Since 2009, Nurdogan Senguler, the owner of Les Arts Turcs gallery has held an Istanbul Photography contest, inviting foreigners who have visited the city of Istanbul to submit their photographs. The prime purpose of this contest is to present Istanbul as seen through the eyes of foreigners. In March of last year, participants’ photographs formed an exhibition of photographs in the Taksim Metro station gallery.
This year’s photo contest’s subject is Istanbul in the eyes of Foreigners – Yabanci Seyyahlar Gozuyle istanbul 2011. Foreign photographers will have the opportunity to capture their vision of the city of Istanbul. All photographers of every skill level and every country in the world are invited to submit their photographs. Volunteers also help support the Istanbul Photo contest by donating their time to run the project.
Prizes awarded for best photographs of Istanbul are as follows:
First Place Prize:
One week Istanbul Vacation (Accommodation, Welcome Dinner, City Tour or Whirling Dervish Ceremony Tour & small souvenirs) 7 days – 6 nights. (flight not included)
Second Place Prizes:
4 days Istanbul Vacation (Accommodation, Welcome Dinner, City Tour or Whirling Dervish Ceremony Tour & small souvenirs) (flight not included)
Third-Place Prizes:
3 days Istanbul Vacation (Accommodation, Welcome Dinner, City Tour or Whirling Dervish Ceremony Tour & small souvenirs) 3 days – 2 nights. (flight not included)
Honorable Mentions:
5 honorable mentions: weekend of travel 2 days 1 night (Accommodation), Whirling Dervish Ceremony Tour & small souvenirs) (flight not included)
Photographers whose work is exhibited will be awarded a contest CD and Whirling Dervish Image painted by artists whose works form part of the collection at “Les Arts Turcs” gallery.
The Istanbul photography contest begins on June 15 and closes November 5, 2011. Photographs must be submitted to the gallery of Les Arts Turcs, Incili Çavus Sok. No: 19 Kat:3 (Yerebatan Sarayi Girisi Arkasi) Alemdar Mah. Sultanahmet 34400, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photograph by Istanbul Photo Contest 2010, 1st prizewinner Manfred Kraft of Austria. For more information and application form for the Istanbul Photo contest, visit the Istanbul Photo Contest website.
The artist Ben Marzouk currently living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is one of the featured international artists at the Untitled (12th Istanbul Biennial), which is to take place between September 13th to November 17th of this year.
Originally from Mahares, a city along the coast of Tunisia, Marzouk graduated as an engineer from the State Technical School and the School of Fine Arts in Brussels. His art went through various schools of techniques and influences but has always been colorful combined with a figurative tone. He moved to Brazil a few years ago where he discovered his own style of abstract expressionism. The vibrant colors of the Mediterranean are reflected in his work and he became known for his figurative abstract style. Today, ethereal and magical figures transgress his works.
Marzouk admits that his main source of inspiration comes from his homeland Tunisia where he spent his youth. For him, it is important to translate into art the sentiments he has for his native country. With the political transformation that recently took place in Tunisia, he has perceived an upheaval in his art moving towards the political and the desire for greater freedom of expression. With this goal of greater freedom of expression felt in the land and people of Tunisia, his paintings have become more representative of the current situation in that he opposes, as in a game of “chess,” the two major powers who are currently fighting to gain power.
To create this effect, he uses fragmentation in his works, combining the feeling of freedom of movement as well as the figures of birds which express the sentiment of change. Marzouk’s process is a long process of creation. After a long period of time of spent in contemplation and of gathering information, he then turns to sketching and finally to canvas.
Marzouk’s art has been exhibited in several galleries around the world from São Paulo to Belgium, France and Tunisia. Before he comes to the Istanbul in the Autumn, his next exhibition before the 12th Istanbul Biennale will be in New York City. Istanbul is currently in preparation for the Istanbul Biennale 2011 contemporary art exhibition.
This October, the Istanbul Biennale will take again place again. In its 12th year, the official name of this biennale is Untitled (12th Istanbul Biennial), 2011. It will take place between September 13th to November 17th.
Every two years since 1987, the Istanbul Biennale, a contemporary art exhibition has occurred. Like the other international biennals held in Sydney, Venice and Sao Paulo, the purpose of the Istanbul Biennale is to establish a meeting place between artists, both local and international, art critics and curators to bring to the forefront new trends in the contemporary art world. This is the place, this October in Istanbul to open up the dialogue between the artist and the audience. Curatorship is shared this year by Adriano Pedrosa and Jens Hoffmann. This year’s 12th Istanbul Biennial will feature the works of Cuban American artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Ben Marzouk from Brazil.
Istanbul’s unique location at the cross-roads between cultures and civilizations makes it one of the best places to hold such a unique exhibition aiming to form a bridge between international audiences and artists. Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture & Arts, it has added to the lack of space that once existed for the display of art in Istanbul.
The internationally appointed curators of the Untitled (12th Istanbul Biennial), 2011, are responsible for developing a conceptual theme and then inviting artists from all over the world to contribute their works to the current theme. This year’s theme will examine the relationship between politics, social issues and art, presenting works that are both politically and artistically outspoken.
Alongside the Istanbul Biennale, artists will be conducting workshops with young, local Turkish artists.
The 12th Istanbul Biennial will take place this year in central Istanbul at the Fulya Convention and Congress Center in a 5,000 square meter space. Opening night will be a spectacular event shared by the audience, artists and their art. It is hoped that the Untitled (12th Istanbul Biennial), 2011, will be a meeting of diverse people, diverse ethnicities, religions and cultures in an attempt to develop both empathy and understanding of diversity that exists in every nation throughout the world.
This year’s photo contest’s subject is Istanbul in the eyes of Foreigners – Yabanci Seyyahlar Gozuyle istanbul 2011. Foreign photographers will have the opportunity to capture their vision of the city of Istanbul. All photographers of every skill level and every country in the world are invited to submit their photographs. Volunteers also help support the Istanbul Photo contest by donating their time to run the project.
