The Eye of Istanbul

August 8, 2024

In the Footsteps of Ara Güler: Exploring the Photographer’s Legacy – on view at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, from 9 August to 9 November 2024.
A special collaboration between Qatar Museums and Istanbul’s Ara Güler Museum offers fascinating insights into the life of world-renowned Leica photographer Ara Güler (1928–2018): the exhibition, presented at the Museum of Islamic Art until 9 November 2024, is a comprehensive survey of the Turkish photographer’s oeuvre – with a display of 155 images complemented by personal correspondence, cameras, photo equipment, and other memorabilia from the Ara Güler Archives and Research Center in Istanbul.

Curated by Sheikha Maryam Al Thani and the Ara Güler Museum team, the exhibition is divided into four sections – beginning with images of Istanbul: the city with which Güler became synonymous. Each chapter takes viewers on a historic and cultural journey – from Turkey’s rich archaeological heritage sites to portraits of famous figures of the 20th century, all the way to Güler’s experimental film, Hero’s End.  

Known as ‘The Eye of Istanbul’, Ara Güler was a driving force within Turkish photography. In 2016, he received the Leica Hall of Fame Award in recognition of his remarkable life’s work.
David Rojkowski
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The Eye of Istanbul