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Ara Güler

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Not to be confused withArda Güler.

Ara Güler
Արա ԿիւլԷր
Born(1928-08-16)16 August 1928
Beyoğlu,Istanbul, Turkey
Died17 October 2018(2018-10-17)(aged 90)
Şişli,Istanbul, Turkey
CitizenshipTurkish
OccupationPhotojournalist
Spouse
Suna Güler
​
​
(m.1984; died 2010)​
Awards
Websitewww.araguler.com.tr

Ara Güler(Armenian:Արա Կիւլէր;16 August 1928 – 17 October 2018) was an Armenian-Turkishphotojournalist,nicknamed "the Eye of Istanbul" or "the Photographer of Istanbul".[1][2][3]He was "one of Turkey's few internationally known photographers".[4]

Early life

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Güler was born inBeyoğlu,Istanbul,Turkey,in 1928 toArmenianparents. BeforeSurname Law (Turkey),their family name was Derderian (Derderyan). He studied at the localGetronagan Armenian High School.[5]Owner of apharmacyonIstiklal Avenue,his father had a wide circle of friends from the art world of the period. Ara Güler's early contact with this world inspired him to embark on a career in cinema. During his high school years, he jobbed in movie studios and attended drama courses held byMuhsin Ertuğrul,the founder of modern Turkish theater. However, he abandoned cinema in favor of journalism, joining the staff of the newspaperYeni Istanbulasphotojournalistin 1950 and studying economics at theUniversity of Istanbulat the same time. He then transferred to another newspaper,Hürriyet.(Güler is not related to the royal Guleria family.)[3][6]

Photography career

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In 1958, the American magazine companyTime–Lifeopened a branch in Turkey, and Güler became its first correspondent for theNear East.Soon he received commissions fromParis Match,Stern,andThe Sunday Timesin London.After completing his military service in 1961, Güler was employed by the Turkish magazineHayatas head of its photographic department.[6][3]

About this time, he metHenri Cartier-BressonandMarc Riboud,who recruited him for theMagnum Photosagency, which he joined (though later withdrew from). He was presented in the British1961 Photography Yearbook.Also in that year, he was accepted as the only Turkish member to the American Society of Magazine Photographers (ASMP) (today called theAmerican Society of Media Photographers). TheSwissmagazineCamerahonored him with a special issue.[6][3]

In the 1960s, Güler's photographs were used to illustrate books by notable authors and were displayed at various exhibitions throughout the world. His works were exhibited in 1968 in10 Masters of Color Photographyat the New YorkMuseum of Modern Artand atPhotokinaFair inCologne,Germany.[7][better source needed]His bookTürkeiwas published in Germany in 1970. His photos on art and art history were used inTime,Life,HorizonandNewsweekand publications of Skira of Switzerland.[6][3]

Güler traveled on assignment toIran,Kazakhstan,Afghanistan,Pakistan,India,Kenya,New Guinea,Borneo,as well as all parts of Turkey.[8]In the 1970s he photographed politicians and artists such asIndira Gandhi,Maria Callas,John Berger,Bertrand Russell,Willy Brandt,Alfred Hitchcock,[2]Ansel Adams,Imogen Cunningham,Marc Chagall,Salvador Dalí[2]andPablo Picasso.[6]Some critics[who?]consider his most renowned photographs to be his melancholic black and white pictures taken mostly with aLeica camerain Istanbul, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s.[9]

He has exhibited frequently since then, and also had his work published in special supplements. International publishers have featured his photographs.

Güler's work is collected by theNational Library of FranceinParis;theGeorge Eastman MuseuminRochester, New York;University of Nebraska-LincolnSheldon Memorial Art Gallery;Museum Ludwig Köln,andDas imaginäre Photo-Museum,Köln.[10]

In the 1970s, Güler worked in film, directing thedocumentaryThe End of the Hero(1975). It was based on a fictional account of the dismantling of theWorld War IveteranbattlecruiserTCG Yavuz.[11]

Güler's archive contains some 800,000photographic slides.[2][12]

Güler's 'philosophy' of photography

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Güler attached the greatest importance to human presence in his photographs and described himself as a "visual historian". "When I'm taking a picture of Aya Sofia, what counts is the person passing by who stands for life",he said. He believed that photography should provide a memory of people, of their lives and especially their suffering. While he considers that art lies, he believes that photography can only reflect reality. He embraced the identity of a photojournalist[13]because he did not attach much value to photography as an artistic pursuit, which to him would have little value. He did not consider photography to be an art.[14]

Death

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Güler died of aheart attackon 17 October 2018.[15]He had been suffering from kidney failure and was being treated withdialysis.[15]

Legacy

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Photographs of Ara Güler were collected in an archive, and are exhihibited in theAra Güler Museum.In theŞişlidistrict of Istanbul, the museum was established on 16 August 2018.[16]

Publications

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  • Ara Güler's Creative Americans.
  • Ara Güler: Photographs.
  • Ara Güler's Movie Directors.
  • Sinan: Architect of Süleyman the Magnificent.
  • Living in Turkey.

Bibliography

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  • Öster om Eufrat, I Kurdernas Land(Swedish) by Barbro Karabuda, Tidens Förlag, Stockholm, Sweden (1960) 102pp
  • Marianna Norris,Young Turkey, Children of Turkey at work and at play,(English), New York: Dodd, Mead, (1964)
  • Topkapı Sarayı - Sultan Portreleri,(Turkish) Doğan Kardeş Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1967)
  • Turkei,(German) Terra Magica, Munich, Germany (1970)
  • Hagia Sophia,(English) by Lord Kinross, New York: Newsweek Books, 1972
  • The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy,(English) Thames & Hudson, London, UK (1976)
  • Harems,(English) Chene & Hudson, London, UK (1976)
  • Fotoğraflar,(Turkish) Milliyet Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1980)
  • Turan Erol,Fikret Mualla,(Turkish), Cem Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1980)
  • Turan Erol,Bedri Rahmi,(Turkish), Cem Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1984)
  • Aptullah Kuran,Mimar Sinan(Turkish), Hürriyet Vakfı Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1986)
  • Aptullah Kuran,Mimar Sinan,(English), Washington D.C.: Institute of Turkish Studies, 1987
  • Ara Güler'in Sinamacıları,(Turkish) Hil Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1989)[17]
  • Halkarnas Balıkçısı (Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı), T.C. Dışişleri,The Sixth Continent,Bakanlığı Kültür Dairesi, Ankara, Turkey (1991)
  • John Freely, Augusto Romano Burelli,Sinan: Architect of Suleyman the Magnificent and the Ottoman Golden Age,(English), London: Thames and Hudson, 1992.ISBN0-500-34120-6
  • Stephane Yerasimos,Living in Turkey,(English), London and New York: Thames & Hudson, 1992
  • Stephane Yerasimos,Demeures Ottomans de Turquie,(French), Paris: Albin Michel, 1992
  • Stephane Yerasimos,Turkish Style,(English), Singapore: Archipelago Press, 1992
  • Eski İstanbul Anıları,(Turkish), Dünya Şirketler Grubu, Istanbul, Turkey (1994)[18]
  • A Photographical Sketch on Lost Istanbul,(English), Dünya Şirketler Grubu, Istanbul, Turkey (1994)
  • Bir Devir Böyle Geçti, Kalanlara Selam Olsun,(Turkish), Ana Yayıncılık, Istanbul, Turkey (1994)
  • Yitirilmiş Renkler,(Turkish), Dünya Şirketler Grubu, İstanbul, Turkey (1995)[18]
  • Yüzlerinde Yeryüzü(Turkish), Ana Yayıncılık, Istanbul, Turkey (1995)[18]
  • Babil'den Sonra Yaşayacağız,(Turkish) Aras Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey (1996)[18]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^"'Eye of Istanbul' Ara Guler dies at 90 ".BBC News.18 October 2018.Retrieved18 October2018.
  2. ^abcdLarson, Vanessa H. (4 February 2014)."Photography of Ara Güler captures a forgotten Turkey".The Guardian.Retrieved18 October2018.
  3. ^abcde"Ara Güler Kimdir?"(in Turkish). Ara Güler.Retrieved4 December2009.
  4. ^Kettmann, Steve (25 September 2005)."A Photo Show on a Pogrom 50 Years Ago Is Itself Attacked by a Mob".The New York Times.Retrieved23 February2013.
  5. ^"Getronagan Armenian High School".Getronagan Armenian High School: Official Website.Retrieved11 December2012.
  6. ^abcde"Ara Güler'in Hayatı"(in Turkish). fotograf.net.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2009.Retrieved4 December2009.
  7. ^"Ara Güler".Famous Photographers.
  8. ^"Dosyalar-Ara Güler"(in Turkish). Yapı. Archived fromthe originalon 2 October 2011.Retrieved4 December2009.
  9. ^"In pictures: 'Eye of Istanbul' photographer Ara Guler dies at 90".BBC. 18 October 2018.
  10. ^"Ara Güler"(in Turkish). Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat Yayıncılık. Archived fromthe originalon 19 February 2012.Retrieved4 December2009.
  11. ^Karadenizli, Elif (14 October 2005)."Ankara University Faculty of Communications hosts world famous photographers".Hürriyet Daily News.Retrieved4 December2009.
  12. ^Kürkçüoğlu, S. Sabri (May 2002)."Türkiye'de Yüzyılın Fotoğrafçısı Ara Güler ile Urfa, Harran ve Nemrut Üzerine Söyleşi"(in Turkish). Hezarfen-Paralax. Archived fromthe originalon 10 December 2009.Retrieved4 December2009.
  13. ^abNimit Seker, "A City, Beautifully Blemished", review ofAra Güler's Istanbul,Qantara.de, 26 August 2010
  14. ^"Ara Guler: Visual chronicler of our age". Fusun OZBILGEN.http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Ara_Guler
  15. ^ab"Legendary Turkish photographer Ara Güler loses battle for life at 90".Daily Sabah.Retrieved18 October2018.
  16. ^"Ara Güler Müzesi Açıldı"(in Turkish). Mimarizm. 17 August 2018.Retrieved28 November2022.
  17. ^"Ara Güler Kitapları"(in Turkish). Yem Kitabevi. Archived fromthe originalon 18 July 2011.Retrieved4 December2009.
  18. ^abcd"Ara Güler Kitapları"(in Turkish). fotograf.net.Retrieved4 December2009.
  19. ^abcd"Ara Güler'in Aldığı Başlıca Ödülleri"(in Turkish). fotograf.net.Archivedfrom the original on 29 October 2009.Retrieved4 December2009.
  20. ^"7th Annual Lucie Awards".Women in Photography International.Retrieved4 December2009.
  21. ^"Ara Güler receives the Leica Hall of Fame Award // 2016 // Global // Leica News // World of Leica - Leica Camera AG".Archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2020.Retrieved15 October2020.
Additional sources
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