Photography programs focusing on discussions and production and organized for the past five years through the collaboration of Geniş Açı Project Office (GAPO) and SALT continue with a workshop titled "Interpreting Istanbul Encyclopedia with Photographs" within the scope of Station: Istanbul Encyclopedia at SALT Beyoğlu. At the workshop, to be organized through the coordination of GAPO and the supervision of Osman Bozkurt, Hasan Deniz and Cemre Yeşil Gönenli on May 11, 12, 18, 25 and 26, select articles from the Istanbul Encyclopedia will be interpreted through photographs.
''A child in Istanbul during a spring day'' - A drawing by Sabiha Bozcalı from the Istanbul Encyclopedia Volume 4.
In the Istanbul Encyclopedia, Reşad Ekrem Koçu uses illustrations based on photographs even though the printing techniques of the time were capable of printing photography. Along with issues such as high printing and paper costs, the other reason for this choice may be that illustrations more effectively reflect the historical context and allow for a visual consistency in each volume. In addition, the simplicity of the illustrations – when compared to photography – is that they can be manipulated more easily than photographs and their ability to create an idealized visual presentation is improved. The Istanbul Encyclopedia's imitation of other encyclopedias of modern times that emerged in the 18th Century in the West are among the other reasons. However, what if the photos accompanied these articles? Moreover, what kind of publication would emerge if the articles were all photographs themselves?
At this five-session workshop to take place at SALT Beyoğlu, contemporary photographs and archive materials will be used to visually represent and interpret select articles. Along with alternative articles determined by the coordinators, the participants will be able to select articles according to their areas of interest. Given the content of the Istanbul Encyclopedia, which is not objective but carries the traces of Reşat Ekrem Koçu's areas of interest, it is intended that the production at the workshop will represent the areas of interest and ways of thinking of the coordinators and the four participants that will work with the coordinators.Participants in the 12-participant workshop, which is held in Turkish, should complete the online application form and add a digital portfolio link before midnight on May 8.
About Station
Station is located at Forum, the entry location of Salt Beyoğlu, and is an extension of a three-year project established with the SALT partnership to transfer the Istanbul Encyclopedia Archive, which was taken over by Kadir Has University, to a digital format and provide online access to it. Koçu's 30-year unique work about the city will be interpreted through various programs until June 16, and participants may scan the print outs and contribute to creating ID tags for printed volumes.