Eye Filmmuseum presents the first Dutch exhibition dedicated to celebrated Turkish filmmaker and photographer Nuri Bilge Ceylan. For the first time, his films are presented alongside his Turkey Cinemascope photo series (2003–2012). This unique combination underscores Ceylan’s remarkable photographic artistry and meticulous sense of mise-en-scène. Together, the works illuminate his profound exploration of universal themes, such as alienation, the quest for meaning, and the essence of life itself.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan is renowned for his literary cinematic style, where he explores the human condition with compelling depth. His distinctive visual language – characterised by wide shots, long takes and minimal camera movement – invites viewers to focus on subtle details in landscapes and dialogues that reveal the inner lives of his characters and their environments. Although his films touch on the universal, they are inextricably rooted in recent Turkish history and its myriad contrasts: urban versus rural, religious versus secular, intellectual versus emotional, rich versus poor, male versus female, and individualism versus collectivism
In today’s world of black-and-white thinking, Ceylan shows in nuanced and humanistic ways how background shapes character. Dialogues rich with existential musings lingering shots of interiors and vast landscapes, give viewers space to reflect on the meaning of life. And a crucial role is played by landscapes. For Ceylan, they constitute more than backgrounds. Whether it is a vibrant Istanbul cityscape or a vast Anatolian plain, all his landscapes reflect and influence the inner world of his characters.
Ceylan started his career as a photographer. Although his films have been regularly screened and applauded, his photographic work has never previously been presented in the Netherlands. This exhibition offers a perfect opportunity to bring together Ceylan’s photographic and cinematographic work for the first time.
Films, Talks & Events
The accompanying film programme includes multiple screenings of the feature films of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, most of them on 35mm and drawn from the Eye collection. In a series of Eye on Art specials, filmmakers, photographers, and notable Turkish-Dutch figures will share their reflections on Ceylan’s work and its impact across various Turkish communities. A number of films that have always inspired Ceylan will also be screened.
You can also join various tours: every Sunday, a tour guide will take you at 14:00 and 15:00 on the presentation of your ticket. There is also a Turkish-language tour, with Irem Sezer Kalyoncu (founder BSAK Art Tours) as your guide. In addition, there are NGT tours and special tours for schoolchildren
This exhibition runs since January 18.
