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ISTANBUL: ON THE TRAIL OF CULTURE AND LITERATURE

Written by TR Dergisi

Istanbul, the legendary city… A new book that suits this city, a gem in the world with its history, art and literary background: ‘Istanbul Culture and Literature Atlas’.

Writer Mehmet Davut Göksu and Photographer Nevzat Yıldırım who authored the book, set off from the idea that a work concerning intersection points of Istanbul and literature is necessary. An elaborate road map was determined
in order to work on such a broad area. The style of the book can be described as follows: determining reference points, benefiting from these magical points in expressing the whole, again letting these function as load-bearing primary columns and determining fabrics which express the whole in homogeneous aspects and relaying those. These areas were determined based on what literary figures focused on. The aspects of the city writers and poets in the book focused were prioritized also by the writer of book Mehmet Davut Göksu: he touched on those aspects. Since the book is about what literary figures focused on, it is titled as “Istanbul Culture and Literature Atlas”.

Book features both excerpts from books and biographies of more than 300 literary figures each with quotes imprinted on memories. This city is a loving city as people love and make efforts for it… Cultural figures who
loved Istanbul, worked in Istanbul and expressed their love for Istanbul diversely, are also featured in the book
with their biographies.

A PRODUCT OF 10 YEARS OF ACCUMULATIO N
A major bearing of the book is the photographs… They did not simply photograph and present the building
reserve of the city. Artistic aspect and depth were considered in the photographs for the foct that it is a literary work. The frames that interpret the beauty of the city best, are featured. Photographer Nevzat Yıldırım is at the same time the photography editor of the book. More than 300 exclusive images are featured in the book, all photographed within the last year. Missing or historical photographs are from archives. Yıldırım relays that photographs in the book have been accumulated throughout a period of 10 years. Istanbul is vast; a photography index is included at the back of the book to specify the locations of various photographs. Book by Turkey Turing and Automobile Foundation
Publications, will soon be offered for sale in Istanbul Bookstore.

FIRST HAND
Merih Akoğul (Photography Artist)
“Nevzat Yıldırım achieved to transfer a city that is both attractive and difficult like Istanbul on the image plane through his photographs. He was not satisfied with it and he shared the 21st century profile of one of the foremost cities in the world by paying heed to composition, light, and history-aesthetics balance in the photographs. I sincerely thank him for this gem he presented to Istanbul with his photographs and his meticulous work.”

About the author

TR Dergisi

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