Last year, the world faced a pandemic—a viral disease—that we never anticipated, but which could always have been a threat to our planet. It spread over the world like a sudden downpour, and although it has not yet passed, it comes and goes, sometimes intensifying, sometimes easing up, but its effects are still with us. Our lives have changed. Besides economic hardships, the struggle for survival, and repetitive, tiresome restrictions imposed by governments, many people have lost family members and friends. There is a sense of fragmentation. We are in the midst of chaos and confusion. We are beginning to lose our clear sight of our surroundings and struggle to think clearly about our near future. I think right now, everyone in the world is a little bewildered.
Beyond the fears of unemployment, poverty, illness, and loss caused by this pandemic, one significant effect it has had is separating people from each other. The world has changed greatly in just one year. Friends and relatives cannot gather, meetings cannot be held, and education and work are taking place from home. Perhaps most importantly, people cannot see their children, parents, or grandchildren. Even people living in the same household feel the need to stay distant from each other.
Squares have been social spaces for thousands of years. Celebrations, political events, protests, and demonstrations have all taken place in public squares. Squares are also symbolic spaces that reflect society. In our country, Taksim Square is our most well-known square. This complex square, constantly subject to changing policies, has hosted many people even during the pandemic. Yet, despite the crowds and activity, people maintain social distance—not merely in the physical sense we hear about daily, but as a form of social disconnection.
In my work, I wanted to depict the detachment of people from society and each other through the solitary figure in the foreground of Taksim Square, standing apart from the background and more distant from others. I focused on ensuring that the size of the other figures wasn’t close to or equal to that of the isolated figure. Taksim Square, a place I’ve visited many times, has always been extremely crowded; but on one visit, people seemed to be more isolated, and as it started raining, it reminded me of how this pandemic also began like a downpour, fragmenting our connections and making me feel the reality of the new pandemic world more acutely.
People had become disconnected and isolated from society. I wondered, could this be the beginning? The world had transformed into a different place.
I think we’re lonelier from now on…
FU (02/03/2021)
This is a photography project, but the photos collectively form a 360-degree view. I also have a short video with the ambient noise of the square at that moment, which you can watch.
The photos on the page are views of small individuals combined in a series.
