IT IS A PLAIN COFFEE STORY...

IT IS A PLAIN COFFEE STORY...

Those who are in photography business well know that long term works are a different sort of passion. Maybe it all started with a motivation from the past, or simply it has developed on its own. SABUNSOY's "Coffeehouses" started as such. When this issue comes up in chats on photography, Fethi always states that he doesn't like to discuss this topic.

"Initially, I was not wholehearted for this project. I have bad memories of coffeehouses. I used to go to coffeehouses all the time. Frankly, I had bad days there. When I moved out of my neighborhood I quit going to coffeehouses. It was the meeting place where I got together with friends". This is how he explains the motivating force of his project. Fethi's past is reflected in his photographs; all shots are natural and heartfelt. Honest confrontation with time is settled in these photographs.

Sait Faik comes to rescue Fethi when asked why he chose coffeehouses. In one of his essays Sait Faik describes coffeehouses as hundred percent independent universities without deans, professors, schools and high budgets. He once said "Independent universities quickly present you with your pulse rate, be it fast or slow, or if there is any fluctuation". Thus, this place where society's heart beats has become a place where Fethi enjoys and takes his shots.

At the start of the project as he puts it "in the warm up period" he showed utmost attention in not bothering people, he has become one of them and therefore got accepted. Unwillingly he has returned back to coffeehouse life and breathed cigarette smoke and smell of freshly brewed tea. Otherwise, how could he capture the mood of a man just beaten in a backgammon game or spirit of a deep chat?

In the coffeehouse culture there is the ''frequenter'' concept. Fethi never became a frequenter of a neighborhood nor a neighborhood's coffeehouse in any of his works. He wandered around in the cities and neighborhoods to begin with, and captured unique stories in his shots. Cities were not enough for him; therefore he went to neighboring countries with similar cultures, Iran, Syria and Greece. Differences and similarities became subjects in his photographs. There are similarities of neighboring countries' coffeehouses. Where is the difference? "Coffeehouses in Greece are more orderly, you can have beer as well as coffee and ladies are welcome. Take Iran, water pipe culture is more intensive. They call themselves '1eahouses". They drink tea and smoke water pipe and games are forbidden. Syria's coffeehouse culture is similar to ours, and in some places ladies are easily welcome". This is how he summarizes in one of his dialogues.

Thousands of shots from these journeys of course had dark room finals. When he shared his results from long hours in the dark rooms we were awed with admiration and adoration of his black-white prints. We were together most of the time in his thirty plus years of active photography life, we went on photographic trips together, and had mutual exhibitions. We appreciated his reflection of "little but true talk" attitude on purity of his photographs. You have to have Fethi's eyes and heart in order to capture the detail and spirit of the moment of a crowded, smoky, and active coffeehouse. He presented us with photographs at the taste of plain coffee from this blend. At the thick coffee consistency, hot and at right dose just like real life is.

Your photos will stay with us forever as the taste of delicious brewed tea and coffee.

Full respects to you my friend, for your light, eyes, heart and your effort.

Sefa ULUKAN

Fotos from Fethi Sabunsoy