ABSTRACT
At the turn of the millennium, a sense of loss seemed to permeate public discussions regarding the future of Istanbul, while the city seemed more modern and connected than ever. As the city surfaced in global networks, it appeared to drown in nostalgia. Most of Guler's best-known photographs are from the beginning of his career, when he roamed the streets as a photojournalist. This chapter addresses how Guler's pictures, originally commissioned by journalism outlets in response to very specific changes in the city, have resurfaced in art galleries, on the pages of coffee-table books, and in other venues of cosmopolitan nostalgia. It examines how meanings ascribed to images may be transformed as conditions of reception and audiences change over time. Guler's well known Istanbul photographs have been reproduced in many forms, and their inclusion in exhibitions, magazines, and books has provided varied opportunities for imagining Old Istanbul.
