I have never walked the streets of Syria. Those who were born there tell me that Gaziantep, Turkey, somehow reminds them of home. During my three years living in Gaziantep, the Syrian youth gradually became my community. It was there that I met Mustafa, Sondos, Duah, Michael, and Hamza, and learned their similar stories of being forced to flee their homes in Syria as teenagers and slowly build new lives in Turkey.

Like them, thousands of young Syrian refugees in Turkey have been facing the challenges that come with growing up in a country that, despite not being too far from their motherland, still requires learning a new language and adapting to a different cultural and bureaucratic system. Not least, the temporary protection provided to Syrian nationals by the Government of Turkey is not without its limitations, often reducing their possibilities of studying, working, and moving across cities and thus hindering their future.

Together, we started a collaborative project where art and photography pave the way for them to reclaim their stories, life experiences, and identities. Through this project, we are creating a new reality - one where borders, legal statuses, and definitions give way to memories, dreams, and hope.

Gaziantep, Turkey, 2021 - 2024

In the late 1930s, American photographer William Gruber was fascinated with a Victorian optical device that created an illusion of 3-D using two side-by-side photographs. A fortunate meeting between Harold Graves and William Gruber a decade later originated the View-Master, a portable stereoscope depicting scenes worldwide that could be held in one’s hands.

From Oregon to Australia, all the way to the Middle East, thousands of children for the following decades would have projected their memories and dreams on photographic projections seen through a pair of View-masters.

It was not different for Mustafa, Sondos, Duah, Michael, and Hamza, for whom images of pilgrims traveling to Mecca, tourists gathering in old Damascus, and distant views of landscapes and mountains are now reminders of a childhood in Syria long gone.

Irene, an Italian student, and Mustafa, a Syrian refugee, fell in love in their 20s while volunteering at the same youth organization in Gaziantep. As their relationship grew, they began envisioning a shared future. But their plans were threatened by migration policies that could potentially keep them apart. Despite the obstacles, Irene and Mustafa decided to marry as the only viable legal solution to avoid being separated.

Mustafa and Irene’s wedding ceremony took place in Gaziantep, surrounded by the warmth and support of their friends and the local community. Following their marriage, Irene and Mustafa navigated through bureaucratic procedures to secure family reunification in Europe. Ultimately, they overcame their challenges and settled in Bologna, Italy, ready to build a life together.

“My family has a house and a country to live in, but not a home. Even if my family and people are in Turkey, I don’t belong there.  Perhaps, one day, Italy will be home”  

Mustafa, 2022

“Syrians are currently displaced everywhere and I believe, whether here, in Syria or somewhere else, all of us are living the same life and experiencing the same difficulties. This is why I dream my music can be heard all over the world”

Mahmood, aka Michael, 2023

“I may need another ten years before I will be able to establish a career in music, but I am confident I will, soon or later. As we say in Arabic, you sacrifice from your mouth to make your dreams real.
You have two choices: either you just survive, or you work hard for your dreams”

Mahmood, aka Michael, 2023