City of ambition Elipsis Gallery is pleased to announce City of Ambition, the first solo show of acclaimed Turkish photographer Ferit Kuyas to be held in Turkey, from 14 September until 4 November 2011. City of Ambition comprises of a three-year project from 2005-2008 depicting the vast urbanization of the city of Chongqing, in China.
Chongqing, located along the Yangtze River in southeastern China Is a city that grows faster than any other, currently, occupying almost 33 million people. Even after 25 years, everyday it continues to grow and change at a horrific pace. Through Ferit Kuyas’ photography we are able to witness these colossal changes taking place. We are so drawn into the enormity and reality of the ongoing deconstruction and construction that we can sense it, it almostfeels real.
Also known as the city of fog, Chongqing is covered by a natural layer of mist most days of the year, adding to the dramatic effect. Kuyas explores primarily the never-ending periphery of the city alongside the river of life. The smog of industrial pollution as a result of industrial development and social transformation is at such scale it creates a haunting vision of growth which continues so far that seems to go on forever. It is no surprise that Kuyas named the project City of Ambition after Alfred Steiglitz’s interpretation of the rapid growth of Manhattan in the 1920s.