The key facts

  • The exhibition 'Ara Guler – Master of Leica' is running at the Ara Guler Museum in Bomontiada until April 18, 2027.
  • The display features photographs published in Leica magazine, the photographer's cameras, his technical notes, and handwritten correspondence dating back to 1961.
  • According to AGAVAM Director Cagla Sarac, only 15 photographers have ever received the 'Master of Leica' title; Guler is the only one from Turkey.

The museum's thirteenth exhibition focuses on the connection with Leica

The Ara Guler Museum in the Bomontiada complex in Istanbul has opened the exhibition 'Ara Guler – Master of Leica', dedicated to the photographer's long-standing relationship with the German company Leica, spanning from receiving the 'Master of Leica' title in 1962 to his induction into the Leica Hall of Fame in 2015. The exhibition is organized by the Ara Guler Archive and Research Center (AGAVAM) in collaboration with Leica Camera AG and will run until April 18, 2027, reports Anadolu.

What is included in the exhibition

The exhibition occupies four halls and is arranged chronologically: each hall is dedicated to a specific period and theme in Guler's career. One hall is entirely devoted to color photographs, while another features black-and-white images of Istanbul and Anatolia, which, according to AGAVAM Director Cagla Sarac, visitors had been eagerly anticipating following the previous exhibition on his Cannes Film Festival coverage. In addition to his works, the display includes cameras purchased by Guler throughout his life, his personal notes on equipment, and handwritten correspondence, including letters to foreign editors; correspondence with Leica magazine is documented from 1961, although communication began in the 1950s. Sarac noted that the choice of Leica was also influenced by the fact that these cameras were used by leading photographers worldwide.

A rare award and rotating exhibitions

According to Sarac, the 'Master of Leica' title has been awarded to only 15 photographers throughout history, and Guler remains the sole representative from Turkey among them; in 2015, he was also inducted into the Leica Hall of Fame. The museum intentionally does not maintain a permanent exhibition: its extensive archive allows for the regular preparation of new exhibitions, with the current one being the thirteenth. The previous exhibition focused on Guler's photographs from the Cannes Film Festival, which he covered for many years, including while working for Paris Match; preparations for the new exhibition began immediately after the previous one closed.