Insider was photographed in Istanbul but, as was the case with my project Kıyı - that involved other towns and countries bordering the sea - the aim of this work was not to describe Istanbul. Of course, those things that form a unique part of Istanbul are also part of me and influence my personal photographic art. When I lift the veil over the city, some things that I thought constituted the most integral part of the city - that made a particular impact on me in previous years - I now see slightly differently. For example, in line with traditional values, with the rise in emigration from the countryside, sexual relationships between women and young men are not tolerated in large sections of the population in Istanbul, where there is mounting sexist tension.
Consequently, in the street you will see friendships between people that are so intimate that they could appear to be sexual relationships. However these are not homosexual couples. They are forced to redirect their youthful feelings of friendship towards their own sex purely to conform to social norms. This is why I use photos of male or female couples. If you view these photos as representing the universal, then they describe the feelings of love and relationship that we all need.