Istanbul is the only metropolis in the world that spans two continents — Europe and Asia — and it embodies the tensions between globalization and tradition, modernity and heritage.
Over 80 years ago, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk initiated one of the most radical secularization programs ever undertaken in a Muslim-majority society. With the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923, women were granted equal legal status with men, and secular nationalism became a cornerstone of the country’s vision for progress.
Despite these reforms, social transformation is never instantaneous. The headscarf, once banned in public institutions, has remained a point of tension in Turkish society. For some women, it represents religious duty and personal freedom; for others, it is perceived as a political symbol challenging the secular foundations of the Republic.
When I first visited Istanbul in 2006, I arrived with many of the assumptions commonly held by Europeans: that Turkish society is uniformly devout, conservative, and restrictive toward women. What I found instead was a far more complex reality — young Turkish women who defy stereotypes, and a spectrum of Islamic practice that challenges binary thinking.
This project is a visual exploration of the lives of young women in Istanbul — a cosmopolitan, layered city where secular and religious narratives intersect in everyday life. Through photography, I sought to understand not only how these women navigate identity, but also how the city itself reflects the broader cultural dialogues of contemporary Turkey.
Istanbul, Turkey 2006-2007
On the left side, a flag with Atatürk’s image, while on the right, young women are seen leaving the mosque.
In this image, the women appear as dervishes—drawing on the revived tradition of female semazens. Although the Mevlevi order became male-dominated over time, women were part of Rumi’s earliest sema gatherings, and in 1991 the order’s leadership formally reinstated the inclusion of women in mixed whirling ceremonies. Today female dervishes whirl publicly in Turkey and beyond, reclaiming this spiritual heritage.
Women during the Ashura commemoration. It's a significant day in the Islamic calendar observed by Shia and some Sunni communities to honor the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.
A view from the section of the mosque reserved for women in prayer, separated from the men’s area—a quiet space within the shared sanctuary.
A young girl sits among women gathered in prayer inside the mosque.
A young couple dating near the narrowest point of the Bosphorus (separating Asian and European side of Istanbul), On the wall beside them, a handwritten message reads ‘Seni seviyorum’—Turkish for ‘I love you.’
Young women enjoying a Friday night out in Istanbul’s vibrant Taksim district.
A young woman dances during an Alevi ceremony. Alevism is a branch of Islam known for its more inclusive practices, including men and women praying together in the same space.
Young girls departing from the Ashura ceremony.
Nilsu, 14 years old at that time, playing the violin at the Istanbul University State Conservatory in Kadiköy, Turkey. The university is one of the oldest educational institutions in the country.