slanted 24
istanbul
Alex Hanimann → P 282 Untitled (UOY MAI), 2011, gouache on assembled papers, 220 x 197.3 cm
Burak Delier → P 248 Untitled (Girl with EU Flag), 2004, photography, 125 × 190 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pilot Gallery, Istanbul
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Mehmet Ali Türkmen → P 253 The End is Where We Begin, 2013, poster for Inês Nepomuceno’s project, 70 × 100 cm
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Mehmet Ali Türkmen → P 253 Conscience, 2007, poster for Hafriyat Art Group’s invitational poster exhibition The Fear of God, 68 × 98 cm
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Mehmet Ali Türkmen → P 253 We are losing too much water, 2007, poster for spring water resources shortage, 68 × 98 cm. “Our spring water resources are vanishing rapidly. Attention! We are losing too much water”
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Akif Hakan Çelebi → P 247 Follow Me Into Nowhere, 2012
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Akif Hakan Çelebi → P 247 Different Story in 12 Chapters, 2012
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Şükran Moral → P 250 Çocuk Gelin / Child Bride, 2014, sculpture installation. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Zilberman, Istanbul
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Şener Özmen → P 251 ↑ Optical Propaganda, 2012, c-print mounted on aluminium, 100 × 120 cm ↓ Flags, 2012, installation, 6 flag poles, various fabrics, 75 × 100 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pilot Gallery, Istanbul
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Burak Delier → P 248 The Guard, 2005, 125 × 190 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pilot Gallery, Istanbul
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Şener Özmen → P 251 Supermuslim, 2003, photography, 50 × 70 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pilot Gallery, Istanbul
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Mehmet Gözetlik → P 249 Pray for Turkey, three posters to support the victims / survivors of the Van Earthquake in Eastern Turkey
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Hale Tenger → P 252 Zero Gravity, 2007, photographic print on Kodak Professional Endura paper, 97 × 130 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Nev Istanbul
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Hale Tenger → P 252 World Cracker, 1992, Russian nutcracker, toy globe, 4 × 7 × 22 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Nev Istanbul
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Yetkin Başarır → P 246 Siyah / Beyaz II, 2000, poster for an exhibition at Milli Resürans Art Gallery, 48 × 68 cm
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Sarp Sözdinler → P 251 Deadwood, 2012, 16-page long bulletins for the non-profit film collective, 23 × 31.5 cm
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Yurdaer Altıntaş → P 246 Siyah ve Beyaz / Black and White 11, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 110 × 110 cm
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Coiffeur Dilek, 2007
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Coiffeur Dilek, 2007
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Yurdaer Altıntaş → P 246 Hitchcock, 1999, poster in memory of Alfred Hitchcock, 82 × 57 cm
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Yurdaer Altıntaş → P 246 Yurdaer Altıntaş, 1987, exhibition poster, 50 × 70 cm
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Yurdaer Altıntaş → P 246 Untitled, 2013, exhibition poster for Yurdaer Altıntaş’s Illustrations, 50 × 70 cm
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Tamer Köşeli → P 250 Symbolic Istanbul, 2013, series of illustration symbolizing Istanbul with a minimal touch, 20 × 20 cm
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Tamer Köşeli
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→ P 250
Yetkin Başarır → P 246 Logotype for a book publisher, 2002
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Yetkin Başarır → P 246 ↑ Logotype for Urbanism Congress in Antalya, Turkey, 1998 → Logotype for Edisyon Gallery, 2011 ↓ Icon for Metaphor performance by Kudsi Erguner, Carolyn Carlson, Hassan Massoudy, 2005
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Cem Dinlenmiş → P 248 Her Şey Olur #560, 2013, illustration for Penguen Magazine
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Cem Dinlenmiş → P 248 ↑ Her Şey Olur #546, Barış Süreci, 2013, illustration for Penguen Magazine ↓ Sketches, 2014
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Cem Dinlenmiş
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→ P 248
Onur F. Yazıcıgil → P 253 ISType 2013 Conference, program booklet, 2013
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Sedat Girgin → P 248 Elephant Trainer, 2013, from Circus of Wonders, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, ecoline, ink on paper, 34 × 51 cm
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Elif Varol Ergen → P 253 Untitled, 2010, sketch, ink on paper and digital collage, 17 × 30 cm
70
Elif Varol Ergen → P 253 Forget It, 2012, CGI, digital monoprint, alu-dibond diasec, 90 × 130 cm
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Christopher Çolak → P 247 ↖ Istambulin Poster, 2009, 70 × 100 cm ↗ Istambulin Specimen Poster, 2009, 70 × 100 cm ↓ Istambulin Sofia Design Week presentation, 2013
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Christopher Çolak → P 247 Studio view
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Future Anecdotes Istanbul → P 246 ↑ Collectorspace periodical, 101 Artworks, Alexander Wagner ↓ Napoleone Collection; 100 Artworks, Alexander Wagner, 2013, exhibition catalogue, published by Galeri Mana
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Future Anecdotes Istanbul ↑ Aslı Altay ↓ Can Altay
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→ P 246
Future Anecdotes Istanbul → P 246 Places of Memory, 2014, published for the occasion of Venice Architectural Biennial 2014, edited by Pelin Derviş, published by IKSV and YKY
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Ahmet Polat → P 251 Skate girls, Beşiktaş, 2011, photography series Kemal’s Dream
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Ahmet Polat → P 251 Black Sea, Zonguldak, 2007, photography series Kemal’s Dream
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Yetkin Başarır → P 246 Logo for All Arts Istanbul art fair, 2013
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Bülent Erkmen → P 248 ↖ Bülent Erkmen ↗ Making Architectural Objects, book design for Zorlu Center with photography by Cemal Emden, 2012 ← Metropol Yeşili (Metropole Green), book design for Akın Nalça book series with photography by Ali Taptık, 2013 → Studio view ↙ Typed Type / Lazy Dog, an artwork by Ayşe Erkmen 2004 ↘ Plan B, book design for Ayşe Erkmen's installation Plan B at the 54th Venice Biennial, 2011
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Bülent Erkmen → P 248 Studio view
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Esen Karol → P 249 ↑ Studio view ↓ Istanbul turu taxi trip
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Esen Karol → P 249 ↑Preparing a meal in the kitchen ↓ Meeting at Arter
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Ece Gökalp → P 249 NatureMort Phase 2 No 01, 2012, fine art print, 35 × 50 cm
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Ali Taptık → P 252 Studio view
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Ali Taptık → P 252 Untitled, from the series Kaza ve Kader, 2004–2008. Courtesy of the Empire Project, Istanbul
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Ali TaptĹk → P 252 Untitled, from the series Towards a Flora, 2010 (work in progress). Courtesy of the Empire Project, Istanbul
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Şükran Moral → P 250 Hamam, 1997, performance. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Zilberman Istanbul
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İnci Eviner → P 248 A Socio-Engineer, 2006, wall work, acrylic on canvas, folio cut, digital print, stamp (detail), installation view from Stolen Signs site specific installation at Contemporary Istanbul. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Nev Istanbul
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İnci Eviner → P 248 Terra Incognita, 2003, digital print on vinyl, 160 × 200 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Nev Istanbul
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Portrait of a demonstrator during clashes, June 11th, 2013
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 People carrying an injured protester having trouble breathing in Gezi Park, June 11th, 2013
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Policemen using teargas to disperse the protesters from the park, June 11th, 2013
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İnci Eviner → P 248 Leg-Animal, 2009, silkscreen from New Citizen series, 70 × 50 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Galeri Nev Istanbul
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Government forces and police try to push a group of pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) supporters away from Taksim Square, June 11th, 2013
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 Policemen using teargas to disperse the group advancing to the premier’s office at Dolmabahce Palace, June 3rd, 2013
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Barbaros Kayan → P 249 ↓ One of the barricades built to obstruct the attain of policemen. A demonstrator waiting for the clash at Gümüşsuyu, June 4th, 2013
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Merve Morkoç → Petek Sadi Güran → Cillop Ada Tuncer → Kent Büşra Üzgün → Lokum Uğur Altun → Misket Ceren Kılıç → Şablon Ahmet Özcan → Ayva Mert Tugen → Cemberlitaş Cem Dinlenmiş → Harem Engin Öztekin → Baklava
Fontnames illustrated
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Merve Morkoç → P 251 Petek
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Mert Tugen → P 252 Çemberlitaş
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Cem Dinlenmiş → P 248 Harem
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Engin Öztekin → P 251 Baklava
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e n i t r z o a p g p a u m s r d u e o t n y a s l d s e ne
t o a b e a b / i r .de c s d b e u t s an l
Design & Communication | FH JOANNEUM Institute of Design | Alte Poststrasse & Communication 152, Graz, | FHAUSTRIA JOANNEUM | | Alte Poststrasse 152, Graz, AUSTRIA | neum.at | +43 316 5453-8600 | idk@fh-joanneum.at idk.fh-joanneum.at| |Application +43 316 5453-8600 deadline:|June idk@fh-joanneum.at 1, 2015 | | Application deadline: June 1, 2015 |
10 × 10
we had 10 questions. we asked 10 graphic designers. they gave us 100 answers.
graphic designers Bravo İstanbul SavaŞ Çekiç Christopher Çolak Bülent Erkmen Geray Gencer Esen Karol Tamer Köşeli Vahit Tuna Mehmet Ali Türkmen Onur F. Yazıcıgil
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1 How attractive is Istanbul for (young) graphic designers and what is special about the scene in Istanbul? Bravo İstanbul Versatility, chaos, cultural and historical complication; this is the scene in Istanbul. Yet, trying to create an order, a pattern for your own life and your profession is totally amazing, exciting but also thrilling! This is a city where two continents meet, a sea passes through, so these factors may not be affecting the design directly but have high influences on the designers. Savaş Çekiç Istanbul is the center of Turkish economy and despite everything, it is the most important and most beautiful city in the country. It’s some sort of a dream city where the East and West unite, with an interflowing sea – a city that retains its beauty against all the interventions against it. It is a metropolis that never looses its allure and is amongst the liveliest cities around the world. In fact, both the beauties and the shortcomings of Istanbul are too numerous to count. However, for young designers, its most attractive aspects are the cultural gregariousness and opportunities for employment. Christopher Çolak I think attractive is not the word enough to express. It is a “newly galaxy” waiting to be discovered. With a bunch of history to be seen and read! For European and more for Pan European designers, it contains lots of cultural intersections too, which gonna make them feel familiar. If we define Istanbul in a Venn diagram, it will definitely be in the middle of all intersections. If Greenwich is the origin of time, I would say Istanbul is the
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Greenwich of cross-cultures from east to west or vice versa. Containing lots of harsh contrasts and uplifting ugliness, Istanbul is still one of the most beautiful and mysterious places on earth. An unlimited “feeding space,” a very important and vibrant stop, on the journey of an up-and-coming graphic designer.
Christopher Çolak, Hurda Poster, 2009, 50 × 70 cm
Bülent Erkmen Istanbul’s multi-faceted and chaotic make up allows everyone to open a small / large space for oneself, and become the most significant and indispensable figure within that space. This is what’s so special and attractive about the city. Geray Gencer There is still the opportunity of finding the authentic atmosphere in Istanbul which is long lost in highly hygienic, capitalist western cities. But it is not possible to mention an open market for young and creative designers. Esen Karol Istanbul might be very attractive for young designers because it’s a huge and
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
crowded city, where there is a lot to be done. The design scene isn’t very special, though. In fact, I’m not even sure whether there is one. There are little networks of designers, who know each other and probably try to follow each other’s work, however there is no real collaboration or competition or platforms for discussing work. On the other hand the lack of a design scene – as known in Switzerland or the Netherlands – has also a strange advantage: One can stay entirely anonymous and produce good work and very few people may know about it. Due to the sheer size of the city, one doesn’t need to be a star to get a proper commission. Young designers wouldn’t necessarily see the merit of this situation in the beginning of their careers, but I think it’s nice to perform well, but be under the radar. Tamer Köşeli Istanbul is a very attractive city especially with its historical touch, abruptness and with accommodating a lot of cultures. It’s also very interesting to capture a balance between this huge diversity. Even if the city is not fully-filled with nice designs and visuals as other European cities, sometimes I get excited with the quality of work that came along by chance. Istanbul is filled with lot of treasures waiting to be discovered. Well, most of my clients are out of Turkey. So, I can’t say that I have too much knowledge about the graphic design scene in Istanbul. Vahit Tuna First of all, thank you for your questions. Istanbul may become the most favorite city for tourists in the last ten years. But it is not more than decoration or PR-work made for tourists. The city’s historic area, common living areas, urban structure are quite battered. And instead of protecting the other, the new Islamic-liberal government tended to an excluding and imprisoning certain
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areas of the city understanding. Being so much under pressure, the city has lost its consciousness of producing a visual language. Seemingly the city’s sole purpose is to be part of the world’s other mystic-touristic towns and to stick to the economy. Maybe that’s why young designers living here try to adapt to the system instead of tending to an alternative of this new elite, commercial and sexist situation. As this city was, not long ago, just 80 years before, an important center of multiple producing with its Armenian, Romans, designers, photographers, artists, journalists and printers with different ethnics. We also can say they had their own visual language, evolving with their traditions. The systematic violence and pressure in the last 50 years against the minorities send them fleeing from home and even journalists who reveal their views were killed. This systematic slaughter of people with no return remained a structure with no culture and no knowledge. So the young designer’s task in this area without any tradition is to “cooperate” with this “new” capital. Because, dependent or independent, all kind of contemporary cultural production is grated and limited on all occasion since the last ten years. Now this city is no more than a romantic perception for designers. And romantics always look for the “weird” as it would be a pity.
Vahit Tuna, Today Could be a day of historical
importance, 2010, book for contemporary artist
Serkan Özkaya
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
journey. Many people don’t even take our job seriously here. Everyone is a designer in Turkey, they always have an idea and know things better than you!!! Most of the clients are very restricting, not open-minded. Sometimes convincing the client is more important than presenting the design. Savaș Çekiç The sole difficulty is the demand one meets in the process of creation. There’s also the problem that arises from the clients’ shortcomings in design culture and perception. One spends more time trying to persuade the client than one spends solving a design problem. The annually diminishing of design fees are yet another problem. However, our resources are no different than those of other designers around the world. We seem to have managed to obtain a good standard on that front.
Christopher Çolak It is difficult here to be a freelancer and get commissioned as an editorial or graphic designer. Governmental support is rather low, and opportunities are not yet enough to fulfill designer’s digest. We still do not have our design museum nor our graphic design history written. We are a bunch of people trying to do something about it. You first have to know your past, in order to look to the future. Bülent Erkmen I doubt that those “difficulties” are any different than in any other city / country of this world! Geray Gencer We are going through an era where the relationships between design, art and capital is redefined in the whole world. This transformation adds to the suffocation and restricting political atmosphere in Turkey and unfortunately it is not possible to talk about vigorous working conditions for designers. Esen Karol It’s quite difficult to be a designer in Istanbul, since the added value of working with a designer is generally under estimated. On the other hand I never feel restricted. Though I wish there would be a better infrastructure for workflow and personal development, I always think, the boundaries of my own potential are the reasons of my shortcomings as a professional.
Savaş Çekiç, Gaza, 2009, 70 × 100 cm
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Tamer Köşeli I hate complaining of my nature. If there is something I don’t like I try to solve it instead of complaining. Of course there are some difficulties to be a designer in Istanbul as in any other cities. But those are things that we can solve and those things keep my brain fresh. That’s because I never felt myself restricted.
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
Vahit Tuna If you have a design studio and don’t want to struggle with commercial work, it could be difficult. But this situation could be the same in Berlin or in any other European city. Mehmet Ali Türkmen As the advertising agencies started to open in-house design departments, it became really hard for small design offices to compete with such organizations. Unfortunately, it got to a point where we feel like local grocery stores competing with supermarket chains.
obstacles that might come from a new client-based relationship. Even with selected clients sometimes projects are prolonged.
5 Does traditional art have any influence on your work? Bravo İstanbul Of course, but not always. We are trying to combine the western design culture with the traditional Turkish art and traditions, we are redesigning some traditional products, for example Turkish hamam peştemals (towels) with giant typographic prints … But there is a very thin line there, you have to know both cultures really well. Savaș Çekiç None whatsoever, because I don’t respond to such a demand in design. In fact, a seemingly traditional solution may get rejected by clients for being reactionary or out-of-fashion.
Mehmet Ali Türkmen, Kapadokya, 2014, book for
photographer Mehmet Ömür, hardcover, 252 pp.,
30 × 30 cm, Istanbul turu
Onur F. Yazıcıgil I’m a full-time academician at Sabancı University where I make a living from the design courses that I teach and the research I do. My school provides a lot of support and opportunities for me, and I can’t complain. The most important thing regarding my work is time: the time to read and the time for research. This is one of the biggest problems in Turkish academia where professors are typically overloaded with many teaching hours and do not get sufficient time to do their research. Every now and then, I do freelance design work. I often choose to work with clients that I have worked with before in order to avoid difficulties or
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Christopher Çolak Most of the Ottoman arts which contains most of the masters themselves; I do not think that any designer has not been influenced by the heritage around here. Byzantine and Ottoman Empires contain a huge amount of information from which you can very easily be influenced. It depends on your likes and directions. Seljuq tiles, orthodox icons, hat callig raphy, Ottoman-Arabic script and multicultural lifestyle of Istanbul are among my main influences. Bülent Erkmen When I have a design problem before me, I want the solution to be born out of that problem itself. So if the solution offered by a specific problem requires the influence of traditional arts, then I use it
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
10 × 10
we had 10 questions. we asked 10 artists and illustrators. they gave us 100 answers.
artists + illustrators Taner Ceylan Burak Delier Cem DinlenmiŞ İnci Eviner Sedat Girgin Ece Gökalp Şükran Moral Şener Özmen Hale Tenger Elif Varol Ergen
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Slanted 24 – Istanbul
1
coming from the 70s with needs of the capital that gain more power.
Is Istanbul’s current art boom a continuation of its cultural history or is it the product of a more contemporary development? Taner Ceylan As you might know since 2008 there is a big progress in the art scene in Istanbul. Many galleries opened, young artists, curators came out, artist collectives and independent organizations. With all those, Istanbul has transformed and became one of the centers of the art world. I mean, now, the art world is looking at Istanbul, tracing Turkey based artists. However, to me it doesn’t seem that it’s growing healthy. It’s so sudden all those galleries opening, new collectors without knowledge collecting art, the auction houses work directly with artists or galleries ... It’s not healthy. On the other hand, I’m optimistic for the recent position of Istanbul, because all those new galleries owned or directed by young directors, art professionals, also young artists have a big potential in terms of creativity and they are acting as a collective which is also really important. They share, criticize, move together. Burak Delier Both ... Certainly the recent boom in art is strongly related to the boom in economy. The endeavors of making Istanbul a global city has affected the art scene. In Turkey from the 60s to today, the art scene has always been supported by private money, rich families and especially banks. Now in the context of big cities where capital moves freely, a city needs its social life infrastructure, namely art institutions (fairs, biennials, museums, galleries etc.) and concert halls, restaurants, big hotels, chic malls, spas ... But before this trend there was a art scene in Istanbul. So what we witness is a symbiosis of the art scene
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10 × 10 artists and illustrators
Burak Delier, Songs of the Possessed,
HD Video and Sound, 14'25'', 2014, photo by
Ridvan Bayrakoglu
Cem Dinlenmiş Istanbul’s cultural atmosphere has always been influenced by the economy, politics, visitors from around the world and immigrants from other parts of Turkey. However, the current boom is more about the art market’s tendency towards Istanbul and other capitals in Asia. İnci Eviner The Istanbul art scene has been drawing the attention of the global art market and auctions since 2009. In order to keep itself fresh and alive the global art scene searches for new perspectives, aiming to extend its vision, as well as its market. I’m not sure if we could say there’s an “art boom” per se, but many amazing Turkish artists all over the world are making contributions to the art world, with their unique critical and esthetic
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
is like a country in itself, and the diversity of people here makes us feel relatively free. I must also emphasize how much the cultural and historical heritage and diversity inspires a lot of artists although we live in savage reconstruction. Sedat Girgin Istanbul is remarkably fast in terms of art scene. It does not seem possible for other cities to chase Istanbul in that sense. That’s why here are so many immigrants. Ece Gökalp The market is in Istanbul mostly and there’s not much of publicity of art scenes of other cities. This doesn’t mean there is not much of an art scene in other cities. Still, without letting the other people on the other cities broadcast their voices, without discovering them, they would stay as local as they are now. Şükran Moral As I said previously, I don’t think there is a huge impact; there is no art or cultural policy in this wrong, unplanned form of urbanism. The administration is scared of sculpture; they hate it. Sener Özmen Perfect question for me! Now I can say that I live and work in Diyarbakır. Diyarbakır – not any other city! – has become the city in which Istanbul’s effects were felt most intensely. This is a process which is ongoing from the 90s. Here we can mention a dual inspirational practices. However the local and foreign art historians, art writers, curators began to utter Diyarbakır’s effect on Istanbul’s art scene. It is not a new development but it is a new discourse. Hale Tenger Life is not easy for artists anyway but “Istanbulers” are more close to resources compared to other artist residing in other
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cities. But just like the blossoming of the Istanbul art scene that took place in the last two decades, it will take time but hopefully things will change in other cities as well for the better. Elif Varol Ergen It has a massive positive influence on all major cities, especially Ankara – the capital city. Istanbul is a center of attraction, and a window for the artists and artistic initiatives residing in other cities. Some of the artists in Istanbul have moved in from other cities already; they blended in with the artistic circles and established their own workshops to work with the galleries in Istanbul. Also a great place to meet with a network of curators, art lovers and collectors. Apart from that, the artistic novelties and activities in Istanbul appear in other cities in many variations.
6 Does traditional art have any influence on your work? Is your perspective more driven by eastern or western themes? Taner Ceylan I was born in Germany and raised in both, Germany and Turkey. So, I feel like I carry half Turkish culture half German. Therefore, in my art there must be both sides, east and west. I don’t choose the themes when I create something, I follow my instincts, I feel and create. That’s why I call my art as “emotional realistic.” Therefore, even I have traditional arts in my heritage and even if I’m trying to learn and have them on my art, traditional art doesn’t have any influence on my works directly. I never used any traditional arts such as Hat, Miniature or others directly on my art, but actually I’m planning and working on that right now.
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
Burak Delier No, I am not interested in traditional art. “Eastern” and “western” are myths we have invented to pretend our mind is clear. Cem Dinlenmiş I don’t believe there is a clear cut distinction between the east and west. Speaking of comics, artists from US, Europe or Japan have been sources of inspiration for my work along with their Turkish colleagues. İnci Eviner I think my body of work, due to the life and its dynamics it has been influenced by, has many connotations of modernization. I like seeking the limits of human capacity, developing an understanding of how we consume heritage and human capabilities. I want to see myself deciphering how the sovereign has been dealing with our lives and bodies. Thus, for me, both global art history and local production have equally inspired me.
Hamam, the impact of my having been born here can be seen. Aesthetically, I’m inspired by the wall art at the Pompei and Caravaggio. Sener Özmen I am in conflict with tradition … There is not really an “action-reaction.” I do not paint, do not do tiles, miniature or carving. And I do not see traditional arts as an endless resource to benefit from. I was into making carpets some time and my first carpet pattern was Julian Assange’s vectorial portrait. In my opinion my biggest mistake has been trying to comprehend the East that I live – and produce – through the system of the West that I read and observe.
Sedat Girgin I guess people can notice the influence. I do not make an effort to make people feel the local flavor. I try to keep myself in the middle but I think I am slightly close to the West. Ece Gökalp My style, per se, is most probably influenced by western art styles. But as themes, I would say it’s mostly from Turkey, being a Turkish woman, growing up in a totally different culture within the family and realizing how different the city / country is, alienating from its problems most of the times etc., these are some themes which effect me most. Şükran Moral In my personal formation, there are traces of both the East and the West. I’m affected by reality, but in my 1997 work,
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Şener Özmen, Assange, 2012, carpet, 40 × 100 cm
Hale Tenger I’ve never been in the habit of labeling or classifying my work. It creates an framing effect on me which I don’t like. Second question is based upon geo politics and my answer will be geopolitical: I live in Istanbul, Istanbul is in Turkey,
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
In times of protest and unrest it has always been easier to use violence and destruction as a means to communicate ones frustrations. This may have an immediate effect in getting attention during the heat of the moment, however in the long run the leftovers of chaos only hurt the community and the people who live in them. During the height of the protests of Istanbul in 2013 there was a change in the way the citizens of Turkey wanted to let their voices be heard. By using non-violent performances and artistic techniques they created a whole trend of protest that made their revolution one of a kind.
The Art of Resistance Aleksander Tokarz
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Aleksander Tokarz → P 252
Slanted 24 – Istanbul
The protests that began in Istanbul in the summer of 2013, against the destruction of Gezi Park in Taksim Square, were some of the biggest in Turkey’s recent history. Over the course of a few days, hundreds of thousands of Turkish residents stood up to speak out against the demolition of a public green space that was going to be turned into a shopping center. But this was more than just uproar over the removal of a few trees. What originally started out as an environmental issue soon spiraled into a full-blown revolt against the government and its leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The violent response that came from the authorities during this time was even more shocking, as rubber bullets and tear gas canisters injured hundreds and contributed to the deaths of over a dozen people. As law enforcement came down harder on rioters and dissidents, Turkish citizens became more creative in finding ways to let their voices be heard. They quickly found a variety of mediums to spread their message, at a time when traditional media was downplaying their uprising. Some of these began as social media fads and works of art, while others turned into choreographed performances in public spaces. In the end, as a result of the public’s actions, Gezi Park was spared and most of the violent protests around the country came to an end. In an ever-changing world where throwing rocks at police no longer has the same effect, the Turkish people were able to find a truly unique way to make themselves heard and stand up for their beliefs. At the height of the riots, when police were smashing protesters to the ground, one individual did something extraordinary amongst the chaos. He decided to stand still. On the night of June 17th, Erdem Gündüz drove to Taksim Square, near Gezi Park, and stood silently in front of the Atatürk Cultural Center in protest of the police violence that was plaguing his city. During this unique performance, Erdem stood motionless for several hours, going unnoticed by many pedestrians. It wasn’t until several days later, when people started taking his picture and posting it on Twitter, that his performance became apparent to the public as a form of protest. Dubbed as the “Standing Man,” Erdem became the face of a new movement that allowed the Turkish
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Aleksander Tokarz → P 252
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people to express their attitude about the country’s situation without creating any hostility towards the authorities. It didn’t take long for others to join him in his silent quest. In cities all over Turkey, standing men and women began to appear in places where previously riots had occurred and protesters died. Erdem’s popularity grew so much that soon he became a trending topic on social media websites, drawing international attention to his cause. Supporters from all over Turkey joined Erdem, at times even forming a ring around him to protect him from mischiefmakers. At the height of this spectacle about 300 people stood motionlessly for hours at Taksim Square before police disbanded the group. During this intervention some of the standing performers were arrested, including Erdem. He was soon released, however, as he had not actually broken any laws. After this demonstration Erdem decided to end his campaign, stating that he didn’t want to provoke further violence as a result of his movement. In the end his artistic performance became a great tool for communication and the expression of ideas, during a time when committing such acts could get you arrested or even killed. Although the “Standing Man” routine was the most popular, it wasn’t the only public platform the Turks used to communicate their discontent during the protests. Faced against battalions of riot-equipped police officers with water cannons, the protesters became bolder in confronting the authorities as the violence continued. Some took to peaceful means, reading books or playing the guitar in front of police barricades. Others were more graphic and began stripping naked and running around, irritating riot officers in front of them. Some even adorned themselves in traditional Turkish regalia and wore gas masks, dancing through the streets as Molotov cocktails flew past their heads. This was not your traditional group of agitators and activists; they were a combination of young students, educated professors, even senior citizens and the handicapped. The riots achieved something that neither the government nor the people could anticipate. They brought everyone together to confront the hostile regime. As freedom of speech tightened and local media outlets refused
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Aleksander Tokarz → P 252
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Can Altay is an artist and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Architecture at Istanbul Bilgi University. In his essay he investigates the functions, meaning, organization and reconfigurations of public space.
Settings, Collectivities, Informalities: Art and Public Space in Istanbul Can Altay
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Inhabitation Urban space is not only a physical, infra- or super-structural construct, but also a social, political and economic one; which is constantly produced and reproduced. Urban space is composed of layers, of structural strata, of institutional constructs, of networks, and of life. Istanbul is a city that is constantly composed and re-composed through shuffles, ruptures, and sutures across this strata. Instead of talking about an infra-structure, it would be poignant to talk about inter-structure; meaning the amenities, foundations, technical services, grids, and sub-systems that are vital to any city, literally “squeeze” in between existing structures. Most often, infrastructure is not prior, but posterior here: it follows the city’s growth, rather than lead it. Sometimes the cost of this can be high, there may not be much violence in human scale, but on urban scale, a different story. What attracts me to inhabitation, or being an inhabitant in any space or system, is the self-claimed power to produce meaning, or the ability towards unpredictable reconfigurations. Whatever you do contributes or intervenes to the city, whether in its actuality or to the knowledge of it. It is not a matter of overvaluing one’s own doings, but seeing oneself as entangled and enmeshed to this network of infrastructures, power structures, objects, people, their actions, animals, plants; things that refer to social, physical, and abstract worlds that overlay on top of one another to form cities. Informalities My appreciation of the city (and the work I do) is rooted in the informal: the things that fall out from, or do not find their place in the system. It can be a forgotten place or item, a left-over space that no longer operate in the organizing logic of the city; or it can be the practices of people or life that finds a way to inhabit such zones, without waiting for permissions. Informality is double-edged, it’s inspiring, but you can’t be too romantic about it, there is almost always a dark side to it. A harsher capitalism usually finds its way into exploiting informal labor for example, or suddenly an unclaimed space becomes simply too valuable. But still, the various acts of inhabiting reveal fields of possibilities, sometimes about how the city works and sometimes even about its histories.
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Papermen cart from Can Altay “We’re Papermen”, he said, 2003.
Map of Correlations from Can Altay and Jeremiah Day You Don’t Go Slumming, 2009.
PARK: bir ihtimal with works by Nils Norman, Ceren Oykut, Sinek Sekiz, and the Park Collective. 2010. Photo: Laleper Aytek.
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provide an accurate knowledge or understanding of the area, but the right to produce some form of knowledge and provide one possible way of doing it. It is important for me note how the gazette brings together the settings with urban questions and problems related to processes of urban regeneration. As well as putting something out into a public space; in collaboration with inhabitants in the form of a publication, and a “public-action” which stands somewhere between intervention and contribution. Settings and Collectivities A “setting” is a space or situation of gathering for ideas and discussions to take place and foster. “Setting a setting” involves the conception and actualization of spaces that instigate, host, and stage a certain production. This “production” usually involves a collaboration: some form of working together that transforms the “work” of all the collaborators. The early settings that I had developed, reflected on performative and architectural means, primarily within spaces of art. Later settings – such as The Church Street Partners’ Gazette and PARK: bir ihtimal – began in the realm of art too, as exhibitions and collective projects, but ventured into direct social and urban intervention / contributions in a realm that involves less mediated, more confrontational, wider publics. It is a situation, or condition, that also shifts the centrality of the setting, since it is now located in a more severe, factual, and crowded network of things and operations. These settings ask for the emergence of a collectivity, in the city. Whether through observation or direct involvement I still am operating in a discursive realm, yet I feel more and more free to introduce further objects and actions into the world, and take responsibility of these introductions.
* For more on Gezi and the making of public space, see: Altay, C. Here We Are: The Imagination of Public Space in Gezi Park Creative Time Reports. 14 June 2013.
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Istanbul Street Photography Peter Brugger J端rgen Hefele
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Peter Brugger, Jürgen Hefele → P 247 Istanbul Street Photography
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Peter Brugger, Jürgen Hefele → P 247 Istanbul Street Photography
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Peter Brugger, Jürgen Hefele → P 247 Istanbul Street Photography
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Index
← P 39, 40, 45, 46, 48 / 49
← P 13, 30, 32, 52 / 53, 55–57, 89, 90
← P 78–82
Aslı Altay, Istanbul (TR) futureanecdotesistanbul.com Aslı Altay is the director of Future Anecdotes Istanbul (FAI), a graphic design studio based in Istanbul. FAI operates in a limited range of formats, these are mainly exhibitions, artists’ books and identity systems. Asli’s book Future Anecdotes; which gave the name of the studio, is in the Tate Modern Artist’s Book Collection, amongst some other private and public collections. She has also conducted lectures and workshops in London College of Communication, Chelsea College of Art and UCA. Portrait photo by Can Altay.
Yurdaer Altıntaş, Istanbul (TR) yurdaeraltintas.com Yurdaer Altintaş was born in 1935 in Istanbul. He graduated from the Poster Atelier of Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts in 1957. As the first Turkish Graphic Design exhibition his first solo exhibition was held in 1968. A number of his works were accepted by museums and archives in countries such as Switzerland, Poland, France and the USA. In 2014 he was awarded Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. Portrait photo by Serdar Tanyeli. ← P 133
Yetkin Başarır, Istanbul (TR) yetkinbasarir.com Yetkin Başarır is an Istanbul based graphic designer and musician. As one who nearly created most of the logotypes and visual identities in Turkey and instructor in typography, he did many remarkable works, like Kent, the typeface for Istanbul’s identi fication system in 2006 or the logotype for the Beyoglu municipality. Since 1985 Başarır was exhibited and awarded many times internationally – also in Contemporary Art. Currently he is working as a Creative Director at I-AM in Istanbul. Portrait photo by Ezgi Esma Kürklü. ← P 145–161
← P 81, 226–232
Can Altay, Istanbul (TR) can-altay.com Can Altay is an artist and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Architecture at Istanbul Bilgi University. He investigates the functions, meaning, organization and reconfigurations of public space. His “settings” provide critical reflection on urban phenomena and artistic activity. His work is staged and manifested through the spaces, exhibitions and publications he produces. Recent public projects include: Inner Space Station (NewYork, 2013); Distributed (London, 2012); The Church Street Partners’ Gazette (London, 2010–13) and PARK: bir ihtimal (Istanbul, 2010). Altay is the editor of Ahali: an anthology for setting a setting, 2013 published by Bedford Press, AA Publications, London. Portrait photo by Ege Okal.
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Uğur Altun, Istanbul (TR) uguraltun.prosite.com Uğur Altun was born in Rize, Turkey in 1987 and graduated from Bilkent University, Department of Graphic Design with high honor degree and merit scholarship. He joined several workshops and group exhibitions throughout his education. His project Nasreddin Hodja Stories, won the first prize under the category of Best Illustration and awarded by GMK (Turkish Society of Graphic Designers) in 2012. Currently, he is working in his own studio as freelance graphic designer and illustrator.
Index
Bravo İstanbul, Istanbul (TR) bravoistanbul.com Bravo İstanbul is a design and advertising studio. The two graphic designers Ulaş Eryavuz and Karin Özdemircioğlu (elderly class mates) gathered to start up their own company in 2006 after working at major advertising agencies in Istanbul: Bravo İstanbul was born. Their clients are mostly based in the entertainment, restaurant or fashion business. The studio is also redesigning authentic Turkish products such as hamam towels, etc.
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← P 236–245
← P 162–176
← P 4 / 5, 8 / 9, 12, 16
Peter Brugger, Istanbul (TR) Jürgen Hefele, Augsburg (DE) peterbrugger.net juergenhefele.com Culturally Istanbul’s heritage and presence is rich and unique. The city’s environment is changing quickly. Urban space is transforming permanently. There is a rich and colorful typography in the streets. Highly crafted hand-painted signs, embossed signage as well as neon signs and gold leaf lettering occur next to modern techniques such as vinyl plotting, LED lightning and amateurish made typography. Different times, technologies and styles exist next to each other at the same time. Peter Brugger is a graphic and type designer currently living in Istanbul. He served an apprenticeship at a printer. He studied Visual Communications at the Basel School of Design Switzerland, Pforzheim University – School of Design Germany and at the Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design Halifax, Canada. He taught typography and type design at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. His work has often been awarded and published. Jürgen Hefele is a graphic designer and educator. He studied Communication Design at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany and holds a master’s degree from the University of Art and Design in Basel, Switzerland. Since studying Turkish in Istanbul in 1992 he has made the city his second home. Over the years Jürgen has been conducting design workshops in Istanbul, Izmir as well as in Eskisehir. When he’s not in Istanbul, he lives and works in his native Augsburg, teaching design and running his own studio.
Taner Ceylan, Istanbul (TR) tanerceylan.com Known for his “emotional realism” paintings, Taner Ceylan graduated from the Fine Arts Faculty at Mimar Sinan University in Istanbul in 1991. That same year, Ceylan presented his first group show and first solo exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany. His seminal exhibition and performance Monte Carlo Style, debuted in 1995, making a significant impact on the Turkish art scene. Represented by Paul Kasmin Gallery, NY, Ceylan has exhibited in numerous international art fairs, museums, and galleries. Portrait photo by Barış Aras and Elif Çakırlar.
Akif Hakan Çelebi, Hong Kong (CN) hakanphotography.com Akif Hakan is currently spending his time between Hong Kong and Istanbul. He is an experimenter when it comes to new photographic techniques and styles. He manages to implement and blend current trends in visual arts with his own creativity which is influenced by many great movies especially from the Far East. In most of his works, he aims to give the viewers a story and set an atmospheric mood within the images he creates. He had solo exhibitions in Istanbul, Paris, Hong Kong and in Sicily.
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Index
← P 76 / 77, 145–161 ← P 28, 145–161
Savaş Çekiç, Istanbul (TR) savascekicdesign.com Born in Turkey in 1960. He graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in 1984. As a professional graphic designer and illustrator, Çekiç works from his own studio Savaş Çekiç Design, established in 1987, and specializes in packaging, corporate identity, editorial and book design and illustration as well as posters. His works have been represented in important museums such as the Lahti Museum, the Ogaki Museum, the Dansk Plakat Museum, the Zurich Poster Museum.
Christopher Çolak, Istanbul (TR) chriak.com Christopher Çolak is an Istanbul born and raised visual communication and type designer, currently working as an art director at JWT Manajans. He is also a music writer, radio programmer & DJ. Colak is a MA student at Marmara University Graphic Design Department and currently working on his thesis which is about typography in the 60s in Turkey. He is country delegate of ATypI for Turkey and one of the alternate members of GMK (Turkish Association of Graphic Designers).
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Publisher
Production
Slanted Publishers Leopoldstraße 33 76133 Karlsruhe Germany T +49 (0) 721 85148268 magazine@slanted.de slanted.de
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Slanted Magazine #24 Istanbul Editor in chief (V.i.S.d.P.) Lars Harmsen Managing editor Julia Kahl Co-editors Peter Brugger, Ceren Bulut Art direction Lars Harmsen Graphic design Julia Kahl Assistance graphic design Ceren Bulut Cover illustration final artwork Steffen Mackert Photography Istanbul Turu Christian Ernst, Lars Harmsen Video editing Hannah Schwaiger, Ceren Bulut & Çetin Bulut (Subtitles) ISSN 1867-6510 Frequency 2 × p. a. (Spring / Summer, Autumn / Winter) Slanted weblog Editor in chief (V.i.S.d.P.) Lars Harmsen Managing editor Julia Kahl Editors slanted.de/redaktion Video interviews slanted.de/istanbul The publisher assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of all information. Publisher and editor assume that material that was made available for publishing, is free of third party rights. Reproduction and storage require the permission of the publisher. Photos and texts are welcome, but there is no liability. Signed contributions do not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher or the editor.
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Fonts Suisse Int’l / Neue / Works, 2011 Design: Swiss Typefaces Design Team Label: Swiss Typefaces / swisstypefaces.com Duru Sans, 2014 Design: Onur F. Yazıcıgil Label: Sorkin Type Atatype (Beta), tba Design: Anıl Aykan
Advertising We offer a wide range of advertising possibilities on our weblog and in our magazine – print and online! Just get in touch. More information at slanted.de/mediarates Contact Julia Kahl, T +49 (0) 721 85148268 julia.kahl@slanted.de
Awards (Selection of design awards for publications by Slanted) ADC of Europe 2010, 2008 ADC Germany 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007 Annual Multimedia 2008, 2013 Berliner Type 2008 (Bronze), 2009 (Silver) Designpreis der BRD 2009 (Silver) European Design Awards 2011, 2008 Faces of Design Awards 2009 iF communication design award 2007 German Design Award 2013 (Special mention) Laus Awards 2009 Lead Awards 2008, (Weblog des Jahres), 2007 Lead Awards 2013, (Visual Leader / Silver) red dot communication design awards 2008 Type Directors Club NY, 2011, 2008, 2007 Werkbund Label 2012
Kabuk (Beta), tba Design: Mehmet Ali Türkmen Acknowledgement Sales and distribution Slanted magazine can be acquired online, in selected bookstores, concept stores and galleries worldwide. You can also find it at stations and airports in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. If you own a shop and would like to stock Slanted magazine, please get in touch with us. Contact Julia Kahl, T +49 (0) 721 85148268 julia.kahl@slanted.de Slanted Shop (best!) slanted.de/shop Stores (all over the world) slanted.de/allgemein/stores Amazon Marketplace amazon.de Stations and airports IPS Pressevertrieb GmbH / ips-d.de International distribution Export Press SAS / exportpress.com Distribution Switzerland Niggli Verlag, niggli.ch / ISBN 978-3-7212-0918-1 Distribution US Ubiquity Distributors, Inc., / ubiquitymags.com Subscription Subscribe to Slanted magazine and support what we do. Magazines via subscriptions are at a reduced rate and get shipped for free directly at its release. slanted.de/abo National (DE) One year subscription, 2 mags: € 32 Two year subscription + premium, 4 mags: € 62 Gift subscription, 2 mags: € 32 Student subscription, 2 mags: € 26 Trial subscription, 1 mag: € 14 International One year Subscription, 2 mags: € 38 Two year Subscription, 4 mags: € 75
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This Istanbul issue could not have been realized without the enthusiasm and support of all participants (alphabetical order): Aslı Altay, Can Altay, Yurdaer Altıntaş, Uğur Altun, Yetkin Başarır, Bravo İstanbul, Peter Brugger, Taner Ceylan, Savaş Çekiç, Akif Hakan Çelebi, Chrisopher Çolak, Burak Delier, Cem Dinlenmiş, Bülent Erkmen, İnci Eviner, Geray Gencer, Sedat Girgin, Ece Gökalp, Mehmet Gözetlik, Sadi Güran, Jürgen Hefele, Melisa Karakuş, Esen Karol, Barbaros Kayan, Ceren Kılıç, Tamer Köşeli, Ian Lynam, Sarah Maloy, Steffen Mackert, Şükran Moral, Merve Morkoç, Ahmet Özcan, Şener Özmen, Engin Öztekin, Ahmet Polat, Sarp Sözdinler, Ali Taptık, Hale Tenger, Aleksander Tokarz, Mert Tugen, Vahit Tuna, Haluk Tuncay, Ada Tuncer, Mehmet Ali Türkmen, Büşra Üzgün, Elif Varol Ergen, Frank Wiedemann, Onur F. Yazıcıgil A big thank you to Christian Ernst who came with us to Istanbul. You rule, my friend! Bastard! Thanks a lot to our local hero, Peter Brugger, for showing us your Istanbul. This issue is dedicated to you! A very special thanks goes to the Shutterstock-team for supporting our trip to Istanbul and the production of the video interviews. Thank you, Kathy! Thanks also to Norbert Brey and Wolfgang Goral (E&B engelhardt und bauer) and their printers for the wonderful printing of the inside and to Sven Winterstein for printing this beautiful cover on the letter press! We would also like to thank Petra Roß (Römerturm) for the fantastic cover material, Saskia Rautzenberg (Antalis) for the wonderful recycled paper of the booklet, Frithjof Vorrath (UPM) for the paper inside the magazine and Frank Kappl (Igepa) for his paper advice.
The photography on the first page of this issue is from Barbaros Kayan, showing a protestor who takes a moment to photograph Taksim Square with his phone as police pull back. Peace!
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Istanbul Turu ↑ Lars Harmsen and Peter Brugger ↙ Christian Ernst ↘ Ceren Bulut
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Alex Hanimann → P 282 Untitled (UOY MAI), 2011, gouache on assembled papers, 220 x 197.3 cm
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