Istanbul

Ci Demi

 2018 – 2023 — Istanbul, Turkey

About this series

An apartment in Istanbul is the setting for everything in this story. With the exception of a few appointments with my psychiatrist, I spent the entire year of 2019 at home. You see, I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was having a hard time readjusting to reality.
I held on to my camera, though. I photographed every time I had a chance. Every time I stepped outside, I saw Istanbul changing all around me. As a result, I documented it; my relationship with it, the emotions I experienced there. The title refers to something I tell the city: “It’s okay, you can forget me”. The year was 2021 when I returned to life. We didn’t forget each other. So, I kept photographing.

Photographer: Ci Demi
Nationality: Turkish
Based in: Istanbul, Turkey
Website: https://cidemi.art
Instagram: @ci_demi

Ci Demi (1986, Istanbul) studied Italian and Litterature in Istanbul. He worked as a copywriter in advertising agencies for many years. He was introduced to visual storytelling at the age of 28. His photographs have appeared in distinguished publications such as Foam Magazine and the British Journal of Photography. His works have been exhibited in many prestigious festivals and art venues such as Les Rencontres d’Arles abroad and Pera Museum in Turkey. In 2022, he was chosen as the winner of the Discovery Awards at the Encontros da Imagem photography festival with his story “Unutursan Darılmam” (No Offence If You Forget). His first photobook “Şehir Fikri” (Notion of a City) was published by Onagöre in December 2022. Nowadays, he lives in Istanbul, taking photographs for international publications and working on personal projects.