(Couresty of Abdullah Aydemir)
Turkish photographer Abdullah Aydemir, from Istanbul, wanders the streets of his home metropolis unplanned to uncover gems in the rough. Within the eyes of the often impoverished children he crosses paths with, he finds hidden universes.
A social studies teacher by profession, Abdullah is also passionate about art, through which he expresses “the pure and innocent feelings” of the children he meets on his walks.
His initial love of charcoal drawing led him to photography; then, catching glimpses of innocent young faces from destitute families—often refugees leading desperate lives—on the streets of Istanbul lit a fire inside Abdullah’s heart.
“I love to roam the streets unplanned,” he told The Epoch Times. “They are the children I meet during my travels. I smile, say hello, and step into their world sincerely. They accept this sincerity and host me.”
The amateur artist has been taking photographs for about 15 years; and recently he’s combined his two passions, the little ones and his art, to conceive the project “Eyes of Istanbul.”
He explained, “My main goal was to express the pure and innocent feelings of children with these photographs and to witness their perspectives on life.”
Comprising Eyes of Istanbul, Abdullah’s stunning portraits feature forlorn children whose stories are worn on their faces—but whose eyes, like perfect jewels, reveal an inner light, perfect and unblemished.
“At the root of all the problems of the world are human greed and wars. These children are, in general, the children of refugee families fleeing the war,” Abdullah said. “They may be poor, but somehow they manage to be happy.”
The portraits are hypnotizing—their beauty, beyond what words can describe.
Abdullah Aydemir shares his works on Instagram at abdllhaydmr_photos and has plans to exhibit his photographs in the future.
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