An Anatolian from Far Away

İsmail Şeker

İsmail Şeker

İsmail Şeker

İsmail Şeker

He was born in Maçka district of Trabzon. He graduated from Hacettepe University Medical Faculty and he is a radiology specialist. He took basic photography and high level photography training courses at BUFSAD about 20 years ago. He graduated from Anadolu University Open Education Department of Camerawork and Photography.  He conducts photo shows, talks, exhibitions and workshops.

This story is the story of a small but very skillful Anatolian from our culture. The character of the story came to Anatolia in 552 AC. from far away, from China where he lived for 6,000 years. Its the silkworm that is a part of the life culture of the Anatolian people. Towards the end of spring, as the mulberry trees blossom, the baby silkworm caterpillar hatches. It continues to grow in 3-4 weeks by eating the mulberry leaf, which is the only food it eats. In this process, it turns the vegetable protein of the mulberry leaf into liquid silk in protein structure. When a silk cloth placed on both sides of the body is filled with liquid silk, they stop eating mulberry leaves and knit 5-layer cocoons with double-layer silk wire they secrete from their mouths. They emerge as a mature female and male butterfly capable of mating, undergoing metamorphosis in a cocoon containing 1200 meters of silk. They mate and the female butterfly produces 400-600 eggs and achieves its only purpose in life and continues its generation. The silk and cocoon production purpose of the silkworm is only to maintain its generation like every living creature. However, this natural process does not always continue like this. With people’s love of silk, its life can end in the cocoon it knits. After this point, the human continues its existence with the silk produced for other purposes at life art.

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