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[title]Born into a family of intellectuals, Yıldız Moran studied photography in England with the encouragement of her art historian uncle Mazhar Şevket İpşiroğlu and upon her return home as the first Turkish woman to have received an academic education in photography, she set out to travel across Anatolia. In her work, Moran reveals the most enchanting qualities of the people, the historic structures, and the scenic landscapes she photographs, revealing an interpretation of the world that is sincere and without embellishment. We sat down with Merih Akoğul, the curator of the new Yıldız Moran retrospective at the Istanbul Modern, to talk about his curatorial approach to Moran’s work and the life of the artist.
Anatolia, 1955.
You developed an interest in Moran during the 1980s and it seems her work has occupied an important place in your life. What was the experience of curating this exhibition like? What new discoveries have you made about Moran?
My first encounter with Yıldız Moran was in 1982, during the time the Photography Institute at the Istanbul School of Fine Arts was giving out awards honouring masters of the art and one of the recipients was Moran. After her passing, I saw her exhibitions at Adam Sanatevi, the Istanbul Biennial, and the Pera Museum. Last year, I edited a retrospective book about Moran’s work published as part of the Eczacıbaşı Photographers Series. Curating this exhibition was very exciting. Entering another individual’s world, understanding and feeling them in order to transform these impressions into an exhibition is a truly indefinable experience. With every new project, we discover new photographs that keep expanding the Yıldız Moran archive. Like an archaeological excavation, delving ever deeper into Moran’s work and life reveals new wonders at each turn.
Anatolia, 1955.
What were your criteria while selecting the photographs to be displayed in the exhibition?
There are only so many images that you can exhibit at a given time and space. Even if one had access to a space large enough to contain every available photograph, presenting a selection of works with a particular structure and choreography makes for better viewing. This particular exhibition was built around Moran’s portrait and landscape works as well as photographs from her travels to Anatolia and Europe.
Moran travelled widely across Spain, Italy, Portugal, and North Africa. How do you think her travels influenced her approach to Anatolia?
The route Moran’s photographs follow is quite extraordinary. From her childhood in Istanbul and her years of study in England to various countries in Europe and finally her return home... Her admiration for the geographical characteristics and history of Anatolia and the Anatolian way of life manifests in her photographs. Moran successfully places her artistic outlook between the epic and the lyric, utilising her multicultural understanding of the world as a lens with which to create her photographs. The name of our exhibition is ‘Yıldız Moran: A Mountain Tale’, and as an artist, she truly embodies the magnificence of a mountain.
Anatolia, 1957.
‘As an artist, Moran truly embodies the magnificence of a mountain’
Moran took photographs between 1950-1962. What do her photographs tell us about Turkey during this time period?
People in Anatolia in the 1950s could neither identify nor knew how to react when they came face to face with Moran and her camera, whereas today things are quite different. In fact, a lot of the individuals in her photographs appear to look surprised and intrigued. But the act of photography has been redefined with the passing of time. People’s reactions have since changed to: “why are you taking my picture?”
How has the increased accessibility of photography and developments in social media affect the significance of presenting photographs in an exhibition format?
Today, photographs are being produced at a rapid rate and the oversaturation of images on social media can stifle the brain’s capacity to receive visual information. We encounter a large number of these images digitally and not on print, hence interacting with them only ephemerally as they flicker by us. I therefore believe holding exhibitions and publishing books are the best avenues for photographers to share their work.
Hagia Sophia, 1955.
After her marriage to Özdemir Asaf, Moran stopped taking photographs and devoted her life to her children. How would she have developed as an artist had she continued to take photographs?
I can’t say. I believe that leaving something before it leaves you is a virtue. She dedicated the right amount of time to her art, took unforgettable photographs and is remembered today as a legend. But Moran remained active even during her time away from photography and wrote dictionaries, worked as a translator, and published books.
Nazaré, Portugal, 1952.
The world of photography suffered a great loss with the passing of Ara Güler, whose legacy is survived by the newly opened Ara Güler Museum. What other ways can help facilitate the development of the art of photography in Turkey?
How does the Istanbul Modern contribute to the matter? National museums, archives, and libraries need to be active in the protection of these assets by providing the necessary venues and personnel. Moran’s legacy has been excellently managed by his son Olgun Arun and daughter-in-law Nazlı Arun. This, however, is often not the case for many other artists. Photographers chronicle the times they live in and this kind of documentation is particularly valuable for countries like Turkey, which undergo change at such a fast pace. Sadly, a country that does not know its past is also devoid of a future. This year marks the 40th year of the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, one of the few institutions that provide an education in photography. There is a new generation of photographers breaking through and many creating work that is up to par with global standards. Governmental support would greatly benefit privately owned museums such as the Istanbul Modern, which has championed both local and international artists working in all kinds of artistic disciplines. The exhibitions held at the Istanbul Modern and the variety of work included in the museum’s collection is a testament to this.
‘Yıldız Moran: A Mountain Tale’ is on view at the Istanbul Modern until May 12. www.istanbulmodern.org