ISTANBUL’74 presents ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK — Series 01, an exhibition of black-and-white portraits by Paola Kudacki. Bringing together artists, designers, writers, filmmakers, musicians and cultural figures, the project celebrates New York through the people whose work, ideas and presence make it the city we all love.
The series carries forward the spirit of IST.FESTIVAL — Istanbul International Arts & Culture Festival, founded in 2010 by Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli and Alphan Eşeli. Built on human connection, cultural exchange and conversations across creative disciplines, the festival’s founding vision finds a new expression in a collective portrait of New York.
Developed through the shared relationships and perspectives of ISTANBUL’74 and Kudacki, with casting by Jennifer Starr, the series brings together established icons and emerging voices. Among those photographed are Michael Stipe, Siri Hustvedt, JR, José Parlá, Zac Posen, Linda Fargo, RoseLee Goldberg, Derek C. Blasberg, Julio Torres, Hari Nef, Quil Lemons and Susanne Bartsch, alongside many others whose contributions span art, literature, music, fashion, film, sports and contemporary culture.
“At the heart of everything we have done with ’74 are the personalities we have met along the way—the artists, filmmakers, writers, designers, musicians, athletes, 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.”
— Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli, Co-Founder, ISTANBUL’74
For Kudacki, who moved to New York from Argentina in 1998, the project is also deeply personal. Her longstanding relationship with the city informs photographs that look beyond familiar public identities, capturing something more intimate about each participant.
“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.”
— Paola Kudacki
Presented as a curated installation of photographic prints, the exhibition brings different generations, backgrounds and disciplines into a shared space. Together, the portraits reflect the connections, encounters and experiences that give New York its character, offering an occasion for participants and the wider creative community to come together.
Beyond the exhibition, ’74PORTRAITS NEW YORK will become a standalone, limited-edition publication, bringing together the complete portrait series. Due in December 2026, it will be distributed across New York, London, Paris, Milan and Istanbul.
The project will also unfold across ’74CULTURE, ISTANBUL’74’s editorial platform, through accompanying interviews exploring each participant’s relationship with New York. From formative encounters and lasting memories to everyday rituals, these conversations offer a personal perspective on the city and the lives shaped within it.
Kamrooz Aram
Artist
Susanne Bartsch
Art and Creative Director, Nightlife Impresario Event Producer, Style Icon
Derek C. Blasberg
Writer, Curator
Stonie Blue
Artist
Sinead Bovell
Futurist
Danny Bowien
Chef, Restaurateur
Victory Boyd
Singer, Songwriter
Eliza Barry Callahan
Writer, Filmmaker, Musician
Jenn Carter
Hip-Hop Artist
Nico Chasin
Grandmaster, Student at University of Chicago
Rock Choi
Guitarist
Ahmad Cissé
Multidisciplinary Artist
Valeria Divinorum
Visual Artist, Architect
Eliza Douglas
Artist
Alphan Eşeli
Filmmaker, Co-founder of ISTANBUL’74
Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli
Co-founder of ISTANBUL’74, Creative Director
Linda Fargo
SVP, Fashion Office & Store Presentation, Bergdorf Goodman
Raisa Flowers
Make-up Artist
Jonah Freeman
Artist
RoseLee Goldberg
Founding Director and Chief Curator at Performa
Jon Gray
Co-founder of Ghetto Gastro
Bethann Hardison
Fashion Advocate, Filmmaker
K8 Hardy
Artist
Mariska Hargitay
Actor, Producer
Pati Hertling
Senior Director of Performance Space New York
Claudia Hilda
Artist
Jean-Marc Houmard
Restaurateur, Indochine Owner
Siri Hustvedt
Novelist, Scholar
George Inaki
Founder and Creative Director, Milamore Fine Jewelry & Monsieur Iñaki
Mio Ishikawa
Performing Artist, Choreographer, Movement Director, Creative Collaborator
Yahdon Israel
Cultural Strategist
JR
Artist
KAWS
Artist
Wisdom Kaye
Fashion Creative, Gen Z Style Icon
Paola Kudacki
Photographer, Director
Quil Lemons
Photographer
Happy Massee
Production Designer
Christine Messineo
Director of Americas, Frieze
Hari Nef
Actress, Writer
Ohyung
Artist, Composer
Tony Özkan
Content Creator, Actor, Director, Model
José Parlá
Artist
Zac Posen
EVP and Creative Director of Gap Inc.
RIVINGTON
Designer
Láolú (LáolúNYC) Senbanjo
Multidisciplinary Artist, Former Human Rights Lawyer
Richie Shazam
Creative
Marianna Simnett
Artist
Jennifer Starr
Casting Director
Michael Stipe
Singer, Songwriter, Artist
Sunny Suljic
Actor, Musician, Model, Skateboarder
Mickey Sumner
Actor, Filmmaker, Model
Mickalene Thomas
Artist
Julio Torres
Comedian, Filmmaker
Josh Tupper
Fourth-Generation Co-Owner of Russ & Daughters
Timothée Verrecchia
Creative Director
Miles Chamley Watson
3x Olympian,
Olympic Bronze Medalist,
2x World Champion and Founder of the World Fencing League
Jenni Iva Wimmerstedt
Session Stylist, Hair Artist
Nymphia Wind
Drag Artist
Mezz World (Jay Guapõ)
Content Creator
Presented by ISTANBUL’74
Founded by Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli & Alphan Eşeli
Portraits by
Paola Kudacki
Casting Director
Jennifer Starr
Production
MMXX Artists
JN Productions
Art Direction & Production
’74STUDIO
Print Production
Griffin Editions / Gloss
Retouching
TLC NAVA Studio
Photo Assistants
Spencer Ostrander
Dieun Jean
Alexander Ryerson
Soren Demas
Digital Technicians
Cat Marshall
Juan Cuartas Rueda
Isan Monfort
Hair
Shin Arima
Tsuki
Makeup
Raisa Flowers
Dmitry Kukushkin
Wines by
Litrona Wine
Special Thanks
Pietro Clemente & Huron Studios
Untitled Studios
MILK Equipment
Spencer Ostrander Studio
Nick Bryning, MMXX Artists
Mary Goughnour, MMXX Artists
James Noel, JN Production
Helaina Buzzeo, JN Production
Abigail McCreary, JN Production
Işıl İlkter, ISTANBUL’74
Ayşe Kap, ISTANBUL’74
Ayşegül Kaya, ISTANBUL’74
Esra Hasanoğlu, ’74STUDIO
Şevval Su İstanbullu, ’74STUDIO