The Republic Behind the Scenes

IMPORTANT: THE EXACT DATE IS 16th of October.

Our Art & Culture Group’s next stop is a compelling archival exhibition at the Pera Museum: "The Republic Behind the Scenes"

About the Exhibition: Curated by İdil Çetin and Ahmet Ersoy, this exhibition draws from over 20,000 press photographs Protected content in the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Collection, primarily captured in Istanbul by Cumhuriyet photojournalists Selahattin Giz and his master Namık Görgüç.

The selection focuses on "imperfect," damaged, or discarded negatives—the unfiltered byproducts of visual news production that traditional archives often overlook as "data dumps." Bringing these raw images back into the light reveals the behind-the-scenes practice of early Turkish photojournalism.

Rather than presenting a nostalgic or official state narrative, the exhibition highlights the marginalized subjects, prisoners, and everyday people on the street. By capturing the tensions, uncertainties, and pluralities of daily life, it invites us to reconsider early Republican history through the eyes of its actual people (cumhur).

Museum Admission: Free of charge on Friday evenings.

Post-Museum Plan: We plan to visit the historic Pera Palace Hotel nearby after the exhibition (subject to availability).