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Ali Öz Documents Tarlabaşı in 10 Years, 50,000 Photos: Touching Life
🇹🇷 Turkey /Culture & Society

Ali Öz Documents Tarlabaşı in 10 Years, 50,000 Photos: Touching Life

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Documentary photographer Ali Öz documented the Tarlabaşı neighborhood of Istanbul for a decade, capturing its transformation and the lives of its residents.
  • His work, "Tarlabaşı-Kayıp Şehir" (Tarlabaşı-Lost City), resulted in approximately 50,000 photographs, serving as a visual record of a disappearing community.
  • The book, now in its second edition with support from MAST Enerji Teknoloji AŞ, aims to preserve the memory of the neighborhood and its people for future generations.

Documentary photographer Ali Öz has spent a decade capturing the essence of Istanbul's Tarlabaşı neighborhood, culminating in his book "Tarlabaşı-Kayıp Şehir" (Tarlabaşı-Lost City). The work, which has seen its first print run sell out and enter the Alexandria Library's collection, is more than just a photo album; it's a visual archive of Istanbul's recent history.

My goal was never to profit. My only wish was to leave the life lived here as a document for future generations; to leave a footnote in history.

— Ali ÖzExplaining his motivation for documenting the Tarlabaşı neighborhood.

Öz's dedication involved immersing himself in Tarlabaşı's streets for ten years, documenting both the quiet moments and significant events. He witnessed weddings and funerals, children's games, and the silence of demolition. Through approximately 50,000 photographs, his singular aim was to leave a footnote in history, preserving the lives of thousands who inhabited the now largely vanished neighborhood.

"My goal was never to profit. My only wish was to leave the life lived here as a document for future generations; to leave a footnote in history," Öz stated. The overwhelming response to the first edition, with many people asking for a reprint, prompted him to seek support for a new publication. MAST Enerji Teknoloji AŞ stepped in, enabling the book's revival and highlighting the value of corporate investment in culture and social memory.

Cities are not just made of buildings. People keep cities alive. When people are forgotten, cities also lose their memory.

— Ali ÖzOn the importance of preserving the human element in urban history.

Öz plans to use proceeds from the book for new documentary projects, believing that documentary photography not only narrates the past but also keeps society's conscience alive. He emphasizes that cities are sustained by people, and when people are forgotten, cities lose their memory. "Tarlabaşı-Kayıp Şehir" stands as a testament to preserving this collective memory, with Öz's lifelong focus on capturing the human experience – joy, sorrow, injustice, and hope – through his lens.

For me, photography was conscience before aesthetics; testimony before news.

— Ali ÖzDescribing his approach to photography over his 45-year career.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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