Photography - Sulukule Kids
The Sulukule suburb, located next to a Roman fort is right next to Fatih, the supposed most conservative of all districts in the bustling city of Istanbul. Sulukule is also a stone's throw away from the uber trendy Beyoglu district; and are facing possible eviction to make way for development to house the increasing number of middle class moving closer to the city centre near the Bosphorus river to find work. Turkey's economic boom is slow, but the cultural climb is rapid; the progressive new generation is gelled with the old, and one would mistake Istanbul for a trendy European city rather than an Islamic state. Despite the all the assumptions, Turks are proud and progressive; moving forward while not forgetting their past.
Essentially gypsys, the leaders of the Sulukule tribe are fighting authorities everyday, and the most at risk from displacement are it's children. For the 10th International Istanbul Biennial, artist Wong Hoy Cheong is doing a workshop project with the Sulukule children for his video work entitled 'Aman Sulukule, Canim Sulukule' (Oh Suluke, Darling Sulukule), which is named after a gypsy song. I am assisting him on his project whilst learning to see; unclouded through the eyes of a bunch of optimistic children O=O. Here are some pics of the kids ;)
Football, as you would expect; is the mother of all games in Sulukule. Here's Mohamad doing a bicycle kick.
Some kids watching a game.
These kids love Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li. This is their rendition of choreographed martial arts.
Çoskun showing off his biceps yah.
Henna tattoos from a wedding.
