PHOTOGRAPHY: Eastern Turkey

In the Rhythm of Time: Impressions of Southeast Anatolia, 2012-13

Upper Mesopotamia, al-Jazira or ‘island’ in Arabic, refers to the uplands and plain of northwestern Iraq, northeastern Syria and a part of southeastern Turkey. 

In Southeast Anatolia, the terrain extending from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers southward encompasses the northern fringe of the Fertile Crescent, land rich in resources, history and geopolitical connotations. From prehistoric ritual buildings at Göbekli Tepe, to Biblical, Christian, Seljuk, and Islamic histories, Southeastern Turkey is witness to many layers of change.

Taken in 2012 and 2013, the images highlight the area from Gaziantep eastward to Diyarbakir, Mardin and Hasankeyf. As of Fall 2014, this region was home to 28 refugee camps for those displaced by the Syrian Crisis. In the Rhythm of Time attempts to capture the essence of these places and faces before that time.

A Tale of Winter: Snapshots of Eastern Turkey, 2012

Breathtaking expanses, mountains and water define the topography of Eastern Turkey. That region from the Coruh River Valley in the northeast, south to Lake Van tells the story of many cultures. Across time, both its harsh climate and geopolitical location have dictated life here. It seems to be always in flux. At times it is and has been devastating.