Young Talents

2001, 2004, 2005, 2007

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'Young Talents' was a discovery project launched in 2001 to bring the work of young photographers who had had limited opportunities to reach audiences beyond their immediate circles, and who were eager to make their mark on the photography scene in Türkiye, to a wider audience.

Rather than following the conventional model of photography competitions based on the evaluation of individual images, 'Young Talents' sought to challenge the stagnation perceived in the photography scene in Türkiye at the time, give priority to new names and approaches, and encourage photographers to develop thematic bodies of work around a particular subject over an extended period, with a coherent visual language, mood, or approach. For the first edition in 2001, the work of seven photographers selected from 108 applicants was published in issue 20 of Geniş Açı Photography Magazine.

Following the interest generated by the first edition, the second and third editions were organised in 2004 and 2005 in collaboration with the Istanbul Photography Center. The work of 26 selected photographers was published in special Turkish/English issues of Geniş Açı and presented in exhibitions in Istanbul, Izmir, Eskişehir, Bursa, Çanakkale, and other cities.

In summer 2006, works by eight photographers selected from the first three editions were presented under the title 'Young Photography from Turkey' at the National Centre for Contemporary Photography in St Petersburg, Russia.

The fourth edition, held in 2007, selected five photographers, while a further ten whose portfolios stood out but showed certain shortcomings or areas requiring further development were included in a “Notables” category. Their work was published in another special issue of Geniş Açı and exhibited in Izmir, Ankara, Bursa, and Çanakkale.

A complete selection of the work by all photographers featured across the four editions of 'Young Talents' can be viewed: www.gencsoluklar.com