Constructing Architecture Istanbul Modern's New Museum Building Photographs: Cemal Emden

"Constructing Architecture" focuses on the construction of Istanbul Modern's new museum building designed by Renzo Piano through the lens of Cemal Emden, one of the most important architectural photographers of our time. Emden records the construction process of the building from December 2020 onwards in different lighting and seasons, highlighting the architectural components that Piano emphasized in his design and the transformation of material and human labor into the building. "Constructing Architecture" closely examines concepts such as the built environment, architecture and construction, while inviting the viewer to reflect on the layered dialogue that photography has had with architecture since its invention.

Architecture, the first part of the four-part exhibition, reveals the fruition of Piano's ideas and is the first official representation of Istanbul Modern's new museum building. The shots in Limitation of Space, part two, enables the viewer to track the stages of construction through Emden’s regular visits to the site at different times. Constructing Architecture, a series of large-scale prints, explores the basic ideas behind the design developed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the building's position in the city. The fourth part of the exhibition, Construction Workers, focuses on the human labor and workers involved in the construction of Istanbul Modern’s new building.

Through photographic representation, which is integral to understanding architecture, Cemal Emden aims to make the viewer reflect on basic design decisions, the possibilities offered by materials, and the role of human labor in building construction. Emden reminds us that buildings will continue to change after their completion and lead a life of their own.

Cemal Emden, 1967
From the series “Constructing Architecture”, 2020-2023
(detail)