Walls that breathe - from Byzantium to Istanbul
Photographer: Tamer Tamar
Exhibit Title: Walls that breathe - from Byzantium to Istanbul
Location: Turkey
Built in the 5th century A.D. during Byzantium’s reign, Theodosius walls defended Constantinople and survived countless sieges before their capture by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. They now maintain a symbiotic and paradoxical relationship with Istanbul. On the one hand, they provide green space, building materials, shelter and food. On the other hand, they provide hiding ground for all sorts of vices; they are indirectly responsible for uprooting people from their homes, as houses close to the walls are demolished during restoration efforts.
As the economic and cultural free fall of Türkiye continues following the 2023 general elections, Istanbul’s walls are also in decline. This time, though, there is no siege. Subtle assaults on the city come in the form of destruction of the wall gardens to build football fields, construction of an eye-sore Conquest of Constantinople museum in Zeytinburnu, and gentrification of the area to evict Traveler communities. For decades, Theodosian walls have been stripped of their functional components. Its ramparts have been used for election posters, moats for tacky cafes, terraces for homeless shelter and bricks for fire pits.
Tamer Tamar is an award-winning documentary photographer focused on the dynamics of social change, globalisation and human journey. He is a photographer for Magma Magazine, alum for VII Agency master program and pro member at Raw Society. Tamer aims to accentuate dualities of life and explores the tension between human condition and actual aspirations in his photography.
No where is this tension more apparent at the ancient walls of Tamar's home town where historical legacy is pitted against metropolitan expansion and minority dwellers clash with the "nouveau riche". A visual document of this struggle is not only necessary to expose the social injustice, but it also acts as a useful archive for future generations who sadly may not have the opportunity to experience the walls in person.
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