BAU Student Opens His First Solo Exhibition

Abdi Deeq, an 18-year-old Somali first-year student in Photography and Video at Bahçeşehir University (BAU), opened a photography exhibition titled 'Sil Baştan' (Starting Over). The exhibition 'Sil Baştan,' consisting of photographs taken by Deeq, can be visited at Kadıköy Design Workshop until 10 November.

'Sil Baştan,' the first solo exhibition of Somali Abdi Deeq, who deeply longs for his mother and homeland and reflects this in his photographs through different stories, continues to meet art lovers at Kadıköy Design Workshop. After he lost his father in an attack by a terrorist organization at the age of 13, his mother had to send Abdi Deeq to Türkiye together with his brother, one year older than him, so that they could have a better life. Continuing his education in Türkiye, Deeq was admitted to Bahçeşehir University through a talent exam.

"I DEDICATED THIS EXHIBITION TO MIGRANT CHILDREN"

Stating that he reflects his longing for his family in his photographs, Deeq from Somalia said: "Every photo I take has a story. Some of them are photos related to my own life. This exhibition is a work about migrant children and young people. I dedicated it especially to child migrants. Unfortunately, we all suffer and lose the people we love. The photos I take tell about this. I took a photo of a tree without roots. Even though it has no roots, it can live. If it were planted, it could live again. The reason I named this exhibition 'Sil Baştan' is that you lose everything, but you rebuild your life somewhere else, in another land. That photo tells that I have no roots, that I have no father, that I am far away from my family. I miss my family, my mother, my sister, my childhood, the place where I was born. Homesickness and longing for family are something beyond missing."

HE WAS ADMITTED TO BAU THROUGH A TALENT EXAM

Stating that he has not been able to see his family for a long time and can only talk to them over the Internet, Deeq from Somalia told his life story in these words:

"I have been in Türkiye since 2013. In early 2012, I lost my father for a terrible reason. I was 13 when I lost my father. I do not remember exactly. The region where we lived was dominated by the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab. They prevent people from living like human beings; they do not allow it. There was forced conscription for young boys. When my father refused, they took him away from us. I lost my father, but worse, he does not even have a grave. He has no grave we can visit. Thinking of my and my brother's future, my mother wanted us to leave Somalia so that we could have a better life. I first went to Dubai, then to Syria. I stayed in Syria for 6 months and could not even go outside during those 6 months. The situation in Syria was worse than in Somalia. Then I came to Türkiye. I stay at the Children and Youth Center (ÇOGEM) under the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Policies. I continued my education in Türkiye. I have been taking photos for 2 years. I was admitted to Bahçeşehir University through a talent exam. This is my first solo exhibition. For now, I plan to finish school and get on with my life."