No Entry Allowed

Through taking apart and reassembling urban details photographed in Turkish cities, No Entry Allowed reveals an environment shaped by constant rebuilding.

No Entry Allowed (Girilmez) is a photography based collage work that approaches urban details as elements that can be taken apart and reassembled. Each image is constructed from one or more photographs taken mainly in Istanbul, as well as in other Turkish cities. Shot with an ultra telephoto lens, the original images isolate small details such as surfaces, structures and moments that are insignificant and often escape attention. By avoiding wide views or recognizable landmarks, the work stays close to the everyday experience of moving through these spaces.

The second stage of the work involves cutting the photographs apart and rebuilding them into new arrangements. This process relates directly to the constant cycle of demolition and construction that defines many Turkish cities today. Buildings are replaced quickly, streets change overnight and public space is narrowed or closed off. The collages do not attempt to show real places. Instead, they create spaces that feel familiar but uncomfortable, as if something is always in the way.

This work questions the direction of urban development in Türkiye, where speed and profit often matter more than long term use, human presence or safety. The repeated use of surfaces and obstacles reflects a personal sense of discomfort and distance. The city becomes something to navigate carefully rather than live in freely.

I plan to expand the project further and am currently working on its second chapter. The long term aim is to develop the work into a photobook once one or two additional chapters are completed.