AA FILMS Persembe Pazar The lathe worker 2014

An ongoing workers' inquiry project conducted in the Kurşunlu Han in the Perşembe Pazarı district of Karaköy, Istanbul. Project initiated by Ed Emery [SOAS, London / The Free University] in 2008. See also: www.flickr.com/ed-emery-archive The place was once a multicultural hub of artisanal activities associated with the shipbuilding industry (chandlers, chain makers, lathe workers, forge workers, engineers etc). The community was proud of its multi-ethnic make-up - Turks, Greeks, Kurds, Armenians and Jews. Now it is being utterly transformed, into a hub for newly incoming creative artists, and serried ranks of tourist eating places. My intention is to document the last remnants of the old manual trades - photographing and interviewing the artisans and workshop owners - and also to document the newly incoming trades. In short, a mapping of a changing class composition. If you are interested to collaborate in this project, you can contact me at [email protected] 26.v.2026