The NFT Collection

Journey through a decade of New York City Pride March, from 2011 to 2022

Istanbul → New York

A couple of years later I made the decision to travel to New York City, where I spent countless hours in book stores, hungrily devouring any and all literature I could get my hands on that explored LGBTQ+ issues. I was eager to establish some sense of history in this newly accepted and discovered identity.

Uncovering this previously mysterious history that I had always felt intrinsically, but never had any concrete information on was an incredibly illuminating experience for me. I had a voracious appetite for anything written about the LGBTQ+ movement, be it in literature, poetry, or art – I would take copious notes, highlighting passages and making connections that I hadn't previously been able to make.

While in New York City, I experienced my first Pride March. What I witnessed there –such pure expression and celebration –free from man-made constraints of gender and sexuality, was something I had previously not been able to even fathom, especially coming from where I come from.

First LGBTQ+ web portal in Turkish

Upon returning home to Istanbul, I began the process of translating all of those notes back into Turkish. It was then that I started working on creating a website that would ultimately become the very first LGBTQ+ community portal entirely in Turkish, back in 1998.

The site was a resounding success, connecting tens of thousands of visitors, many of whom would leave messages expressing profound gratitude for the information provided. It was like a lifeline of history and substance on a matter that the people of Turkey had previously dared not speak of.

Motivated by the absence of information when I was struggling with coming out, I felt compelled to be a beacon for others in my country who were struggling the same way I had. I wanted to show them that we had a history and a place in this world, and that we weren't alone in our experiences.

Pride through my lens

I am an introverted photographer, preferring to capture moments in earnest when the subject isn't necessarily aware of the moment I'm highlighting. At the same time, I find myself attracted to celebrating those who flaunt and dance with their own self-expression. I admire and respect them for bursting with vibrancy and courage that I struggle to fully embrace for myself, whether that's because of my generation or the customs of my homeland that still cling to me all these years later.

From the moment I picked up a camera and began to live this life as a photographer, I made a promise to myself to revisit the Pride March each year. To record its raw, unbridled beauty and to serve as a reminder to myself, of how very far I’ve come… how far we’ve all come. In 2013, I even had the distinct privilege of marching in the parade and documenting its majesty from the inside out. It has become a proud cornerstone of my work, a record of queer power and beauty that informs my art as much as it informs my own humanity.

The intent of selective color technique

When we see the proud colors of the LGBTQ+ flag flying today, it's easy to forget the dark history behind it. It's easy to forget that for every flag we see raised high, someone paid for that freedom. That's why I've chosen to juxtapose the vibrantly colored portions of the images I create against desaturated background subjects that harken back to newsprint. My intent is to illustrate the historical importance of the Queer movement, and to emphasize that the work is far from finished. There are still at least 68 countries that have laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults. There is not a week that passes where a red US state passes another law to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. It's a reminder that we have come far, but we still have a long way to go.

The artwork titles

My decision to name each piece after a song title was inspired by the advent of disco music and disco clubs in the 1970s. These clubs became safe havens for many closeted LGBTQ+ individuals, where they could freely be themselves without fear of judgment. In my early twenties, I personally experienced this liberation shortly after accepting my own identity, just as I began coming out to my friends.

Perks for collectors

Each NFT holder will receive a 1/10 limited edition hand-signed and hand-numbered 16x20" archival giclée print of the NFT collected, along with a perfect-bound, 48-page book printed on HP Indigo 100K that includes all 21 images from the series.