Right after the earthquake happened earlier this week, I decided to get my camera out and commemorate the occasion. This will forever be my earthquake photo.
There are places in Turkey that are prone to earthquakes; Antalya is not one of them. Nonetheless, that didn’t stop an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 from happening 11km from my home yesterday. It was the most bizarre experience you can imagine; I was sitting here minding my own business, when suddenly it felt like someone had grabbed our building by the collar and given it a good shaking. It lasted for about twenty seconds and then slowly faded away. People who were even closer to the epicentre have reported much more violent shaking that actually caused people to run out into the street. While I thought the earthquake was certainly interesting, I’m happy for that to be the last one we have for a while.
Just a friendly reminder that the clock is ticking on the Hidden Anatolia project, so if you’ve had it in the back of your mind to get in there and become a part of it, now would be a great time! Come on, you’ve got nothing else going on right at this moment— it only takes a minute to help fuel the project, fueling levels begin at just one dollar, you get great rewards for fueling at any level, and best of all, you get to be a patron of independent art! Check it out and fuel, fuel, fuel!
Last night we made our way to the open-air theatre for the performance of Nâzım, Fazıl Say’s oratorio composed as a tribute to the legendary poet, Nâzım Hikmet Ran. In addition to Say taking his usual place at the piano, he also shared the stage with none other than Sertab Erener and baritone Güvenç Dağüstün, as well as the Antalya Symphony Orchestra and the State Polyphonic Chorus. It would be unfair to say that Genco Erkal simply “recited” the poems of Nâzım— he truly brought them to life.
The entire event was wonderful, but of particular note was the section entitled “Hiroshima,” a sort of poetic requiem for the children who died in the bombings.
I come and stand at every door
But none can hear my silent tread
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead, for I am deadI’m only seven, though I died
In Hiroshima long ago
I’m seven now as I was then
When children die, they do not growMy hair was scorched by swirling flame
My eyes grew dim, my eyes grew blind
Death came and turned my bones to dust
And that was scattered by the windI need no fruit, I need no rice
I need no sweets nor even bread
I ask for nothing for myself
For I am dead for I am deadAll that I need is that for peace
You fight today, you fight today
So that the children of this world
Can live and grow and laugh and play
I’ve been looking around trying to find video of the little girl they had singing this solo, as her performance was spine-tingling. Long story short, if you ever get the chance to see this beautiful and touching oratorio, it’ll be time well-spent.
Starting June off on the right foot by giving something back— a free promotional desktop for the Hidden Anatolia project. Available in a variety of screen resolutions, in your choice of English or Turkish.
This is just my way of saying thank you to everyone who has fueled the project so far, and to encourage others to do the same. You can be a patron of the independent art movement, and get cool stuff in return! Check it out and take part.
Now, on with the desktops!
2560×1440 English
2560×1440 Türkçe
1920×1200 English
1920×1200 Türkçe
1920×1080 English
1920×1080 Türkçe
1600×1200 English
1600×1200 Türkçe
1600×1050 English
1600×1050 Türkçe
1280×1024 English
1280×1024 Türkçe
1280×960 English
1280×960 Türkçe
1280×854 English
1280×854 Türkçe
1024×768 English
1024×768 Türkçe
320×480 English (iPhone)
320×480 Türkçe (iPhone)
240×320 English (mobile)
240×320 Türkçe (cep telefonu)
I get a lot of e-mails and Twitter messages from people saying that they envy my life, and while I’m certainly grateful for what I have and the things I’m able to do, May was a sobering reminder that it’s not all wine and roses. I still have problems just like everyone else. I had a moderate health issue that took me out of commission for most of the month, and during the few intermittent days when I was well enough to be up and about, the thought of trying to get caught up on things like writing and photo projects was too overwhelming to deal with.
Things are back on the upswing, however, and as much as I hate summer, I’m actually looking forward to June. I want to get the Hidden Anatolia project fueling wrapped up as much as possible, and starting tomorrow I have a new introspective photo project starting up (details coming soon!). I think the goal is to keep as busy as possible during the hottest months, so that maybe I won’t notice how awful this whole wretched season is.
Also, I’m looking at taking a brief break from the heat— somewhere really, really north. Just for a few days. I’m thinking Arctic Circle.
Anyway, first things first: a lot of people have asked about Hidden Anatolia over the past few days, and a couple of very generous donations have come in, including a second one from LeahAndMark.com, bringing their fueling total to a whopping $200! It’s fantastic to have such amazing support from friends in the community, and you can get involved as well, no matter what your budget. Fueling levels start at just $1, and even at that amount you’ll still get your name published in the official Hidden Anatolia book! The reward levels go up and up from there, and I look forward to having as many fuelers as possible, so if you ever wanted to be a patron of independent art, now’s your chance!
Here it is, the very first confirmed location for the Hidden Anatolia project. I put a lot of thought into what my top priority would be, and the Southeastern Anatolian town of Hasankeyf pretty much ticks all the boxes.
What’s so special about this town that I would want to get there before any other place and get it documented? Well, for starters:
- It has been continuously inhabited for nearly three millennia, and has seen no fewer than nine civilisations
- The modern town is built around the historical ruins, many of which are still in very good condition
- It’s situated on the Tigris
- There is a very controversial dam project underway, and if it continues as planned, the dam would put the entire town and all its history permanently underwater. Everyone would have to be relocated. The completion of the dam has already been postponed because of this controversy, but construction will likely continue sometime relatively soon
- i.e. time is of the essence if anyone wants to come and do any sort of comprehensive exploration in situ
- For some reason, people just don’t go there, except to protest the dam being built;
- This is the one place I would be so, so unhappy about if I missed the opportunity to photograph it while it still existed.
That’s it in a nutshell. There are just so many layers of struggle and triumph there, from the Sumerians to the Romans to the Mongols to the Ottomans, and even up through the struggles of the present day. For me there’s something magical about that, and basically I think we just need to go see it for ourselves, you and me. So that’s the plan.
For those who aren’t familiar, the Hidden Anatolia project is a journey to bring to light the most beautiful secrets of the Turkish mainland, one of the most misunderstood areas in the world. The trip will be documented from the road at hiddenanatolia.com, and will culminate in a coffee table book of evocative images and essays from the journey.
Funding for the project is provided via RocketHub, and with the support of people like you, independent artists and journalists like myself can continue to do work like this for the benefit of everyone. Contribution levels begin at just $1, and are not empty donations— there is a rewards structure in place so that all supporters of the project get something back for their contributions. You can select a contribution level that works well for you, and receive great rewards like a postcard from the trip, a free copy of the Hidden Anatolia book, or even a one-of-a-kind canvas print from the journey. Supporters also get special updates, and the opportunity to help shape the direction of the project.
It’s easy to become part of Hidden Anatolia. Simply visit the project page, select a reward level that appeals to you, and contribute with your credit card or PayPal account. RocketHub guarantees your donation, as well— if the project does not receive full funding, all the contributors get their money back. Become a patron of the international arts community, risk free!
Become a part of the Hidden Anatolia project now
Visit hiddenanatolia.com
I’m running a special Week Four offer for the Hidden Anatolia fueling project! Anyone making a new contribution at the $1, $5, or $10 level between now and the end of week four will automatically get their reward bumped up one level!
This gives you the opportunity to get great gifts for even less! This offer is good from 12:00:00 EEDT on 12 May 2010, until 23:59:59 EEDT on 14 May 2010. Even if you have fueled previously, you can fuel again and take advantage of this offer! Be a part of a great project, and get free stuff!
Yeah yeah, I know it’s halfway through week four, but I had to take a long weekend for various reasons, so I’m just now getting back on the posting horse.
The good news is, the end of the third week has taken us over the 25% fueling mark. The current total is $1,253, and I couldn’t be happier with that.
The even better news is that this bodes well for the rest of the fueling process. The great majority of projects that get to the quarter-mark end up getting full funding. Projects that fail usually fail right out of the starting gate, never getting enough momentum to reach the funding level we have now.
That doesn’t mean that there’s not work still to be done, of course, and you can help! If you have $1 (yes, just $1) and can spare one minute to make a difference, you too can help fuel the Hidden Anatolia project. If you have a Facebook account, you don’t even have to sign up for anything new, as you can login with your Facebook details. It’s a really easy thing to do, and you’d really be helping out to make sure this project gets off the ground.
In exchange for your fueling contribution, you’ll receive great rewards. These are real prizes for everyone who contributes, not just some drawing where only one or two people gets something. Everyone who contributes benefits. Depending on your chosen fueling level, you can get anything from your name printed in the acknowledgements of the book, right on up to a one-of-a-kind photo print on canvas! There are some really great rewards, and I encourage you to take a look and find a level that suits you.
Become a part of the project now
More at Keep up with project progress
Today’s Zaman runs an interesting story about a group of Antalya students who tried for the world record in group violin playing. The 500 students, aged 3 through 12, only started learning to play the violin six months ago.
I wonder what that sounded like, 500 violin beginners at the same time. Good luck to them with getting the record, although I think the Guinness Book is kind of becoming a parody of itself, what with all these groups trying to invent newer and more bizarre ways to get certified. Link
