PERSPECTIVE: Photographer Ali M Bayraktaroglu poses alongside his work in Katara. Bayraktaroglu is also the Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts in University of Trakya, Turkey. Photo by Umer Nangiana
It’s literally a pictorial journey through two culturally diverse landscapes. Featuring individuals like Darvish Baba on the streets of Istanbul or clicking a slice of life in the old souqs of Doha, it’s a gallery of spectacular moments masterfully captured by four photographers from Turkey and Qatar.
From the magical mosques of Istanbul to the pseudo-moonscapes of Cappadocia in Turkey and from the vibrant cityscapes of Doha to the shifting sands of the Qatari desert, these photographers have documented their journeys as moments captured in time, engaging in an inspiring exchange of artistic discovery and cultural dialogue.
The photographic exhibition, ‘Artistic Journeys: New Angles; New Perspectives,’ is a unique visual interpretation of this year’s Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture, recently opened for public at Katara Cultural Village, Building 18.
Sara al-Obaidly and Saleh al-Marri from Qatar; and Ali Muhammet Bayraktaroglu and Hasan Yelken from Turkey; have captured real people in their natural environments. “As an intellectual you may get to know the geography and other topographical details of an area through study, but living here and travelling around taught us a lot about Qatar and its people. We took this with us back to Turkey and shared it with everyone there,” Ali M Bayraktaroglu, one of the featured photographers, told Community while speaking at the opening of the exhibition on September 1. He is also a Phd and Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts at Trakya University, Turkey.
In collaboration with the Qatar Photographic Society (QPS), the Ministry of Culture and See My Culture; sponsored by Exxonmobil, Qatar Airways and W Doha, Qatar Turkey 2015 sent two Qatari photographers on a two-week expedition across Turkey to photograph its landscapes, people, food, culture, and touristic highlights.
The aim was to capture the essence of Turkey through Qatari eyes. In turn, two Turkish photographers were invited to journey across the Arabian Peninsula to experience Qatar through Turkish eyes. The exhibition showcases the best photographs taken during both trips.
“We are honoured to be part of this project. We saw some impressive places here and met some amazing people,” said Bayraktaroglu, adding that this project is going to be the face of Qatar all over the world. Many countries are going to learn about Qatar and its people through these photographs.
Bayraktaroglu said he took spontaneous shots. “I do not run after any special type of photography. I make pictures with life. Landscapes may tell a lot to people but without figures in them, I see something missing,” said the photographer who is also a member of Turkish Photography Association. “This is my viewpoint and I am not criticising people making photos of landscapes,” he added.
Among the places that provided the two Turks with best photo opportunities were Katara, Souq Waqif and Zubarah besides Al Arish village in the outskirts of Doha. “It was amazing. You know it is empty but it is full. You feel it,” Bayraktaroglu said about the Al Arish village. He particularly praised Katara as an impressive location with a touch of both contemporary and traditional in it.
“I have told my hosts that Qatar feels like a second home to me and I know there is a place here for me always. Turkey and Qatar governments enjoy cordial relations. We are brothers. Both Qatar and Turkey have opened studios for the pictures,” the photographer added.
They are also planning to hold an exhibition of photographs back in Turkey and have invited their Qatari friend to attend it.
Sara al-Obaidly, the young Qatari photographer, has submitted some extraordinary landscapes captured on lens for the exhibition. Saleh al-Marri, however, truly captured some breathtakingly beautiful portraits besides some perishing landscapes and architecture of Turkey.
“I am a portrait and landscape photographer so I enjoy taking both. In landscapes, I can stand there, set up and do it slowly and careful. Portrait is more fast-paced where you have to capture the person, not taking too long,” al-Obaidly told Community.
About photography, she said, it is something that she has always been interested in doing. “I actually wanted to do a degree in university but ended up going down a different way,” she added.
Sara has recently been accepted on to the Qatar Fire Station artist in residence project by Qatar Museums and will be working on a self-initiated project. “It is really an honour for me to be a part of it. I will be coming up with another project now in the next nine months which is also going to come in an exhibition,” said the Qatari photographer.
Commenting on the Year of Culture and the exhibition, ambassador of Turkey in Qatar, Ahmet Demirkan said that the year gives a great opportunity to release the potential in cultural and social fields and to cement our relations at the grassroots level.
“I see with great pleasure that Turkish and Qatari people are getting more and more interested to know each other. Given all these positive frames I believe there is a lot to share and co-operate between our brotherly countries,” said the ambassador. “Therefore, we will need to work harder to catch our potential. And our doors are always wide open to our Qatari brothers and sisters.”
Commenting on the exhibition, Safiya Saif al-Hajari, Director of Strategic Cultural Relations at Qatar Museums said, “We are delighted to host this exhibition which highlights the role of art and culture in deepening awareness and understanding between nations.”
The exhibition is open till September 30 at Building 18 of Katara.
