Ci Demi

Information


Ci Demi (he/him — b. 1986, Istanbul, Türkiye) is a photographer based in Istanbul. He studied Italian Language and Literature at Istanbul University. At 28, he discovered photography.

His photographs have been featured in prominent publications like Foam Magazine and the British Journal of Photography. Demi's work has been showcased at renowned festivals and venues, including Les Rencontres d'Arles and Istanbul's Pera Museum. 

In 2022, his series Unutursan Darılmam (No Offence If You Forget, 2018—2024) was selected as the winner of Discovery Awards at Encontros da Imagem photography festival.

Onagöre published Demi's debut photobook, Şehir Fikri (Notion of a City, December 2022), an eerie portrayal of Istanbul marked by the absence of people, animals, and language. Inspired by Georges Perec's oulipo novel La Disparition (A Void, 1969), the book focuses on the city's haunting essence.

His personal work explores the psychogeography of Istanbul, intricately weaving together intimate narratives of the city's landscape with his own lived experiences. While he adopts a documentarian approach to his images (ensuring they are always unstaged), his use of colour to convey a quiet tension is prominent in his work.

He’s a member of Connected Archives and an affilite of PLATFORM by GAPO.
Clients

Publications

Elle Italia
Libération
Geo
Harvard Business Manager
Zeit Online
Aposto
Harper’s Bazaar Italia
11Freunde
Der Spiegel
Society
Financial Times
The New York Times
Zeit Magazin
Die Zeit
Kaos GL
Altyazı
Frankie Magazine

NGOs

Climavore x Jameel at RCA (Campaign)
Better Shelter (Campaign)

Music

Oil Giant
Zorlu PSM
Simge Pınar
Deniz Tekin
Sofar Sounds Istanbul (2015 - 2018)

Others

Urban Istanbul
Première Vision
Reflect Studio


Curriculum vitae

Books

2025 Unutursan Darılmam (No Offence If You Forget, FiLBooks, To be published)
2022 Şehir Fikri (Notion of a City, Onagöre)

Awards

2025 Winner, Fondazione Capri: the Festival of Photography in Capri (17th Edition)
2022 Winner, Discovery Awards, Encontros da Imagem

Nominations

2024 Prix Pictet 2025
2024 C/O Berlin Talent Award 2025
2024 Joop Swart Masterclass
2022 Leica Oskar Barnack Award

Shortlists

2025 OD Photo Prize 2025
2025 InCadaqués Photo Festival Open Call
2025 Verzasca Foto Festival Awards
2025 Images Vevey Book Award 2025-26
2024 Dear Dave, Fellowship
2023 Foam Talent Call 2024-25
2023 Belfast Photo Festival
2021 212 Photography Istanbul

Grants

2018 SAHA, Travel grant for Les Rencontres d’Arles

Teaching

2023 Istanbul in My Lens: Photographing the City, Workshop and portfolio review, Pera Museum


Exhibitions

2025

  • OD Photo Prize ‘25 / Open Doors Gallery / London, UK / Group
  • InCadaqués Photo Festival / Group, Festival
  • Unutursan Darılmam (No Offence If You Forget) / Festival of Photography in Capri (17th edition), La storia siamo noi / La Certosa di San Giacomo di Capri, Capri, Italy / Curated by Denis Curti / Duo, Festival
  • Verzasca Foto Festival, Notte della Fotografia / Ticino, Switzerland / Group, Festival

2024

  • What Makes a Home / Ideal Glass Studios / New York City, USA / In collaboration with Better Shelter / Group
  • Italo Calvino 100+1 Yaşında! (Italo Calvino Is 100+1 Years Old!) / Kıraathane / Istanbul, Turkey / Curated by Bilge Bal & Sevil Enginsoy Ekinci / Group

2023

  • Love, Peace, and Harmony / ArtIstanbul Feshane / Istanbul, Turkey / Curated by Bengü Gün / Group
  • Manzaradan Öte (Beyond the Landscape) / Mixer / Istanbul, Turkey / Duo

2022

  • 2022—2023 Zamane İstanbulları (Istanbuls Today) / Pera Museum (catalogue) / Istanbul, Turkey / Curated by Refik Akyüz & Serdar Darendeliler / Group
  • Unutursan Darılmam (No Offence If You Forget) / Mamut Art Project / Istanbul, Turkey / Fair
  • Unutursan Darılmam (No Offence If You Forget) / Encontros da Imagem / Braga, Portugal / Solo, Festival

2018

  • A Pillar of Smoke / Jimei x Arles International Photography Festival / Xiamen, China / Group, Festival
  • A Pillar of Smoke / Galerie Paris-B / Paris, France / Group
  • A Pillar of Smoke / Les Rencontres d’Arles / Arles, France / Curated by Ilgın Deniz Akseloğlu & Yann Perreau / Group, Festival

2017

  • Postcards from Tarlabaşı / Pasaj / Istanbul, Turkey / Curated by Giorgio Caione & Christian Oxenius / Group


Press

Highlights

Sober Magazine
ArtMeant (Türkçe) 
theMagger (Türkçe)
Lenscratch
Dear Dave, Magazine
Nowness
DPReview
Foam Magazine
Turkey Book Talk
Creative Review
British Journal of Photography
Booooooom
WePresent


Reading and listening materials