Ottoman Kiosk, Istanbul
2009
Inkjet on watercolour paper
70 x 52 centimeters
I'm a fan of Ottoman architecture and when I spotted this kiosk in Istanbul I marvelled at how dislocated it seemed amongst the generic modern buildings. I assumed that this modest holdout was regarded as another piece of the fabric of a large city and when I started to research the beverage sign mounted to its wall I discovered that it is quite well known and highly regarded.
This information came from an internet forum devoted to soft drinks and one post featured a photo taken from exactly the same position as the one I had taken. The fondness the residents of Istanbul have for this little edifice was confirmed when I posted a jpeg of this print to another internet forum dedicated to 3D modelling, a man replied writing about his pleasure that I had seen it worthy as subject matter for art. The final confirmation came when the director of the gallery where it was exhibited told me that a woman with a Turkish background had bought it.