There are things that time can never change by Sultan Koç
Poyralı-Kırklareli-Turkey. – Making beet molasses
There are certain things that time can never change—things that require a person to put both their mind and heart into, resulting in products that are the labor of hands where mind and heart meet. Whether it's part of a huge industry or one of the works that has been done since ancient times, this resulting product turns into an object of pleasure that makes the person who produces it happy. It is an object of pleasure for both the maker and the user.
Throughout the ages, the basic needs of man and the objects needed to sustain his life have now become the emotional and intellectual work of an artist and craftsman.
For these simple reasons, I believe that in this age dominated by the digital world, the most important value that should be respected is the work done by human labour. Even if you calculate and do the most complex work in the world with a computer, it is still the labor of a human that will turn it into action. On the other hand, there are works that disappear as the living conditions of human beings change and most of them turn into historical memories, but they still have very high artistic values. These are made in many parts of the world by the last masters, who are few in number and have no one to replace them. Perhaps for this reason, the value of handmade items is higher than manufactured ones. It is impossible to deny the uniqueness of these products. There are also some things that unfortunately have to be done in harsh conditions and with human labour in many parts of the world, such as coal mining and iron casting. There are jobs that are learned from ancestors and are applied exactly the same way, offering the same taste, texture, and flavour, like boiling molasses from beets or preparing some winter foods.
My personal aim is to use the documentary side of photography to capture those who produce with their labour and leave them to eternity. By glorifying the labour of those workers, whether they are men or women, and honouring them, I believe that this is the best gift that can be given to someone - respect for labour and honour for people.
Poyralı-Kırklareli-Turkey – Making beet molasses
Pınarbaşı-Kastamonu-Türkiye – Tomato paste making
Bursa-Turkey – Tinsmith
Diyarbakır-Türkiye – Copper boiler making
Zonguldak-Turkey – Coal mine
Tokat-Turkey. – Fabric dyeing
Biga-Çanakkale-Turkey – Leather factory
Zonguldak-Turkey – Coal mine worker
Bergama-İzmir-Turkey – Cotton picking
Evrencik-Kırklareli-Turkey – Oak charcoal production
