Sabine Schwaighofer

After the “Corona years”, I finally embarked on my residency in Istanbul in April 2023 – instead of in 2021. Since my first stay there in 1997, I have been greatly attracted to Istanbul. During the past two decades, I was able to visit the city on short trips again and again.

Hence, I was overjoyed when I was granted a 3-month residency in Istanbul.

The studio is situated in a very central location, albeit on a hill, and cannot be directly reached by public transport – with the exception of taxis. In addition to its central location, the beautiful and spacious studio also offers enough space for visitors. The very nice doormen assist you attentively, but you can only speak with them in Turkish. People sensitive to noise should take along earplugs. Istanbul is noisy and several apartments of the building are let via Airbnb.

There are countless great restaurants and bars in the vicinity. Likewise, there are numerous shops of all kinds, a few supermarkets where you can buy all essentials as well as bakeries and pastry shops. Istanbul offers a plethora of foods and, above all, sweets.

In 2001, I had a residency in New York. Istanbul is vibrant in a similar way. Millions of people (16 milyon için çalışıyoruz – We work for 16 million people – is the motto of the city administration) are moving through the city.

I preferred to do so on one of the countless ferries going from Europe to Asia and back across the Bosporus and even to the Black See or the Princes’ Islands in the Marmara Sea or across the Golden Horn – Haliç – to Eyüpsultan, a place attracting many pilgrims.

My stay took place in a politically heated period that was exciting for everyone I met during the three months in multiple ways. Inflation was and still is enormously high. The rent of a friend quadrupled. Moreover, I found that religiousness was more visible than during previous stays – certainly also because I arrived during the Ramadan period.

Noteworthy political moments that occurred during my stay in Istanbul included two election rounds that, so to speak, had taken hostage of those who set their hope in the opposition alliance. Acquaintances were depressed and expressed their despair. Above all, the re-election of the governing party had further negative impacts on women’s rights and the queer community. Many queer people live and work in the Beyoğlu district where the studio is located.

Being a queer person myself, I can understand very well their worries and desperation, but I was also able to witness the fighting spirit, the anger and the resistance of many queer people during my stay. The strength of the queer communities’ resistance became manifest at two demonstrations prohibited by the government – the Trans Pride and Queer Pride in June. While hundreds of thousands of people were able to demonstrate and celebrate in Austria, the police blocked access to the area between Taksim Square and Tophane on the Istanbul Pride days.

Although I had wanted to take part in the demonstrations, I finally decided against it because I did not want to be arrested in Istanbul. A friend of mine was immediately arrested when he just approached one of the meeting places. Only twelve hours later, at 3 a.m., he was again released at the same time as many others. In particular, trans people were mistreated by the state.

Istiklal Avenue, which is usually frequented by thousands of people, was completely silent. Streets were closed until 11 p.m. Finally, the noise returned when cars were allowed to cross Istiklal Avenue again.

Between the two Pride demonstrations in June, the Champions League took place in Istanbul. Masses of soccer fans moved through Istiklal Avenue and its side streets. You hardly saw any policemen then. I would have hoped that UEFA had used this important soccer event to stand up for the rights of queer people and that, as a result, the Trans Pride and Queer Pride would have been permitted. But that did not happen.

Life is very hard for the queer community in Turkey and many think about emigrating. However, it is very difficult and, what is more, extremely expensive to get visas for “safe foreign countries”. And who likes to be forced to leave their homes, friends and families?

Thus, it was an unsettling period and even though I was right in the thick of it, I was a privileged outsider.

For my photographic-artistic work, I mainly was active outdoors.

Half a year has gone by since I returned, but the artistic process is not completed yet. I took hundreds of photos and meanwhile, I produced a portfolio. I have realized that I had found it difficult to concentrate on a few subjects due to the prevailing abundance. Just like each side street was alluring, my photo motifs were proliferating. Still, an architectural focus emerged and, as in earlier visits, the enormous variety of shops and the plethora of things offered for sale fascinated me again this time. In Istanbul you can probably buy everything and even more.

It was relatively easy to make contact with people and, thus, I also started taking pictures of people who I had just met. In contrast to a mobile phone, a camera apparently is more appealing and I was asked by some young people and men in the street to take pictures of them.

In these three months I got to know a great number of people and was able to intensify existing contacts.

As I was frequently out and about on my own, especially in the first few weeks, I was able to meet people from diverse fields. I owe special thanks to Silvia Neureiter, the director of the Avusturya Kültür Ofisi who invited me to many events and concerts and also offered to accommodate me in the guest house of the consulate in Yeniköy if there should be riots during and after the elections, which fortunately was not necessary. I also want to thank Thomas and Sabine Küper-Büsch who support the artists-in-residence on behalf of the BMKOES on site and whom I met regularly.

Many thanks also to my queer friends and artists Serkan and Selin who accompanied my throughout the three months and were fixtures of my stay.

A major part of the residency was dedicated to explorations. Istanbul boasts architecture from at least 1500 years.

The city is so huge and offers so much for all interests. It is exciting and full of adventures. Something is going on almost anywhere. Wherever people are, there are markets, shops as well as bars and restaurants.

Polite people who recognize you again after they looked you in your eyes once and contradictions that nevertheless complement each other somehow.

A personal highlight: I was able to dj in the queer club Şahika and was very happy to be an active part of the community for a short time.

Recommendation: KÖFN - Bi' Tek Ben Anlarım https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TSf2k03HPA

Website resident:              sabineschwaighofer.net