Some are born lucky

Some are born lucky.

Some are luckier; they are born in a place abundant with art. Without being aware, their faculties are nurtured by statues and historically rich architecture even while commuting casually. For those people, art is neither a choice nor a hobby, but a compulsory life lesson. It is part of daily life.

For Kadir, his hometown was nothing of the sort. In fact Ankara, where he later came to pursue his degree, was not the best in terms of art endowance either. Still, his relocation here made him a better art critic. He was probably not one of those lucky ones I previously mentioned, but his chance lied in the ability to make important comparisons between the two places.

The ignition of his interest towards photography, and his acquaintance with Afsad were the beginning of a new era for him. Was Kadir the most skillful? The answer is no, but he was the one to grasp every opportunity, and he was the one to make the greatest leap forward. Later his years were spent pursuing his dreams with consistency, perseverance and without yielding. I was one of the people closely witnessing his progress without doubting him even once. I personally observed the deep appreciation and respect he exhibits towards art in the process of his work. I saw his ardor and enthusiasm during his first exhibition, and I saw these had not changed a bit in his last one.

Part of his success comes from him planning his topics in the form of projects, with care and diligence. He pushes his boundaries in the name of art and even goes beyond his possibilities at times. In my view the main ingredients of his success are his earnestness and perpetual belief.

Going back to his hometown, which he is deeply familiar with, and determining it as the topic of his work was a great decision. On his comeback to the village he could reflect on his youth with a more experienced eye, the outlook his background gained him. His first exhibition was about his childhood and his village; a scheme where the reality of texture and objects met light and turned into mesmerizing photographs which could spark fantastic impressions.

His second exhibition featured images from the same region, but this time comprising a larger area, the whole of Kars. Through his photographs we could reach this far, cold, mysterious, and lonesome place.

Kadir knew his region of work well; he had grown up there. Though he was the one most closely acquainted with the locals, and the way to connect with them, I know he spent days and days observing, without even picking up his camera. This went on until he felt his soul connecting to the soul of his object reflected in his camera.

The photographs you will see were taken before Mal Meydanı moved to its new place. Of course this change will not affect the connections, trade or the inherent chaos. In other words, the traditional ways will not change, only the place. Surely, Kadir had solved the chaos in Mal Meydanı, otherwise his photographs would lack their character and would be mere random fixations. However, a documentarian’s vision requires patience, research, curiosity and diligence.

There are a lot of ways to interpret the term “documentary photograph”; From Jacob Riss’ pure, unblended reality to Salgado’s reality blended with esthetic elements. The list includes Dorothea Lange with her noninvasive photographs creating the sensation of space and time, and Nan Golden who could capture life in its most basic simplicity. There is also Robet Frank whose keen intuition is reflected in his work based on his observations. Yusuf Sevinçli and Ali Taptık take their photographs in the state of mind called drift.

The photographs in “Mal Meydanı”are represented in a similar documentary manner where aesthetic elements are reflected with a sense of realism. Some of you may know the place; the occasional cow dung mingled with mud, it’s inevitable earthy emanation, animals’ sounds blended with merchants’ tout. Snow, rain, mud or burning heat. Animals of all sizes and people of all ages. Observed from afar the sight resembles a fair while in fact being those people’s subsistence, their way of life. It is a rare yet authentic example of the ways of husbandry.

This time Kadir displays the same attitude as in his first exhibition; he creates a real feast for the eyes, so to say. In his frames he diligently isolates the dust, soil, mud, the chaotic crowd and the vivacity, as if observed with the naked eye. The reality abstracted from this chaos he blends with aesthetic elements and turns all this into photographs. All that is left to us is to enjoy this final, passionate spectacle. With its impeccable prints and skillful technique, this exhibition is truly delightful. Those photographs deserve to be seen more than once. On your second reflection you can see the documentary side of the Mal Meydanı. Isolated scenes from the chaos, but essentially – Mal Meydanı.

Ankara 2018
İbrahim Göğer