Ara Guler was far more than that. He created reportage photography over the world, including in Somalia, Eritrea and Afghanistan. He photographed celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock, Salvador Dali, Maria Callas and Sophia Loren. His versatility can also be seen in experimental collages from the early part of his career and in more recent work when he plays with light and colour.

Being a testament to Turkey's rich history, A Play of Light and Shadow offers a contemporary view of Guler's work while also providing the opportunity to explore iconic and unknown parts of it.

With text contributions by art historian Kim Knoppers, curator and head of photography department at Istanbul Modern, Demet Yildiz Dincer, photographer and filmmaker Ahmet Polat, and Claartje van Dijk, curator and head of exhibitions at Foam in Amsterdam.

Publication on the occasion of the exhibition of the same name in Foam, Amsterdam, from 22 June until 8 November 2023.