İzzet Keribar’s ‘Journey of Colors’ at Istanbul Modern

ISTANBUL

The exhibition "Journey of Colors," featuring a selection from the archive of 88-year-old photographer İzzet Keribar, has opened to visitors at Istanbul Modern.

"Journey of Colors" presents a selection from Keribar's vast archive of nearly 1.5 million images. The exhibition highlights the formal elements that have become the artist’s trademark, such as color, light, texture and graphic composition. It also reveals the artist's evolving style over the years, inviting viewers on a vibrant journey through different times and places.

The first of the six sections within the exhibition showcases Keribar's photographs from the 1950s, featuring images of Istanbul's rapidly evolving street life and photographs of urban and rural settings in South Korea. The second part presents works documenting everyday life in various Istanbul neighborhoods starting from the 1980s.

The third and fourth sections explore nature and urban landscapes, showcasing Keribar's ability to transform the “ordinary” into the “extraordinary” through his masterful use of natural light and color. These images were captured during his travels throughout Türkiye and abroad.

The fifth section features portraits taken by the artist in various parts of the world, while the final section highlights Keribar's unique semi-abstract images.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Keribar, who stated that he started taking photographs at the age of 16, said: "I started photography in 1952 with the encouragement of my brother. At that time, I had my eye on my brother's camera. I got this camera in 1953 and at that time I said to myself, 'Now Istanbul is mine,' and ran out into the streets. I loved taking photographs so much that I went to Korea as a volunteer to see different places. I caught everyone's attention there and became the photographer of my unit. The time I spent in Korea taught me how useful photography can be for people in life."

The master artist stated that he had to take a break from photography for a while after returning from Korea and said: "After getting married, life took me away from photography. Twenty years later, I returned to photography by chance and the first thing I did was to become a member of the Istanbul Photography and Cinema Amateurs Association [IFSAK]. I made a name for myself there in a short time. To be honest, I thought I knew a lot, but I saw that I knew nothing. IFSAK became a school for me. After I turned 60, I said, 'I will continue to live only with photography' and photography became a lifestyle for me. We did some great work until 2015, but when digital cameras came out, everyone became a photographer."

Noting that he traveled all over the world in pursuit of photography, Keribar said, "I have visited 80 countries. I am proud of myself not because my photographs are very good, but because I have created a large archive. I still have new and beautiful dreams regarding photography. What I want to do is to pass on the experience and knowledge I have to young people."

‘Keribar shaped a generation's perspective on photography’

Curator Demet Yıldız Dinçer, on the other hand, stated that the exhibition could be interpreted as an "invitation" to İzzet Keribar's world, drawing attention to how his photographs consist of harmony and dialogue of colors.

Stating that they also included the artist's black and white photographs in the exhibition, Dinçer said, "We included both his works related to Istanbul in the 1950s, when he first started photography, and his productions during his time in Korea. Therefore, our exhibition can be evaluated as a collage of both black and white and color photographs."

Emphasizing that Keribar’s archive offers visitors the opportunity to see Istanbul's changing states, Dinçer said: "The artist began photographing more intensively starting in 1980. He provides us with a large memory and archive of Istanbul. On the other hand, Keribar does not only depict Istanbul in his photographs. Since he loves traveling, we also see both photography and travel together in his works. The artist shows us these two passions through his photos. He travels to various places in both Türkiye and the world, producing cityscapes, nature scenes and portraits. He is an artist who has shaped a generation’s perspective on photography."

The exhibition, featuring 125 works, will be open for visits until May 25, 2025.

With his archive of photographs of Türkiye and the world, the successful artist has stood out in the world of photography and became an honorary member of IFSAK.

Keribar has received many awards in photography competitions both domestically and internationally and was honored by the International Federation of Photographic Art with the titles "AFiap" (Artist) in 1985 and "EFiap" (Excellence) in 1988.