ISTANBUL’74 celebrated the opening of ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK — SERIES 01, an exhibition of black-and-white portraits by photographer Paola Kudacki, bringing together an extraordinary constellation of artists, filmmakers, writers, designers, musicians and cultural figures for an evening of connection and celebration in Tribeca.

Notable guests in attendance included Sinead Bovell, Jenn Carter, Alphan Eşeli, Linda Fargo, Jean-Marc Houmard, George Inaki, Paola Kudacki, Inez van Lamsweerde, Vinoodh Matadin, and Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli.

The evening also brought together prominent figures from film, fashion, music and contemporary culture, including filmmakers Alphan Eşeli and Jake Sumner, actor and filmmaker Mickey Sumner, musician and multimedia artist JIHAE, rapper Jenn Carter, futurist Sinéad Bovell, and model and content creator Jay Guapõ (Mezz World), alongside photographer and director Paola Kudacki, whose portraits form the heart of the project. Among those in attendance with key roles in the New York creative ecosystem were Christine Messineo, Director of Americas at Frieze; RoseLee Goldberg, Founding Director and Chief Curator of Performa; Linda Fargo, Senior Vice President of Fashion Office and Store Presentation at Bergdorf Goodman; internationally renowned photographic duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin; and artists José Parlá, K8 Hardy and Sheree Hovsepian. 

For one evening, ISTANBUL’74 brought into the room the very energy from which ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK was born: the spirit of intercultural encounters, creative exchange and unexpected connections between generations and disciplines from around the world, for which New York has long been a natural meeting ground. Filled with people whose work and perspectives have inspired one another over the years, the gathering was a celebration of connection, collaboration and conversation, and of the individuals who give a city its character. From emerging voices to established figures who have spent decades shaping its cultural landscape, the evening reflected the project's central premise: that New York, in all its contradictions, energy, generosity and possibility, is ultimately defined by the people who inhabit it, challenge it and continually reinvent it.

About ’74Portraits New York

Conceived by ISTANBUL’74 and photographed by Paola Kudacki, with casting by Jennifer Starr, ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK brings together an extraordinary constellation of creative personalities in an intimate collective portrait of the city. Moving beyond individual public identities, the series offers a more personal perspective on the people whose ideas, practices and presence contribute to New York's ever-evolving cultural life. 

The opening brought the project full circle, gathering many of the individuals whose relationships, collaborations and shared experiences helped shape its development. More than a collection of individual portraits, the series reflects the connections that give a creative community its character: the conversations between generations, disciplines and different ways of seeing the world. 

Presented as a curated installation of photographic prints, the exhibition brings the portraits together in a shared space, creating an occasion for participants and the wider creative community to come together in celebration of New York and its people. 

The project will continue beyond the exhibition through a standalone, limited-edition publication featuring the complete black-and-white portrait series, alongside a series of interviews on ’74CULTURE, ISTANBUL’74's editorial platform. Through these conversations, participants reflect on their personal relationship with New York, sharing formative encounters, lasting memories and the everyday experiences that have shaped their lives and creative practices. 

With its first chapter now unveiled, ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK extends the founding spirit of IST.FESTIVAL — Istanbul International Arts & Culture Festival, established by Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli and Alphan Eşeli in 2010. What began as a commitment to connecting creative minds across cultures and disciplines finds a new expression in a collective portrait of New York, told through the people who continue to make the city their own. 

Further editions are already in development, with Istanbul and Paris among the next cultural hubs set to host the series. 

“At the heart of everything we have done with ’74 are the personalities we have met along the way—the artists, filmmakers, writers, designers, architects, musicians, craftspeople, chefs and countless other creative characters whose work has opened up new avenues of looking and understanding. People who create relentlessly, who question what is already there, who push against boundaries, who make us see, feel or understand the world differently through the very way they themselves navigate through life. New York is my friend, one I miss whenever I'm away. This project is dedicated to the people who make it the city we all love,” said Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli, Co-Founder and Creative Director, ISTANBUL’74.

For Kudacki, whose relationship with New York dates back to her arrival from Argentina in 1998, the project is equally personal. Through her lens, the portraits capture the individuality, character, and creative energy of a community that continues to make the city a place of possibility and reinvention.

“The first time I came to New York, I felt immersed in a movie—surrounded by countless cultures, inspiring faces, and stories of people who had come here with a dream. I fell in love with the city and came to live my own dream. This project feels deeply personal to me: a celebration of a city I love, a place that continues to spark my curiosity, and, above all, the unique individuals who give New York its voice—artists, musicians, and cultural figures whose ideas, talent, and presence continue to shape the city's creative landscape,” said Paola Kudacki.

Image credit: Paola Kudacki and Ruvan for CKA / Paulo Delloz / Dani Case