YUSUF DARIYERLI – PANAYIR

“Panayir (The Country Fair). The rumbling and creaking of amusement rides, the hum of the crowd, the screams when the pirate ship soars toward the sky, the cheerful shouts of those flying on the swing ride above the flood of people, the engine roar spreading from the motorcycle acrobatics show as if tearing the sky apart, the mingling sounds of music and announcements coming from the loudspeakers, the shouts of vendors, the excitement of the crowd in front of the tent theaters from which children are kept away, the ear-ringing sounds coming from the shooting galleries, the smell of gun powder, smoke, and all manners of foods… When you rise into the air in a large area illuminated by the dazzling glitter of thousands of lightbulbs, you feel happy to be in the midst of such a scene, to be part of such a colorful picture. Children cling to their parents’ hands and skirts to get more of the fun, begging and shedding tears for the allowance they will be spending for the second, third, even fifth time.

This work is like a journey into my childhood as Brazilian writer Amado describes it as homeland.” – Yusuf Darıyerli

(Above: photos from “Panayir” photobook. Below: new and exclusive photos from the project)

I came across this project while visiting Istanbul Photography Museum in Turkey. Among the exhibited photobooks there was “Panayir”. I picked up the book and immediately got immersed in that specific universe. It was a semi deja-vu with our own Romanian fairs but with a hint of Orient mystery. Unfortunately the book was sold-out and a after a while I finally got my hands on it.

I have rarely seen a photobook with so many powerful photos. There’s a level of class and elegance regarding composition that rivals famous old-school photographers. There’s a subtle and sometimes a direct humor coming from the scenes in the country fair. But most of all there is an undeniable “joie de vivre”. Life and human emotions are so well caught by the photographer’s eye, with an incredible warmth towards the people. The country fair is a metaphor for life itself.

This is an ongoing project with the first photobook already out. You can find out more about “Panayir” and other stories at the photographer’s website: www.yusufdariyerli.com

Cristian Bassa