Istanbul: City of a Hundred Names

by Alex Webb (Photographer), Orhan Pamuk

In " City of a Hundred Names," Magnum photographer Alex Webb displays his particular ability to distill gesture, color and contrasting cultural tensions into a single, beguiling frame. He presents a vision of Istanbul as an urban cultural center, rich with the incandescence of its past--a city of minarets and pigeons rising to the heavens during the early-morning call to Muslim prayers--yet also a city riddled with ATM machines and clothed in designer jeans. Webb began photographing Istanbul in 1998, and became instantly by the people, the layers of culture and history, the richness of street life. But what particularly drew him in was a sense of Istanbul as a border city, lying between Europe and Asia. "For 30-some years as a photographer, I have been intrigued by borders, places where cultures come together, sometimes easily, sometimes roughly." The resulting body of work, some of Webb's strongest to date, conveys the frisson of a culture in transition, yet firmly rooted in a complex history. With essay by the Nobel Prize winning novelist, Orhan Pamuk.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Travel

136 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photographs in this book capture the everchanging modern city of Istanbul. The essay at the back by Orhan Pamuk is included in his memoir, "Istanbul: Memories of the City," so I had read it before. Still a good overview of a place.

[Ahmed K-masterly {Cruel Sanity} · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a city like Istanbul, you could have great shots with your camera, if you want, even if you have a small camera or a cheap one, or using your phone. That would really helps to put the masterpiece image that you saw with your eyes, to be in a frame of a paper in your hands, you could also capture so many elements but it's really not a good picture when it's full of elements but not really a professional shot. I heard a lot of "professional description" but I didn't see it.

[Pieter · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first books i brought on the subject of streetphotography. It's influence on my photography last until today. Webb is a master in adding poetry to street scenes of daily life in Instanbul. Masterfully timed and observed, he creates stories in stories of this multi layered city. Stunning and intimate photos without losing subtility.

[Zioluc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ottime immagini di street poetica, buon testo d'accompagnamento "emozionale" di Pamuk.

[Jonatas C. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

just excellent!

[David Rothwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I happened upon one of Alex Webb’s books none other than the work Istanbul: City of a Hundred Names with an essay by Orhan Pamuk, a recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature. I skimmed a few paragraphs and thought yeah, this is interesting I’ll get this for my collection. Once I opened up said book in the confines of my apartment, sunlight peering in through the partially opened blinds and throwing up some sort of hazy atmospheric warmth within the space I was occupying. I settled down with a damn good mug of coffee and set about immersing myself within the context of Alex Webb and his tale of his adventures in Istanbul: The City of a Hundred Names.

The Influence of Alex Webb

Istanbul a major city in Turkey that straddles both the Asian and European continents across the Bosphorus Strait, an old city which has embraced many empires and cultures throughout its turbulent but diverse and culturally influential history. Perhaps this is what attracted Alex Webb to Istanbul, although he does speak of his influence in his work being that of borders and this is what is significant in his work, he is not just a colourist but, someone who utilises the same thematic throughout his work and, that being a country and its borders.

Borders have long been of interest to a documentary photographer, the fractious nature of the subject a naturally occurring construct of division and of indifference towards your neighbouring country, or ‘other’. Ideally, a border is a point were subtle nuances of culture and sub-culture emerge and coexist in some pseudo-Utopian manner. Here then, is the very narrative that Webb strives to collate some form of integration between differing cultures at the very locale of the border. as they come together. Turkey is noted for its secular republic though Islam may have a majority, it is a country which has embraced both ancient and modern influences in its daily way of life.

[Sonya Gogna-Barlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a photographer i love his book

as a lover of istanbul, i'm not so sure i like his book!

[Rasha Yousif · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite photography books.

[Ferhat Culfaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb street photos by Alex Webb, and wonderful extract from Orhan Pamuk's essay on Istanbul about hüzün.