The years between 1900 and 1940 were more than a little eventful for the Turks. The period saw numerous wars fought on many fronts, the effects of which are felt to this day. Alongside this, the demise of the Ottoman Empire followed by the birth of a new republic brought about not only political upheaval but incredible social change.
Understandably, we often hear about how such transformative events changed society as a whole but we rarely see how they affected individuals. Dismantling the Archive, the new exhibition at SALT Galata, allows us to see just this. The exhibition takes a look back through the archives of Said Bey and his family; three generations that span the late Ottoman period up to the early years of the Republic of Turkey.
Illustrated by Sait Mingü, 2013
Animated by Boran Güney, 2013
Said Bey wasn’t exactly an ordinary Istanbullu. He taught at what is now Galatasaray High School and was an interpreter at the Ottoman Palace; a ‘caricature of a bourgeois Istanbulite’ as the exhibition explains. While this means we don’t get to see the life of an average citizen, the archive still gives us an insight into these turbulent times. Furthermore, the wealth of the family probably accounts for the wealth of material we see. Given the expense of photography at the time, the family took them quite prolifically. These are accompanied by the eloquent writings of Said Bey as well as objects and artworks created by family members. The archive also gives us the universal and ever-important reminder that through all the wars and upheaval, most people are just trying to get on with their daily lives.
There’s relatively little historical context in the exhibition, which does seem an oversight, particularly considering what a hectic time in Turkish history the archive covers. The show aims to ‘explore how family memories became intertwined with the national narrative’, but it’s assumed you mostly know that narrative. Unless you’re a history graduate, I would recommend refreshing you memory of the period before going. A historical context will really help you get more from the objects and ephemera on display. The exhibition is also concerned with historiography and archivism, again something that is probably more interesting to history graduates and archivists.
1936, Keçiören
SALT Research, Said Bey Archive
Something we’ve come to expect from SALT is beautiful design and this exhibition doesn’t disappoint. It’s a lovely space to spend time poring over the objects on display and it’s intelligently colour-coded for those interested in archival studies. An animation brings one of Said Bey’s letters to life and haunting music floats through the room. There’s also a section of interviews with various people discussing the objects and history, which is very interesting and worth sparing a bit of time for.
While the academic edge of this exhibition might seem a little dry to non-historians, the assortment of material in the Said Bey Archive should retain the interest of the lay-visitor. It’s really unique to see an archive of this sort displayed in such detail and it opens up this confounding period of history, allowing us to see it through a fresh pair of eyes.
Dismantling the Archive: Representation, Identity, Memory in an Ottoman Family
SALT Galata
Tuesday, 21 January – Sunday, 23 March 2014
Beth Thomas is a contributor to Yabangee
