C. M. Kosemen

C. M. Kosemen

Artist and Researcher




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A collection of Turkish apartment signs

Turkish cities are distinct for having apartment buildings named after animals, plants, and fruit, even feelings. From the early 1900s to the 1970s, these names were painted on apartment entrances as elegant, idiosyncratic signs. In the present day, these unacknowledged works of art are threatened by rampant urban renewal and gentrification.

This a collection of hand-painted and wrought-iron apartment signs from the Turkish cities of Ankara, Isparta, Eskişehir, İzmir and Adana. For a major collection of hand-painted signs from Istanbul, please consult my book, The Disappearing City: Hand-painted Apartment Signs and Architectural Details from 20th-Century Istanbul.


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7. N. Çifçi / 7. N. Çifci (Name), İzmir.


50ci Yıl / Fiftieth Year, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Akar İşhanı / Akar Business Centre, İzmir.


Akdeniz / Mediterranean, Ankara.


Akdeniz / Mediterranean, Eskişehir.


Akyüz / White-Face (Name), İzmir.


Alemdar / Standard Bearer, Leader (Name), İzmir.


Aliye Günsezer / Elevated Day-Feeler (Name), İzmir.


Alp / Warrior (Name), Ankara.


Ankara / Ankara, Ankara.


Arkadaş / Friend, İzmir.


Artemiz / Artemis, İzmir.

Aşiyan / Aşiyan (Name of district in Istanbul), Ankara.


Asya / Asia, Ankara.


Ay / Moon, Ankara.


Ayaslı / From Ayas (Name of local town), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Ayvalı / With Quinces, Ankara.


Bais / Action, Awakening, İzmir.


Ballıbaba / Dead-Nettle, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Barış / Peace, Ankara.


Başak / Ear of Grain, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Benim / Mine, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Beslemeoğlu / Son of the Servant (Name), İzmir.


Beyaz / White, İzmir. Lost among graffiti scrawls.


Beyaz Saray / White Palace, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Binnaz / Very Coy (Name), Ankara.


Birlik / Union, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Birtan / One Dawn (Name), Ankara.


Bizim / Ours, Ankara. Signed by Safanur. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Bodur / Squat, Ankara. Photo by Onur Kutay Özertürk.


Boylu / Tall (Name), Ankara.


Budak / Ash Tree (Name), Ankara.


Burç / Castellation, Parapet, Ankara.


Burç / Castellation, Parapet, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.

Çamlı / With Pines, Ankara.


Çamlıca / With Pines (Name of hill in Istanbul), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Çelebi / Graceful, Wise, İzmir.


Cihanoğlu / Son of the World (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Çimen / Grass, Ankara. Signed by İzzet.


Çördük / Pyrus calleryana, Callery Pear, Ankara.


Delikanlı / Young Lad, Isparta.


Dostlar / Friends, Ankara.


Eczacı Mahmut Akan / Mahmut Akan (Name) the Pharmacist, Adana.


Ekim / October, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Emel / Will, Desire (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Eren / Sensitive, Wise (Name), Ankara.


Erzin / Staff?, İzmir.


Eser / Relic (Name), Ankara.


Feza / Space, Ankara. Signed by Hayri Altın Fırça.


Figen / Scream, Cry (Name), Ankara.


Filiz / Bud (Name), Adana. Signed by N. Ariş.


Firdevs / Paradise (Name), Ankara.


Funda / Bush, Copse (Name), Ankara. Signed by Zühal.


Gayret / Effort, Ankara.


Gökdemir / Sky-Iron (Name), Eskişehir.


Gönül / Heart, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Gül / Rose, Ankara.


Gül / Rose, Ankara.


Gül / Rose, İzmir.


Gümüş / Silver, Ankara.


Gün / Daylight, Ankara. Signed by Eriş. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Gündoğdu / Dayrise, İzmir.


Gündüz / Daylight, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Güneş / Sun, Ankara.


Güneş / Sun, İzmir.


Güngenci / Watchkeeper? (Name), Ankara. Signed by Çiçek.


Gürpınar / Rushing Spring (Name), Ankara. Signed by Adil.


H. Tapan / H. Worshipper (Name), Ankara.


H. Üstay / H. High-Moon (Name), İzmir.


Hâkan / Ruler (Name), Ankara.


Haseki / Noble Servant (Name), Ankara.


Hv. Plt. Alb. Ahmet Yıldam / Air Pilot Colonel Ahmet Yıldam (Name), İzmir.


Hayal / Dream, Ankara.


Hayat / Life, İzmir.


Hisar / Fortress, İzmir.


Hürriyet / Liberty, Ankara. Obscured by recent commercial signs.


İnan / Believe (Name), Eskişehir.


İpek / Silk (Name), Eskişehir.


Işın / Ray of Light (Name), Ankara.


Kabalak / Shepherd's Cap (Name), Ankara.


Kaktüs / Cactus, Ankara.


Kaynak / Wellspring, Ankara.


Kent / City, Ankara.


Kent / City, Ankara.


Kırkdört / Forty-four, Ankara.


Konak / Mansion, Ankara.


Konuk / Guest, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Kuğu / Swan, Eskişehir.


Mayıs / May, İzmir.


Melodi / Melody, Ankara. Signed by Tekin.


Meltem / Summer Breeze, Ankara.


Menekşe / Violet Flower, Ankara. Photograph by Deniz Tekkul.


Merve / Sacred Hill (Name), İzmir.


Muazzez / Exalted (Name), Ankara.


Müfide / Beneficial, Good (Name), İzmir.


Mutlu / Happy, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Nilgün / Deep Blue (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Nisanbir / April 1st, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Nur / Light (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Nur / Light (Name), İzmir.


Omat / Distinguished? (Name), Ankara.


Onbeşler / The Fifteen, Ankara.


Onlar / The Ten, Ankara.


Onlar / The Ten, İzmir.


Örnek / Examplary, Ankara. Signed by Lider.


Örnek / Examplary, Ankara.


Özer / Brave, Honest (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Özgür / Free (Name), Ankara.


Park / Park, Ankara.


Pembe / Pink, Ankara.


Piray / Jewelry, Dowry (Name), İzmir.


Rahmi Balaban / Rahmi Balaban (Name), İzmir.


Renk / Colour, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Rıfkı Palas / Soft Natured (Name) Palace, İzmir.


Saadet / Felicity, Ankara.


Saime Hanım / Madame Fasting (Name), İzmir.


Savaş / War, Adana.


Sedef / Mother of Pearl (Name), Ankara.


Sedef / Mother of Pearl (Name), Ankara.


Şengün / Joyful Day (Name), Ankara.


Ser / Leader, Heritage, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Seyran / Sight, Stroll, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Sonat / Last Child, Sonata? (Name), Ankara.


Soydinç / Strong Lineage (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Sunamak / Stink, Sewage, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran. Extraordinary choice of a seemingly self-disparaging name.


Tayyare / Airplane, İzmir.


Uçar / Airborne (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Üçgen / Triangle, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Uçsar / Aerial? (Name), Ankara.


Ufuk / Horizon (Name), Ankara.


Uğur / Good Luck (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Deniz Tekkul.


Uğur / Good Luck (Name), Ankara.


Uğur / Good Luck (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Deniz Tekkul.


Uğur / Good Luck (Name), Ankara.


Uğurlum / My Lucky One (Name), Ankara. Signed by Ömer Lütfü Süer.


Ünsal / Reputable (Name), Ankara.


Uras / Lucky (Name), İzmir.


Uyar / Suitable, İzmir.


Uygun / Suitable, Ankara.


Yakamoz / Sea Sparkle, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Yaluğ / Yearly? (Name), Ankara.


Yavuz / Valiant (Name), Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Yelken / Sail, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Yıldız / Star, Eskişehir.


Yosun / Moss, Ankara.


Yüksel / Rise (Name), Ankara. Includes date of construction, 1974.


Zafer / Victory, Ankara. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Cemil / Elegant (Name), Ankara. Not an apartment sign, but a metal sign on a pavement.


Deniz Kuru Temizleme Boya Fabrikası / Sea (Name) Laundry and Dyeing Factory, Ankara. Commercial sign. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Hira Reklam / Hira (Name of sacred mountain) Advertising, İzmir. Commercial sign.


Internet / Internet, Ankara. Early 2000s commercial sign.


Kuaför Hanifi / Hanifi (Name) the Hairdresser, Ankara. Commercial sign. Signed by Metin 3515275.


Pamuk Oyuncak / Cotton (Name) Toys, Ankara. Commercial sign.


Tükkan / Store ? Ankara. Commercial sign. Photograph by Ayşenur Onaran.


Uğur Saatçısı / Good Luck (Name) Watchmaker, Ankara. Commercial sign. Signed by Uğur Baykara.

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Contact c.m.kosemen@gmail.com for inquiries.

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