Mehmet Unal

Biography:
Mehmet Unal was born in Çanakkale in 1951. In 1963, he emigrated with his family to Istanbul. He started as an amateur at the Bakırköy People’s House Theatre. After studying at the Lisans Cultural Center Theater School, he tried to advance his theater training with the group of individuals that left Lisans Cultural Center. Between 1970-1971, he was a member of the core group of actors at the Public Houses Experimental Theater. After this, in 1975, he was a founding and an active member of the Public Stage Actors.

In the fall of 1976, in his own words, he followed his love to Germany and settled there. When he realized his chances of working in theater in Germany were limited, he focused on his interest in photography. He started working freelance for daily, weekly or monthly magazines and newspapers published in Turkish and German.

Particularly in portrait photography Unal has gained a respectable place in Turkey and in Germany. Unal is living in Turkey and Germany.

Exhibition: Nation Germany
50 Years of Turkish ‘’Guest Workers’’ in Germany

Immigration countries and emigration countries, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Turkey, celebrated an important anniversary in 2011. The two countries signed the ‘’Labour Migration Agreement on October 30, 1961. This exhibition has been prepared in order for this important anniversary to be celebrated in the way it deserves, and to serve as a resource for future generations.

The photographs in this exhibition were taken between 1977 and 2010.

The exhibition consists of 100 photographs. Designed as a touring exhibition and the result of a collaboration between the Friedrich-Ebert – Foundation and Regionalbüro Rheinland-Pfalz Germany, it has been exhibited in 25 cities in Germany.

“For 35 years I have worked with Turkish immigrants.
35 years as a photographer I wandered in the cities, towns, and villages. I had the opportunity to witness Turkish immigrants’ daily lives. I watched the conditions of their work lives and work environments closely.
During those years, I witnessed their successes and failures.
I photographed them.”

These photos not only show the developments in the country guest workers migrated to, but also document their virtues, and the spiritual and emotional characteristics.

It is necessary to redefine the word “Integration”. These people are no longer guest workers. They are part of this society. Society is developing new forms. Where we are from, our religion and our language should not be the primary importance.

This post is also available in: Turkish