Illumination #2 - Part 1

Since last weeks class I have been trying to get down to the bones of what exactly it is that I do, instead of just focusing on how I do it. The how in the case is mainly Urban street photography, wandering, examining the nature of public and private spaces as well as some painting and writing. The what I do is more difficult to narrow down and even harder to talk about. The process of creation is such an intimate thing, and despite my always believing in radical vulnerability, it seems I am still a beginner in this regard, still learning to be more direct and confident in my motivations and feelings. More specifically this last class made me think of how are certain things that I do related, and what is the grand unifying theory of it all, so to speak.

I have been called an Orientalist at various times in my journeys and travels over the past 8 years, and also in my artistic interests.This is a label I have at times defended against, and at other times, welcomed. Without doing any research, lets say that Orientalism (first popularized as a term in Edward Said's seminal 1978 book of the same title) can be defined as having an interest and perception of the "Middle East" that perpetuates certain romanticized stereotypes of the mythical "East", generally patronizing and portrayed often as somehow inferior, static, more animalistic, more mystical, underdeveloped, perhaps otherwordly and primitive. The very term "Middle East" is of course somewhat Orientalist in and of itself, as though it is some cut-and-dried slice of the globe, when in reality the cultures of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and Iran (I have been to all of them and have seen firsthand) are all incredibly diverse in culture, religion and many other things. However, when I use the term "Middle East" people generally have some idea of what that is, and of course their own biases. Those biases in and of itself are very interesting to me.

I have always found it curious as to whom has called me an "Orientalist" - it has almost always been either other "Occidents" ('Westerners' or people from outside this 'region')) or extremely secular people living within the greater MENA region. Very rarely has it been a person of more "traditional" or Islamic leaning ideology who gives me this label. I find it somewhat interesting, because they are the stereotype most often exoticized and misrepresented within the scope of "Western" thought and art. It is never the actual men on camels who would call me an Orientalist for taking a photo of them (note: I have never taken a photo of anyone on a camel besides myself but that's besides the point) - it would almost always be someone divorced from that reality insisting that I am perpetuating a stereotype -even though some groups such as the Bedouin do of course use camels as part of daily life -its not just an Arab Disneyland type trope of exotic appealing livestock.   Cairo's camel market is a thriving buzzing place and as real as real gets. I was recently heavily criticized in a Analogue Istanbul photography group because in a series of 5 photos I showed 2 containing women wearing Hijab and I was "misrepresenting" Istanbul. Which really makes me wonder what city these people are living in and if they ever spend any time in Eminonu at all  -the analogue photographers second home being around Sirkeci station.

My first brush with this word, "Orientalist" came on a date 7 years ago with a educated and accomplished secular man here in Istanbul. He was a doctor, grew up half the time in Paris, and liked similar music to me. After having a glass of something at an upscale bar I suggested we grab a cay at one of Beyoglus little corner cafes, also stating that I aesthetically loved the tiny stools of these archtypal Istanbul cafes. He refused, called me an orientalist (Also my love of Nargileh made me highly suspect) and the date ended shortly thereafter. The point is that he was more than happy to romanticize Paris, rock concerts in Europe and be interested in the many archtypes of Western culture, but I as a Westerner enjoying something traditionally "Eastern" gave me a disparaging label. And yet, was he wrong? Why do I love those tiny uncomfortable stools that barely hold half of ones rear end? Am I the one perpetuating stereotypes or was he so blantantly trying to erase his own history (As Istanbul was capital of the Ottoman empire for hundreds of years) in an attempt to appear progressive? Is this the result of Globalization? Everyone hating where they are actually from and seeking something elsewhere?

I will be researching this topic (not tiny stools but the Orientalist gaze) as well as other topics relating to it and will write again tomorrow. Stay tuned.

'The era of ambiguous Orientalism (plus stale corn on the cob)'
Film photo with handcolouring
2018