What happens if you take a tourist guide from the past and walk around Beyoglu?
The district of Beyoglu in Istanbul has been defined as the hub of social and cultural life starting from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of Turkey. It is where all new things to the geography have been established from jazz to metal, from cabaret to coloured film. Yet it has also been the host to many demonstrations, gatherings, and protests. Beyoglu today is characterized by commercialization and depoliticization projects with concerns about market-oriented urban developments. As it’s being transformed into a homogenous space with deflated social diversity, Beyoglu is compromising on all its unique history and inhabitants.
What has changed? What was supposed to be there? Who's not there anymore?
The Where Were We? project is an animated postcard series that aim to appreciate the often-forgotten layers and stories of the city. The animations pay homage to places and characters of Istanbul's Beyoglu district at various periods of time.
Frederick Bruce Thomas aka the Black Russian was an American who became prominent in Moscow's entertainment business. After the revolution, he arrived in Istanbul and founded the famous Maksim nightclub. He is credited with introducing Istanbullus to Western-style dances as well as the entire concept of public nightlife.
During WW2, Istanbul was known as the centre of espionage. One of the notorious places was Park Otel, located close to the embassies. It was rumoured that all the rooms were bugged, and the waiters had a habit of lingering too long after taking an order or lifting the plate cover.
Maryam Sahinyan who is the first woman studio photographer in Turkey took photos of the residents of Istanbul in her studio Foto Galatasaray between 1935-1985. The studio was unique in its representation of the middle and lower class, minorities and marginalised populations of the city.
Madame Anahit, the famous accordionist, played tangos and tarantellas for 40 years in Çiçek Pasajı and Nevizade. She was a fixture in the taverns where she entertained customers some of whom were famous film stars and musicians. As a result, she took part in films and video clips.
In the early days of metal culture in Istanbul, metalheads were subjected to hostile reactions from the public. “Kemancı” was a three-storey rock bar where they created a safe space for themselves. Many artists that became vital in the music scene later on, performed in this venue. Visitors would flock inside to listen to rock groups, including the legendary Blue Blues Band.
A symbol of Istanbul’s cinema culture, from 1924 to 2009 the Emek Sineması was home to events ranging from Yeşilçam galas to film festivals. On 2010-2013, following the theater’s closure and rumors of the building’s demolition, a unique uprising of resistance took place which paved the way for the Gezi Resistance. The theatre was demolished in 2013 and is now transformed into a shopping mall.
