Narcissus and Hyacinth — Karaburun, Izmir · 2009, 2013 & 2017

In Karaburun, narcissus and hyacinth flowers appear during the coldest part of the year, from the winter months into early spring. Their cultivation has long been part of the seasonal life of the peninsula and a source of income for families in Karaburun and the surrounding villages. The flowers are cut by hand, gathered into bunches and prepared for markets in different parts of Turkey.

I photographed this work in 2009, 2013 and 2017. During these visits I was welcomed by families both in their homes and in the fields. I wanted to record more than the flowers themselves: the hands that cut and sort them, the winter landscape, the shared labour of family members and the rhythm of a crop that must be harvested at the right moment.

The narcissus is strongly associated with Karaburun, but behind its fragrance and beauty there is also an everyday rural economy. Returning to the subject over several years allowed me to see the flower not only as a symbol of the peninsula, but as part of the lives of the people who cultivate it.