At the Bursa International Photography Festival, which was held for the 13th time this year, a first occurred and visually impaired citizens understood the photographs they could not see by touching them.
The International Bursa Festival, organized for the 13th time this year in cooperation with Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Bursa City Council and Bursa Photography Art Association (BUFSAD), is hosting a meaningful exhibition. While 2023 was declared the "Year of Âşık Veysel" by both UNESCO and the Presidency, the Âşık Veysel Photography Exhibition titled 'Veysel Gider Name remains' was held within the scope of the 13th Bursa International Photography Festival. Portraits and sections from the life of Aşık Veysel, captured by the lenses of famous photographers Ara Güler, Fikret Otyam, İsa Çelik, Ergun Çağatay, Ozan Sağdıç and Mustafa Türkyılmaz, were exhibited.
They understood by touching
A first was achieved at the International Photography Festival with the Aşık Veysel photography exhibition. Thanks to the book specially prepared in Braille alphabet by Aşık Veysel's grandson Nazender Süzer Gökçe and his wife Gürsel Gökçe, visually impaired citizens had the opportunity to learn about both the photographs in the exhibition and the life of Aşık Veysel. Visually impaired citizens tried to understand the story of the photographs they could not see by reading them.
Tayfun Turgut, President of Altınokta Blind Association Bursa Branch, who visited the exhibition, said, “It is very valuable for us that this visual-based exhibition is turned into a booklet with braille so that the visually impaired can also understand it. “I would like to thank those who contributed to the project,” he said.
Altınokta Blind Association Bursa Branch Secretary Ömer Sözgen said, “We were very happy with the books prepared in Braille describing the pictures. It is a special and nice gesture for us that visually impaired people are also considered. Of course, Aşık Veysel is one of our greatest poets and he is also visually impaired. "It is privileged for us," he said.
BUFSAD President Serpil Savaş reminded that 50 was declared the 'Aşık Veysel Year' by both UNESCO and the Presidency, as it is the 2023th anniversary of Aşık Veysel's death, and said, "Fotofest has special guests this year. This year, the portraits and life photographs of Aşık Veysel Şatıroğlu, one of the important poets of Turkish folk literature, through the lens of the masters, were our guest. We also have with us an important work prepared by Aşık Veysel's grandson Nazender Süzer Gökçe and his wife Gürsel Gökçe, which they have been working on for 13 years, containing information about Aşık Veysel's life, poems and folk poetry. They also brought this work to our libraries with the Braille alphabet, allowing our visually impaired citizens to learn about and understand our poet. "I invite all photography lovers, folk literature lovers and all our people who understand Aşık Veysel to visit our exhibition," he said.
