Information
January 2023
Call me Ci. I was born in Beyoğlu, İstanbul on July 6th, 1986. I studied Italian Language And Literature at İstanbul University. Following that, I worked for advertising agencies as copywriter and creative director for many years. I was 28 when I discovered visual story-telling. I did music photography and photojournalism for a while, then I decided to devote my time solely on my own stories.
My work is focused on İstanbul and its personal psychogeographies. Adopting documentary as a secondary function, I tell stories using the scenes of my city. My distinct colour palette is a derivation of the look of Italian giallos of ‘70s, and I take clues from the cinematography of classic horror films in my visual language — even though almost all of my photographs take place in the daytime.
My work is focused on İstanbul and its personal psychogeographies. Adopting documentary as a secondary function, I tell stories using the scenes of my city. My distinct colour palette is a derivation of the look of Italian giallos of ‘70s, and I take clues from the cinematography of classic horror films in my visual language — even though almost all of my photographs take place in the daytime.
- Affiliate of PLATFORM by GAPO.
- Write to me: ci@cidemi.art
Photobook
2022 Şehir Fikri (Notion of a City), Onagöre
Long-Term Stories
We Were All in Love with Suzan (Hepimiz Suzan’a Aşıktık, 2023 - Ongoing)
Her Şeyin Kötü Gittiğine Dair Emareler (Signs That Everything Is Going Wrong, 2016 - 2022)
Unutursan Darılmam (I Won’t Be Upset If You Forget Me, 2019 - Ongoing)
Will the World End in the Daytime (2017 - 2019)
Long-Term Stories
We Were All in Love with Suzan (Hepimiz Suzan’a Aşıktık, 2023 - Ongoing)
Her Şeyin Kötü Gittiğine Dair Emareler (Signs That Everything Is Going Wrong, 2016 - 2022)
Unutursan Darılmam (I Won’t Be Upset If You Forget Me, 2019 - Ongoing)
Will the World End in the Daytime (2017 - 2019)
Short-Term Stories
Tourist of Disaster (2022 - Ongoing)
Ait (Belonging, 2022)
Tourist of Disaster (2022 - Ongoing)
Ait (Belonging, 2022)
Awards & Accomplishments
2022 Winner, Discovery Awards, Encontros da Imagem
2022 Nominee, Leica Oskar Barnack Award
2022 First place, "Streets of İstanbul" series category, Fotoistanbul
2021 Shortlist, 212 Photography İstanbul
Teaching
2023 Photographing Istanbul, Workshop, Portfolio review / Pera Museum, İstanbul, Turkey
2022 Winner, Discovery Awards, Encontros da Imagem
2022 Nominee, Leica Oskar Barnack Award
2022 First place, "Streets of İstanbul" series category, Fotoistanbul
2021 Shortlist, 212 Photography İstanbul
Teaching
2023 Photographing Istanbul, Workshop, Portfolio review / Pera Museum, İstanbul, Turkey
Interviews & Features
ArtDog İstanbul (Interview, Print, 2023) Calling #2 (Interview, 2022)
Maviblau (Interview, 2022) Creative Review (Photography Annual, Feature, Print, 2022) Yerden Yüksek (Açık Radyo, Interview, 2022)
Decalogue Magazine (Feature, 2022)
Calling (Interview, 2022)
Bant Mag (Interview, 2022) British Journal of Photography (Feature, Print, 2022) Booooooom (Feature, 2022)
212 Studio (Interview, 2022)
ArtDog İstanbul (Interview, Print, 2023) Calling #2 (Interview, 2022)
Maviblau (Interview, 2022) Creative Review (Photography Annual, Feature, Print, 2022) Yerden Yüksek (Açık Radyo, Interview, 2022)
Decalogue Magazine (Feature, 2022)
Calling (Interview, 2022)
Bant Mag (Interview, 2022) British Journal of Photography (Feature, Print, 2022) Booooooom (Feature, 2022)
212 Studio (Interview, 2022)
Der Grief (Feature, 2022)
Yogurt Magazine (Feature, 2022)
The Museum of Modern Art (Feature, 2022)
Bir Kare Bir Anlam (TRT 2, Documentary, 2022)
ERRR Magazine (Interview, 2022)
Art Unlimited (Editorial, 2022)
WePresent (Profile, 2022)
Anywhere Blvd (Interview, 2022)
Urbanautica (Interview, 2022) Fisheye Magazine (Feature, 2022)
allcitiesarebeautiful (Interview, 2022)
Fotoğraf Konuşmaları (Podcast, 2021)
Nowness Asia (Feature, 2021)
Broad Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Noice Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Kaleydoskop (Interview, 2021)
AnOther Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Ain’t Bad (Feature, 2021)
Trendland (Interview, 2021)
C41 Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Subjectively Objective (Feature, 2021)
this isn’t happiness (Feature, 2021)
VSCO (Interview, 2019)
İstanbul Art News (Feature, Print, 2019)
Fabrika Zine (Feature, Print, 2018)
L'Œil de la Photographie (Feature, 2017)
GUP Magazine (Feature, 2017)
Yogurt Magazine (Feature, 2022)
The Museum of Modern Art (Feature, 2022)
Bir Kare Bir Anlam (TRT 2, Documentary, 2022)
ERRR Magazine (Interview, 2022)
Art Unlimited (Editorial, 2022)
WePresent (Profile, 2022)
Anywhere Blvd (Interview, 2022)
Urbanautica (Interview, 2022) Fisheye Magazine (Feature, 2022)
allcitiesarebeautiful (Interview, 2022)
Fotoğraf Konuşmaları (Podcast, 2021)
Nowness Asia (Feature, 2021)
Broad Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Noice Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Kaleydoskop (Interview, 2021)
AnOther Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Ain’t Bad (Feature, 2021)
Trendland (Interview, 2021)
C41 Magazine (Feature, 2021)
Subjectively Objective (Feature, 2021)
this isn’t happiness (Feature, 2021)
VSCO (Interview, 2019)
İstanbul Art News (Feature, Print, 2019)
Fabrika Zine (Feature, Print, 2018)
L'Œil de la Photographie (Feature, 2017)
GUP Magazine (Feature, 2017)
Clients
Die Zeit (Editorial, 2023)
Kaos GL (Cover, 2023)
Die Zeit (Editorial, 2023)
Kaos GL (Cover, 2023)
Altyazı (Editorial, 2022)
Reflect Studio (Commercial, 2022)
Frankie Magazine (Editorial, 2022)
Zorlu PSM (Editorial, 2018)
Simge Pınar (Single Cover, Editorial, 2018)
Deniz Tekin (Editorial, 2017)
Beaten Fame (Album Cover, Editorial, 2017)
Hasbro (Creative Direction, 2016)
Exess (Creative Direction, 2016)
shopi go (Creative Direction, 2016)
Sofar Sounds (Editorial, 2015 - 2018)
Yves Rocher (Editorial, 2014 - 2016)
Jãgermeister (Copywriting, 2012 - 2014)
Past Collaborations
140journos SO (2016 - 2018)
Editor / Photojournalist / Zorlu PSM Account Director
Sofar Sounds Istanbul (2015 - 2018)
Staff Photographer
Reflect Studio (Commercial, 2022)
Frankie Magazine (Editorial, 2022)
Zorlu PSM (Editorial, 2018)
Simge Pınar (Single Cover, Editorial, 2018)
Deniz Tekin (Editorial, 2017)
Beaten Fame (Album Cover, Editorial, 2017)
Hasbro (Creative Direction, 2016)
Exess (Creative Direction, 2016)
shopi go (Creative Direction, 2016)
Sofar Sounds (Editorial, 2015 - 2018)
Yves Rocher (Editorial, 2014 - 2016)
Jãgermeister (Copywriting, 2012 - 2014)
Past Collaborations
140journos SO (2016 - 2018)
Editor / Photojournalist / Zorlu PSM Account Director
For I Am A Woman (Interactive, 2018)
Goes to the Mall (Photo-essay, 2018)
I Am Afraid of İstanbul (Serial, 2017)
Mourning (Video-essay, 2017)
Hurt Division (Photo-story, 2017)
Lila/c (Publication, 2017)
Mercury Curtain (Photo-story, 2016)
Neco Hacks the City (Photo-story, 2016)
Sofar Sounds Istanbul (2015 - 2018)
Staff Photographer
The Discovered (Portfolio, 2015 - 2018)