On the Spot

Panoramic Gaze on Istanbul, a History

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The exhibition On the Spot: Panoramic Gaze on Istanbul, a History takes the allure and amazement of the 360-degree urban image as its starting point and moves on to historicize the power of this panoramic effect. It thinks through different media and materialities, following the variations of Istanbul’s representations in massive displays in purpose-built London halls as well as in the dining halls of Bosporus mansions. It explores the divergent paths that panoramic images of Istanbul have taken since the early modern period and reconsiders the connections and contestations between different styles, techniques, media, viewpoints, audiences, and circulation strategies.

The accompanying catalog follows the exhibition’s suite in its historical outlook on the panoramic medium and Istanbul’s place within it. After the introduction by the curators that lays out their perspective on the history of panoramas, seven articles by Erkki Huhtamo, Çiğdem Kafescioğlu, Hilal Uğurlu, M. Baha Tanman, Ahmet A. Ersoy, K. Mehmet Kentel, Namık Günay Erkal and Tarkan Okçuoğlu explore different facets of this history.

Publication Date: 2023
Number of Pages: 330
ISBN: 978-605-71205-9-5

On the Spot

The exhibition aims to shed new light on the history of Istanbul’s representations through panoramic paintings and photographs. It critically approaches the history of the "panorama" and contextualizes its many iterations. While examining the layered relationships in the production and consumption of panoramic images, the exhibition also explores the circulation of these images among different audiences, their receptions, and the connections between various media that have gained popularity over centuries.