During the Covid-19 pandemic, Arkas Art Center had temporarily suspended visits to the “Ara Güler, Merhaba Izmir!” exhibition which is now available for art lovers in the center.
The exhibition “Merhaba Izmir!” by Ara Güler, organized at Arkas Art Center in cooperation with Ara Güler Archive and Research Center (AGAVAM) was temporarily closed for visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, the center gave an option to view the exhibition with a 3D tour on the website. As of June 15, the exhibition will reopen for art lovers, with all the necessary measures in place at the center. Ara Güler exhibition says “Merhaba” to İzmir once again.
With noteworthy measures taken at the exhibition, Arkas Art Center expects the same level of sensitivity from visitors, making it mandatory to call (0232) 464 66 00 for a reservation prior to the visit, accepting groups of maximum three people from the same family. The center especially emphasizes that people without masks will not be allowed in the building and visitors will be accepted after a temperature check, security check, and disinfection of hands.
Arkas Art Center will keep the total duration of visitors to 30 minutes maximum to accommodate as many art enthusiasts as possible. Visitors who download the Arkas Art Center app prior to the visit will be able to tour the center with an audio guide. The exhibition venue will be disinfected after each visitor.
Newly Unearthed Photos of İzmir… “Merhaba Izmir” in His Own Style…
The exhibition showcases photos by Ara Güler taken in İzmir and its environs, all of them shown publicly for the first time, in addition to his iconic Istanbul photographs, portraits of prominent figures in culture and arts both in Turkey and across the world, offering viewers more than 700 pieces… Cameras and objects from his personal archive are also displayed at the exhibition…
Among those displayed for the first time are Ara Güler’s photos of İzmir from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as the original black and white camera obscura photos revealing the changes that occurred over the years in ancient cities such as Agora, Bergama, Allianoi, and Ephesus in particular.
“You can’t think of a human being without love and a photograph without a human being.” says Ara Güler. His frames include 100 portraits of major literary figures in Turkey including Nazım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal, and Oğuz Atay. In addition, the exhibition includes Ara Güler’s portraits of Bertrand Russel, Tennessee Williams, Louis Aragon, William Saroyan, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Picasso from the “Seven Traces from the World” series.
Also on display are the objects that Ara Güler used throughout his career, including cameras, press cards, seals and ink pads, contact prints, and mock-up books he made. These objects offer visitors a glimpse into the work methods of Güler as a professional photographer and a chance to trace various stages of his life.
His 17-minute documentary (1975) titled “The End of the Hero” on the dismantling of Yavuz (SMS Goeben) battle cruiser is screened at the exhibition along with a display of the camera Ara Güler shot the film with.
Another documentary shown in the exhibition is “Documentary of the Whistling Man” produced by NTV for those interested in learning about Ara Güler in his own voice and through his friends, as well as viewing the archival work carried out for his oeuvre.
