murat germen's compressed images resulting in futuristic city notions

the different traces left by various people and slices of time co-exist as layers in cities that have a particular past. the global trends and economical conditions strain this multi-layered traditional urban structure. an architecture with a language that cannot be considered as local anymore but universal attacks the old texture of cities during the urban growth. this intervention usually implemented through gentrification supported by big capital, causes the urban tissue and its components to face mutation and even beyond this, undergo metamorphosis. following this interaction and consecutive natural selection, some constituents disappear and some survive after being transformed.

muta-morphosis, dubai #01, 2012

istanbul and london-based artist murat germen uses photography as an expression and research tool, focusing on the impact of urbanization and gentrification, documenting sustainability of local cultures and human devastation of nature. the ‘muta-morphosis’ series fits contents of multiple glances into one with photographs that are of documentary kind, without conscious insertion or removal of any detail during post-production. the concept — derived from a combination of the notions of mutation and metamorphosis — was obtained by reducing panoramic images on one axis. the image compression on the horizontal level points to the dynamics between the urban components that can persist and the ones that give up. vanish in the various historical, residential and urban districts.

muta-morphosis, hong kong #03, 2014

the visual urban result obtained after this contraction process points to the much-discussed notion of evolution, where stronger components of existence survive the others after a natural selection process and change the course of life.

‘the photographic expression in the series is actually a synopsis of piecemeal words that remain in my mind during the visits to various cities,’ comments murat germen. ‘in other words, it is like a video footage that includes jerky movements of a typical stop-motion study that has dropped frames and no smooth continuity. the lack of a single perspectival structure due to the multiplicity of perspectives after panoramic imaging can be linked to ottoman miniatures, which in turn, connects the global contemporary representation to its local traditional counterpart.’

muta-morphosis #117, brussels, 2011

muta-morphosis, london #14, 2016

muta-morphosis, new york #03, 2013

muta-morphosis, shanghai #01, 2014

muta-morphosis, singapore #02, 2015

muta-morphosis, tokyo #01, 2015

muta-morphosis #118, rotterdam, 2011 

cover ofmurat germen’s recent monograph published by italian art book publisher skira

published by skira editore, murat germen’s ‘monograph’ features ‘muta-morphosis’ and ‘facsimile’, two series by the turkish contemporary photographer. this 96-page book includes 60 works from the artist, who happens to be the very first turkish one published by skira.

sample pages

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom