Vocational School of Justice
IZMIR THROUGH THE LENS WILL LEAVE A MARK ON HISTORY
Izmir will be documented through photographs. 30 counties of Izmir will be photographed by 10 photography artists for one year as part of the “Fotoğraflarla Yaşanacak Şehir İzmir Projesi (A City Through Lens: Izmir) Project”, prepared through the collaboration of Izmir Chamber of Commerce, Izmir University of Economics (IUE), and the sector. Each of the artists will reflect 2 different counties to be determined as a result of lottery through their lens. Photographs will be handed out to the tourists along with CD’s and booklets both in Turkish and English. A new recollection of the city will be generated.
Ekrem Demirtaş, Chairman of the Executive Board of Izmir Chamber of Commerce (ITO) and President of IUE Board of Trustees, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Oğuz Esen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Uzunoğlu, Acting Dean of IUE Faculty of Communication, Asst. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Arda, Head of IUE Department of Visual Communication Design, the academicians, students, and photography artists Renda Gülay, Aykut Uslutekin, Hüseyin Harmandağlı, Hakan Akdemir, Bülent Çalımlıoğlu, Mehmet Yıldıztekin, Emin Emrah Yerce, Tolga Yurdaer, Etkin Gürel, and ve Gökhan Gökmen, who volunteered to support the Project, attended the introductory meeting that took place at IUE Board of Trustees Meeting Hall.
In his speech, Presient Demirtaş stated that they aimed to carry out the project in order to get the symbolic structures of Izmir documented through photography, and get the city recognized with new symbols. He said that they wanted to create an archive of Izmir photographs with this one year long project. Demirtaş said, “We are going to leave a mark on history with this project. All the photographers are from Izmir and they work in Izmir. They volunteered to work in this project. Therefore, it is very meaningful for us. We plan to get ‘Fotoğraflarla Yaşanacak Şehir İzmir (A City Through Lens: Izmir)’ titled book published at the end of the project. We will also get some of the photographs framed, and present them to our guests. Again, we will get paintings of the best photographs done and present them as gifts. These photographs will be at service of Izmir folks.”
Demirtaş also stated that the project would contribute greatly to the tourism as well. “The fact that it will be shared on social media will attract many tourists to the city. Providing the tourists with a CD and a book will positively contribute to the city tourism. This way, our city will be internationalized, and our project will be recognized globally,” said Demirtaş.
IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Oğuz Esen mentioned that the project would help increase the internationalization profile of Izmir. The Rector stated that a university should not content itself with research and education alone, it should also contribute to the society it is located at.
Acting Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Uzunoğlu pointed that students of communication, and visual communication design, would take part in behind the camera and social media phases of the project. Uzunoğlu also said that the book at the end of the project would be published both in English and Turkish.
What is in the Project?
Each photographer will take photos in 6 counties selected by a drawing. Konak will be the common area for all photographers. After a 10 month shooting period, the selected photos will be prepared for printing and exhibition. Student of IUE Faculty of Communication and Department of Visual Communication Design will also take part in shooting and background shoots. The exhibition will be available as of April 2016. There will also be book signing, mobile exhibitions, and virtual exhibitions. Some of the selected photos will be presented as gifts to the domestic and foreign guests of IUE and ITO. Some of them will be turned into paintings.