PLATFORM by GAPO
2021
PLATFORM by GAPO is an initiative aiming to create a sustainable networking platform between emerging and mid-career photographers from Turkey and cultural professionals abroad. It is developed and run by GAPO.
Even though recognition of photographers from Turkey and their works has relatively increased in the last two decades, it is still not satisfactory. Tens of festivals are organized in Europe and neighboring geographies but the presence of photographers from Turkey in these are very rare. This is mostly because networking and communication between the parties is primarily based on individual efforts. For a certain amount of photographers this individual networking is hard to realize due to language barrier, lack of motivation, not being able to reach the accurate contacts or financial burdens. But what matters most is the lack of institutions specialized in this networking and flow of information between the photographers and the cultural professionals.
Taking this into account, we have decided to establish a new initiative, PLATFORM by GAPO, primarily focusing on this networking. As GAPO, we have been doing this from time to time, welcoming requests from curators or festival teams, suggesting photographers to them and getting them in contact with each other. Moreover, we have been taking part in international collaborative projects with individuals and/or organizations in order to help circulating the works by photographers from Turkey.
As a start, we have invited some emerging photographers we know for some time to be an affiliate of PLATFORM by GAPO. For the last couple of months, acting as advisors and editors for them, together we have been editing their portfolios, artist statements and motivation letters and helping them applying to open calls of various festivals, artist residencies, project grants, etc.
On top of this, periodic updates about the initiative and the photographers will be shared with the editors, curators, festival teams and other culture professionals abroad in order to sustain a regular exchange of information and thus help creating an up to date knowledge about contemporary photography practices in Turkey and widespread the works.
In the following days, PLATFORM by GAPO will expand as new photographers get affiliated.
You can visit the website dedicated to PLATFORM by GAPO here