Installation.
AUGUST 2018 KOILANI, CYPRUS

Finding Gilan in Koilani
44 Photography
I have never been to Gilan prior to this Residency at Xarkis. However Gilan has become the centre of my attention since late April. Being a storyteller who is interested in alternative archiving of missing stories in the official “hi/story” I aimed to supplement what’s lacking by narrating a “herstory” of events, time and place.
My exploration of Gilan in Koilani was led by the memories of Gilan’s residents, the Turkish speaking Cypriots I have interviewed for Parallel Experiences video project shown here at Xarkis Festival 2018. Some of those I interviewed left Gilan as early as mid-1950s all of them had to leave on 1963 due to the uncertainty and fear for life just before the start of inter-communal troubles between the two main communities who lived here. Some of these had returned in mid to late 1960s and had to leave permanently as a result of events of 1974.
I was told of beauty of their village, its terraced hills, its running streams, the vineyards, the apple orchards, the 17th century Mosque with its minaret, the one roomed school, the amazing house-orchard-fruit garden of Salih Zeki, their local school teacher and more. They have also spoken of their longing for their village and the sadness they felt for the destruction of majority of their houses and vineyards alongside the lucrative apple orchards but most of all the destruction of Salihmuallim’s house and amazing garden to make room for a basketball court and a car park. Walking round this beautiful village I can both see their Gilan and feel the sorrow in their hearts. Some of my exploration aided by a local whose best friend was one of the ones who had to leave him behind with a broken heart full of fond memories of happy sharing, I have taken photographs which is a reflection of Gilan through my eyes. Finding Gilan in Koilani is a mapping of the village as it possibly was then and is now. The 44 images I have chosen signify the last forty-four years the Turkish speaking Gilanese have been away which I hope pays tribute to their longing through my grateful sentiment.
44 PHOTOS = 44 years
44 фотографіст апо то хорто.