Catch Ahmet Polat, if you can…

With his prophet-like style, Ahmet Polat is on a quest for identity, dialogue and stories. At merely 30 years old, Polat has exposed his work in more than twenty exhibitions since 1999, at galleries including Stroom (The Hague), RAM (Rotterdam), the Photo Museum (The Hague), Karsi Sanat (Istanbul), and the most prestigious Turkish art venue, The Istanbul Modern.

In 2006, the International Centre of Photography (ICP), the world’s leading photography foundation, has for the first time awarded Turkish photographer Ahmet Polat as “The World’s Best Young Photographer Award”. Polat, by wining the award, showed that he could stand proud in the international arena, along side veteran photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Thomas Rose, and Jeff Krueger. Son of a forcefully adaptive Turkish lorry-driver, Ahmet Polat’s extraordinary realization has naturally placed him as the new Turkish photography torchbearer. “I wasn’t going for it” he commented when we started recording, but still got successfully nominated by the ICP. “This award automatically put me in a bigger arena! And it also added my name to a long list of photographer I have always admired”. For Ahmet Polat, the award marked a new encouraging beginning, while the Turkish art scene expressed mixed feelings about his achievement. “There was jealousy too, and it is understandable as I was the newcomer.” Yet Turkey as a whole expressed great pride and recognition for AP’ achievement. “Turkey is very proud when someone with a Turkish background makes it out there, there was lots of public recognition. The moment your father is Turkish, you are Turkish. Even though my mother is Dutch and I was born in The Netherlands.”



Maturing into photography, AP also nurtured along the deep-rooted question of identity. “People in Holland have constantly questioned my background… What does it mean to be Turkish? I was always between defining and defending my identity.” Through his work, AP’s mirror reflection wonders “who is the other half?”, questioning his dual background while trying to find a place between both Dutch and Turkish culture. “My identity is always in movement, it is fluid”, he adds. Polat reminds us all here that neither concrete nor abstract concept can remain static, and it is up to us to go with the flow.



AP also regarded the prestigious ICP award as a payback, and he seems to be gradually finding peace. “I don’t feel attacked anymore, when we tackle these subjects”. In Holland, the country where he was born, educated and taught photography, “The recognition for my award was a small country’s typical small reaction…”. Rather than stabbed in the back, AP felt stabbed in the heart. An old wound by now that left a scar from which new ideas and initiatives are blossoming. “I am now more active in Holland than when I was in Holland. As strange as it sounds, being in Turkey allows me to work even more with Holland”.



In 2005, the quest for identity through photography and the passion for sharing stories inspired him to start teaching at the Istanbul Bilgi University (IBU). He then established cross media (design, architecture and video) workshops between Marmara University (Tr) and Aki Artez (NL) to create a platform of knowledge and culture exchange. “Last May, students from Rotterdam came to Istanbul for the first time, and by the end of the year Turkish students will go to Holland. The reaction of the students was amazing; they were so happy and excited. Plus they realized how beautiful Istanbul is. I hope that the great empathy expressed by Turkish students has crossed over to Dutch and German students.” To AP, empathy is a tool amid many to reach out to others, silently suggesting, “I recognise how you feel”. He warns however, “empathy’s downfall is that you can loose yourself if you empathize too much, extremes are always counterproductive.”



When asked his opinion about the Turkish art scene, AP expresses great enthusiasm with a touch of caution. “The Turkish art scene is very dynamic, energetic, sometimes lost and unfocused because of the education system that has a lack of knowledge of how to teach art in a contemporary manner. Both Turkish history and Turkish art history are very young. For example, look at how people deduct imagery. Advertising campaigns contain extensive texts also called “letter towers”. People are very visual, therefore there is a huge potential, but one should watch out! It can go right or wrong considering that 65% of the Turkish population is below 35 years old, as opposed to Europe, and if you don’t give Turkish youth a future, you are going to have to deal with a large group of unhappy people…”



You must also be aware that AP never stops. Along with various exhibitions, and a new book coming out in September 2008 together with the European Culture Foundation, workshops with the students, a presence at the “Visa pour l’Image photography festival” in Perpignan, etc… AP has embarked on a social awareness project in partnership with TOG (TOplum Gönüllüleri) and MAVI Jeans. “I am essentially following and photographing “TOGies” (TOG social volunteers) in action performing their “TOG attacks”. TOG Attacks consist of travelling to different places in Turkey to raise awareness, react on crucial topics and try to contribute to the environment, questions of identity, education and social awareness issues. Once again, I like the interaction with those students who feel involved and want to make the world a better place. Photography is about finding the story behind, that s why you need to be constantly there, shooting again and again…For me it is a very special experience and an interesting photography approach that takes a lot of time, but the result is magic”.



Sitting, listening and eating pasta with Mr Polat is a very optimistic and intimidating experience for some reason. His discourse sends us back to simple but essential questions we have never had time to ask ourselves regardless of our origin and background, too busy avoiding them. And the visual support of expression matches each answer to finally take us on a journey into Ahmet Polat’s Turkey.


AP’s Actualite in brief :


- Ahmet Polat’s next photography book will be published with Mets & Schilt Uitgevers (No name, September 2008), together with the EU Culture Foundation (ECF) publication « Managing Diversity ». Ahmet Polat also actively participates in workshops and roundtables about cultural diversity organised by the ECF.
- Student exchange platform AKI artEZ/Marmara University
- Breda Photo 2008 along with Martin Parr’s exhibition
- « Visa pour l'image », festival international du photojournalisme à Perpignan (August 30- September 14 2008)

For Further information regarding AP's photo's and exhibition, please contact :
Art Consultant, Ms Isabella Icoz, isabellaicoz@hotmail.com