More — Ci Demi

Call me Ci. I was born in Beyoğlu, Istanbul on July 6th, 1986. I studied Italian Language and Literature at Istanbul University. Following that, I worked for advertising agencies as a copywriter and creative director for many years. I was 28 when I discovered visual storytelling. I did music photography and photojournalism for a while, then I decided to devote my time solely to my own stories.

My work is focused on Istanbul and its personal psychogeography. Adopting documentary as a secondary function, I tell stories using the scenes of my city. My distinct color palette is a derivation of the look of Italian giallos from the ‘70s, and I take cues from the cinematography of classic horror films in my visual language. All of my photographs take place during the daytime.

More about my work

Favourites

Suspiria (1977)
Cat’s Cradle (1963)
The Smiths (1984)

Timeline of the far future

Blog posts

2023-08-29 Suzan

Information

Awards

2023 Shortlist, Belfast Photo Festival
2022 Winner, Discovery Awards, Encontros da Imagem
2022 Nominee, Leica Oskar Barnack Award
2021 Shortlist, 212 Photography Istanbul

Teaching

2023 Istanbul in My Lens: Photographing the City, Workshop and portfolio review, Pera Museum

Press

Adventure.com (Article, 2023)
Cargo (Feature, 2023)
Foam Magazine (Feature, Print, 2023)
Turkey Book Talk (Podcast, 2023)
revue EPIC (Feature, Print, 2023)
Onagöre Blog (Interview, 2023)
Safelight Paper (Feature, 2023)
Pera Museum Blog (Story, 2023)
Switch Magazine (Feature, Print, 2023)
Hyperallergic (Interview, 2023)
ArtDog Istanbul (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)
Istanbul Art News (Feature, Print, 2019)
Fabrika Zine (Feature, Print, 2018)
L'Œil de la Photographie (Feature, 2017)
GUP Magazine (Feature, 2017)

Clients

Première Vision (Commercial, 2023)
Zeit Magazin (Editorial, 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)