In photographing the children of the area, playing in the streets and joyously donning masks, the photographer captures a youthful vibrancy and resilience that defies the tough context around them. It’s that spirit that makes an easy line to draw for Yalazan with the protests from 2013 and now. “Those kids in Tarlabaşı, they’re streetwise,” she explains. “I do workshops and teaching with them, and I wanted to do something where it was just playful. I wanted to make something joyful – there’s enough drama and darkness in the world, but when you look at the photos there’s a lot of fun.
“At the moment, it’s bleak [in Istanbul], and the whole world is going in that direction,” she continues. “We are at a boiling point – everyone is wondering when the next Gezi Park will be?”
The time, it seems, is now.
To see Flowers in Concrete and more photography by Sıla Yalazan, visit her official website and follow her on Instagram.
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