ISTANBUL (AA): On June 19, the Istanbul Research Institute opened a captivating photo exhibition titled “The Photography Studio of An Adventurous Architect: Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu 1893-1982.” The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the early Republican era’s architectural and social transformations through the lens of Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu – an architect known for his curiosity and adventurous spirit.
The exhibition features photographs taken by Koyunoğlu from the early 20th century onward, drawn from the personal archives of the Koyunoğlu family, generously donated to the Suna and Inan Kıraç Foundation. The collection includes glass negatives, acetates and printed photographs, showcasing cityscapes, architectural details, portraits, streets and everyday life scenes.
At the exhibition’s press conference, Özalp Birol, board member of the Suna and Inan Kıraç Foundation and General Manager of the Culture and Arts Enterprise, described Koyunoğlu as a multifaceted individual who worked across 31 different professions. Birol noted that despite coming from a well-to-do family, Koyunoğlu managed to live through very challenging conditions, adapting and surviving through all circumstances.
“He was a person who survived against all odds. Besides being an architect who created monumental buildings of the republic, he was also a man of many talents. As the saying goes, there’s no end to telling his story, or no task he couldn’t handle,” Birol said. “Thanks to the valuable donation from his family, our team dedicated time and effort to prepare this small but splendid exhibition.”
Passion for photography
Gülru Tanman, director of the Istanbul Research Institute, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the exhibition and announced a forthcoming book to accompany – and partly diverge from – the exhibition. She explained, “As the team responsible for the Institute’s research projects, we all contributed to curating, editing and production, working in harmony.”
Tanman emphasized Koyunoğlu’s significant place in Turkish architectural history, especially his impact on Ankara’s urban transformation during its establishment as the capital. He designed landmarks such as the Ankara Art and Sculpture Museum, the Ethnography Museum and several residential buildings in Yenişehir, shaping the city’s face.
However, she stressed that this exhibition is not primarily about architecture: “This is a photography exhibition. Arif Hikmet Bey bought his first camera at age 10 in 1903 and never put it down. He was one of the few survivors of the Sarıkamış campaign, where he even cleaned his camera lenses with melting snow. He sent photos to Harp Mecmuası (War Magazine). Of course, there is a section on architecture, but what’s remarkable is that, unlike many of his contemporaries, Koyunoğlu documented his memories in great detail and with a playful tone.”
Exhibition details
Mustafa Ergül, research projects manager at the institute, noted that the exhibition includes nearly 86 photographs supported by 140 visuals across three screens. It is divided into five main sections and traces Koyunoğlu’s life from his student years at the Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi (School of Fine Arts), through his military service in Erzurum, to his work in the Underground Photography Studio and his observations in cities like Ankara, Istanbul, Bursa, Nevşehir and Kırşehir.
“Koyunoğlu met photography early and never left it behind. Even in his final years, in 1982, he was still developing film in a darkroom, as revealed in an interview with his daughter Özcan. This lifelong engagement with photography also reveals his conscious effort to document and inventory his surroundings,” Ergül explained.
Presented by the Suna and Inan Kıraç Foundation Istanbul Research Institute, the exhibition invites visitors to explore a broad visual archive that reflects a rich era through Koyunoğlu’s eyes. The exhibition will be open until May 17, 2026, and can be accessed digitally at katalog.iae.org.tr.
About Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu
Koyunoğlu was not only the architect behind iconic early Republican buildings like the Turkish Hearth Building and the Ethnography Museum but also a versatile traveler, soldier, gallery owner, journalist and photographer. Introduced to arts and crafts at an early age, he acquired his first camera at 10 years old and spent his life capturing both his experiences and the cultural and spatial transformations of his time.
He pursued photography professionally at times, whether in a refugee camp or on the battlefield in the heart of Istanbul, driven by a relentless curiosity and an adventurous spirit.
