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Gallipoli Then & Now: Bonds Forged by War

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Gallipoli Then & Now: Bonds Forged by War PRESS RELEASE For immediate release 20.07.15 MEDIA CONTACT Cassie French, Pop-Up Publicity [email protected] / 0416 209 391 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION. History, War History, Australian History, Turkish History, Stories A National Touring Exhibition across 5 cities: Sydney, Hobart, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra (dates/details p.3) Gallipoli Then & Now: Bonds Forged by War Photographs by Vedat Acikalin HOBART 30 July – 22 August 2015. Allport Library & Museum of Fine Arts, Hobart OPENING NIGHT Allport Library & Museum of Fine Arts, Hobart - Thursday 30 July 6-8pm SYDNEY 05 August – 30 September 2015. Customs House Library, Circular Quay, Sydney CBD MEDIA & INVITATION ONLY OPENING NIGHT Customs House, Sydney - Wednesday 05 August 6.30-8.30pm #01 (see page 4 of Press Release for full captions) #02 Above. Adil Sahin (l) and Len Hall (r) meet as friends in 1990 on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the 1915 battlefield they once fought on as enemies. Adil was 17yrs old when he enlisted and Len only 16 – here here together 75 years later. #03 #04 #05 #06 GALLIPOLI THEN & NOW: BONDS FORGED BY WAR is the follow-on exhibition from Acikalin’s 2011 exhibition, When Old Foes Meet (Chifley Plaza Exhibition Space, Sydney CBD). Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign, a significant event in Australia’s wartime heritage and history, this new exhibition once again commemorates the Australian and Turkish soldiers who served and sacrificed themselves at Gallipoli in 1915. For over 30 years Turkish-Australian photojournalist, Vedat Acikalin, has documented the bonds and friendships forged through this experience of war. He has photographed the soldiers as old men, meeting in friendship on the very battlefields they once fought as enemies when they were young. He captures the ongoing bond forged not only between the men, but also with their children and descendents. Acikalin honours their stories and memory through these poignant photographs. GALLIPOLI THEN & NOW: BONDS FORGED BY WAR will be a national Touring exhibition around Australia. LAUNCHING in SYDNEY at Customs House (05 August – 30 September) for August & September and in HOBART at Allport Library & Museum of Fine Arts (30 July – 22 August) for August, the exhibition will then tour to PERTH (October), MELBOURNE (November) and CANBERRA (December) in 2015. Exact Touring dates for these cities yet to be confirmed. This exhibition is supported by Department of Veterans’ Affairs Australia. The 6th August 2015 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the August Offensive with a special Commemorative Service to be held at the Lone Pine Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. There will also be events held around Australia – info through RSL websites. This exhibition is also currently TOURING in Turkey, showing now until September at Rahmi M. Koc Museum in Istanbul, after showing in Izmir (May/June) and Ankara (April) during 2015. Page 1 of 6 PRESS RELEASE For immediate release 20.07.15 MEDIA CONTACT Cassie French, Pop-Up Publicity [email protected] / 0416 209 391 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ESSAY BY VEDAT ACIKALIN, 2015 In 1990 I attended the 75th Anniversary of the famous Gallipoli landing as a photojournalist. A large group of Australians went to Turkey. They consisted of surviving Gallipoli veterans, their families and friends, Australian soldiers and statesmen. I knew that all the surviving Turkish veterans would be there too and I wanted to photograph the original Gallipoli veterans of both sides. During this significant and emotional anniversary – for Australians, New Zealanders and the Turks – I captured tender and potent moments observing old enemies coming together on the Gallipoli Peninsula. I observed a bond between these men and respectful friendships, as they remembered how as young men they fought so fiercely against each other. Once enemies, these men now walked together as friends, visiting the trenches and pausing at the graves of their mates, sometimes shedding tears, sometimes laughing, as they shared their stories with one another. First I held an exhibition of twenty photographs in Sydney in 2011, titled When Old Foes Meet. It attracted a lot of interest and publicity and I was encouraged to work on a comprehensive exhibition for the Centenary. As all of the brave veterans of Gallipoli on both sides, have sadly all now passed away, I traced their descendants to produce this exhibition. As a Turkish-Australian, the significance of the Gallipoli campaign, also known as Battles of Canakkale (Battles of Dardanelles), is very powerful for me. Growing up I learned of the heroism and sacrifice of the Turkish soldiers under the leadership of Commander Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) in the Battles of Canakkale (the Gallipoli Campaign) through school history lessons, folkloric stories, songs and poems. When I hear these today, it is still very emotional for me. I can imagine the hardship and bravery of these men fighting to defend their country. When I immigrated to Australia in 1973, it was the first I learned of the ANZAC legend created by Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought at Gallipoli. The ANZAC tradition with its ideals of courage, endurance and mate-ship, was established. I was fascinated by now seeing both sides of the same war and how time changes people. Anzac Day has become the biggest national day in Australia and New Zealand and more and more young people have been making the annual pilgrimage to Gallipoli. The Turks have their own legend. Many Turks believe that the foundations upon which modern Turkey stands were laid during the Battles of Canakkkale (the Gallipoli Campaign). The courage and sacrifices of Canakkale inspired the Turkish nation to unite under Ataturk’s leadership to defend his principles and revolution during and after the War of Independence. My goals to achieve with this exhibition are as follows: A great number of Australians visit Gallipoli every year either in search of memories of their ancestors or to live the excitement and feeling of what it means to be Australian. With my exhibition I would like to give those Australians who have not made the pilgrimage to Gallipoli, a chance to freshen the family memory and to be conscious of the ANZAC ideals and Australian history. Those Australians who have made this pilgrimage will relive those emotional moments they had at memorial sites such as Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Gaba Tepe and Chunuk Bair when they see my moving photographs taken at these battlefields. I believe my exhibition will give Australians an appreciation and understanding of their ancestors’ role in shaping the nation with their service and sacrifice in this significant campaign and also help them to acknowledge and commemorate the respect and friendship between Australia and Turkey that has developed as a result of the experiences of the Gallipoli Campaign. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Although the Gallipoli Campaign is seen as a military failure, Anzac Day has become a national day in Australia and New Zealand. These men all helped to create the ANZAC legend. The Turks have their own legend. Almost 9,000 Australian and more than 2,000 New Zealand men were killed at Gallipoli. 70 Australian men were captured. 61,522 Australians lost their lives in the First World War. Almost 85,000 Turks died in the Gallipoli campaign. Gallipoli Then & Now: Bonds Forged by War is a visual documentary essay revealing the melancholy and healing salve of time. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ #07 #08 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 6 PRESS RELEASE For immediate release 20.07.15 MEDIA CONTACT Cassie French, Pop-Up Publicity [email protected] / 0416 209 391 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ BRIEF EXHIBITION DETAILS Gallipoli Then & Now: Bonds Forged by War. Photographs by Vedat Acikalin HOBART, TASMANIA DATES 30 July – 22 August 2015 VENUE Allport Library & Museum of Fine Arts ADDRESS 91 Murray Street, Hobart GENERAL CONTACT (03) 6165 5584 OPENING HOURS Mon-Thu 9.30-6pm, Fri 9.30-8pm, Sat 9.30-2pm, Sun CLOSED COST A Free public exhibition and Open Mon-Sat WEB http://www.linc.tas.gov.au/findus/southern/linc/hobart SYDNEY, NSW DATES 05 August – 30 September 2015 (Level 2) / 05 – 30 August 2015 (Level 1) To be held over two levels at Customs House Library, Circular Quay, Sydney CBD VENUE Customs House Library Level 1 and Level 2 ADDRESS Customs House,
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