Mound is the oldest settlement unit, a prehistoric village. Anatolia is one of the richest places in mounds; there are around 3000 mounds documented in the area. Mounds hold traces and memories of the people settled in Anatolia throughout the ages. They are cultural storages and records of our past extending 10,000 years, reasons for making them very important.
In 2004 I joined for a period The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project team who makes an inventory of archaeological settlements in the country and records damages starting with prehistoric ages. My work which started as documenting mounds photographically from the air and ground took shape as a study in art in reaction to the different vibrations I felt coming from the mounds. My priorities and approach to mounds, hence my view of the past changed altogether and this exhibition work emerged resulting in my second solo exhibition at PG Art Gallery.
In 2004 I joined for a period The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project team who makes an inventory of archaeological settlements in the country and records damages starting with prehistoric ages. My work which started as documenting mounds photographically from the air and ground took shape as a study in art in reaction to the different vibrations I felt coming from the mounds. My priorities and approach to mounds, hence my view of the past changed altogether and this exhibition work emerged resulting in my second solo exhibition at PG Art Gallery.
I perceived the mounds as living beings. Life has continued around them and even on some of them for hundreds of years. Each one stands having reached its own personality affected by nature and man. Unfortunately a great majority is subjected to damage for many reasons, being vanished and erased from history. I hope these small hills, old villages which we usually don’t even notice when passing near them receive the respect and protection they deserve for future generations...
What is a Mound?
In prehistoric times, thousands of years ago, men lived in villages consisting of houses made of mud brick, wood and stone. From time to time they were forced to leave their villages, which were generally located in plains and plateaus next to running water, because of fire, flooding, earthquakes and war. Generations later, new villages and towns were built over the remains. This circle of events continued for a long time and layers of construction remnants belonging to different periods formed the mounds.
What is a Mound?
In prehistoric times, thousands of years ago, men lived in villages consisting of houses made of mud brick, wood and stone. From time to time they were forced to leave their villages, which were generally located in plains and plateaus next to running water, because of fire, flooding, earthquakes and war. Generations later, new villages and towns were built over the remains. This circle of events continued for a long time and layers of construction remnants belonging to different periods formed the mounds.
"Sutlac (I)" - This is the signature image of the series. A typical mound, full of history, surrounded by yellow fields, a few trees here and there, hazy blue sky with puffy pinkish clouds and purple wild artichoke plants.
"Cakirca" - There was no typical mound left in Cakirca like many of the mounds that are flattened by people. So I decided to shoot the night sky together with the land where the mound was. It's my favorite star trail image. One can see the colors of the stars, shooting stars, airplane lights. The yellow cloudy patch on the left is the Milky Way.
"Tugayli (II)" - I was shooting the Tugayli mound and came across a local farmer and his grandson standing on the mound. I asked if I could photograph them and they posed for me. I am not sure if the grandson knew the meaning of the English word written on his t-shirt but it said it all.
"Surmeli Mound" - A clear blue sky and the perfect flat curve of Surmeli Mound made this minimalistic image.
"Karaca Mound" - I wanted to emphasize the perfectly healthy sunflowers nearby although the subject is still the mound humbly existing in the background.
"Boz Mound" - Gypsies were camping next to Boz Mound and this gypsy boy proudly sitting on his white horse made the perfect foreground.
"Buyukpinar Burgaz" - As I was walking on the mound I saw the brilliant red poppies, laid on the ground, and shot against the lonely tree.
"Yakacik" - As I was preparing to shoot this rather flat mound, a flock of geese decided to parade in front of me. I followed them for a few frames before they outran me.
"Saraykoy Mound (I)" - This wide and large mound is made interesting by the dry wild artichoke plants. (See Saraykoy Mound (II) photo for an aerial view).
"Tugayli (I)" - I decided to bring into focus the twigs in the foreground and throw out of focus the mound in the background which was partly ruined.
"Saribeyli" - A perfect typical mound separating the sky and the field right in the middle. I love the tiny white cloud reflecting the green weed on the ground.
"Yamanlar" - I nickname this one the wicked mound. Traces of a modern settlement surrounding it and an uprooted tree together with my black and white treatment suit the nickname that I gave.
"Kocayaka" - Tobacco plants fluttering in the strong Anatolian wind and the blue sky isolated the yellowish brown mound. I thought the four trees growing on the mound made it even more interesting.
"Irgilli Mound" - Many mounds are planted. All one could see on this mound was the sunflowers in full bloom. The bumblebee on the one close to me didn't mind me being there.
"Kucukhoyuk" - I shot this lonely mound from a distance showing the plowed crop fields surrounding it as if they are about to devour it.
"Kesilmis" - The name of this mound literally means "Cut". The plowed fields around it cut into the mound and destroy artifacts. One can always find pieces of ancient pottery on cultivated land around mounds, a telltale sign that the mound is indeed a historical settlement mound.
"Saraykoy Mound (II)" - The mound in the Saraykoy Mound (I) photo as seen from the air. How things change when one changes the angle of view! Due to the very turbulent inland winds during the hot summer months I was able to fly with my paramotor just once on the expedition for the series and captured this graphic image. I ended up staying too long in the air, ran out of gas, landed in a corn field and hitched a ride on a tractor, but it was worth it!
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