The Exhibition Titled “Pietro Marubi and Photographers in the Ottoman Era” Has Been Launched in Albania

The opening ceremony of the exhibition titled “Pietro Marubi and Photographers in the Ottoman Era” was held in Shkodër, Albania.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition titled “Pietro Marubi and Photographers in the Ottoman Era,” held by Marubi National Museum of Photography in Albania, the Ministry of Culture of Albania, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), and the Turkish Embassy in Tirana, was attended by Elva Margariti, Minister of Culture of Albania; Dr. Mahmut Çevik, TİKA’s Vice President; Murat Ahmet Yörük, Turkey’s Ambassador to Tirana; and other officials.

The book "Photographers in the Ottoman Era from Istanbul to Shkodër,” written with the support of TİKA, was also published as part of the exhibition. In her speech at the ceremony, Minister Margariti stressed that the collections of Ottoman-era photographs from the archives of Abdul Hamid II were being exhibited for the first time. Noting that TİKA played a major role in preserving the cultural heritage of the country, Margariti said, “Thanks to our close cooperation with the Turkish Embassy, which has always supported the relations between the two countries, TİKA has become an even more special partner with this exhibition and catalog. The exhibition and catalog constitute an added value for the centuries-old relations between the two countries and are closely connected with art, culture, and memory.”

“We have been contributing to various activities in Albania since 1996”

Dr. Mahmut Çevik, TİKA’s Vice President, stated that they wished to have a cultural presence there, and said, “I would like to thank our Ambassador, the Minister, and museum officials for contributing to this great project, which aims to build a common future and reveal our shared memory.” He added, “I would like to note that our efforts for the development of this country focus not only on economic, but also on social and cultural development, and that the development of the country should also be supported in cultural terms.” Çevik stated that they have been contributing to various activities in Albania since 1996, and that 125 of the 600 projects they have implemented so far were carried out in the fields of education, culture, and arts. He said, “We are sure that we have approximately 16,000 tangible and intangible cultural assets from the Ottoman era in the Balkans. We lived together in this region for a long time. We have common artists, poets, and authors. 600 of these 3,000 poets and authors are from Istanbul, while nearly 860 of them are from the Balkans.”

“Relations between the two countries are at the level of strategic partnership”

Ambassador Yörük stated that the close bilateral relations between Turkey and Albania are supported by their shared history and culture and the deep-rooted ties between the peoples. Noting that the friendly relations between the Turkish and Albanian people, which began nearly 6 centuries ago, still make a positive impact today, Yörük reminded that the bilateral relations between the two countries were raised to the level of strategic partnership in January 2021. Yörük added that the Ottoman Empire supported various branches of art throughout its history of over 6 centuries and offered various incentives to artists, and said, “Most Sultans were themselves masters of various branches of art. In this context, it is not a coincidence that photography became popular in the Ottoman Empire as a branch of art in a short time after its emergence at the beginning of the 19^th century, and that the first professional photography studio in Istanbul was opened in 1845. However, as stated by experts, the golden age of photography in the Ottoman Empire actually began when Abdul Hamid II took the throne. Abdul Hamid II, who was personally interested in photography, supported photographers in various parts of the Empire and even commissioned some photographers to photograph major historical events, governmental buildings, and some of the important figures of the era. Thanks to the incentives and patronage of Abdul Hamid II, Istanbul, which has always inspired artists, became a center of attraction for photography in a short time.”

The exhibition, which is also supported by Istanbul University and the Sultan II. Abdulhamid Application and Research Center at Yıldız Technical University, will be open to visitors until December 5.