the border work, I also wanted to photograph the guerrillas, as they control most territories along these borders. But it was not possible back then. This way, at least the guerrilla portraits can be seen as part of the Invisible Landscapes photo work. On the other hand, on a formal level, both works started as photo projects and evolved into video works with several layers. I intentionally try to bring still photography and moving image into each other, and try to find ways of intertwining them. As a visual artist educated to be a still photographer, I do not believe in still photography and always try to push it forward into a somewhat hybrid form that employs moving image and sound in it. This effort is visible in both works. However there is certainly more of moving image than photography in the later works. Hito Steyerl: How are the protagonists of your new work doing now? Savas Boyraz: I know one of them, Evin, is still studying for her MA on political science in Europe. We are working on a new piece with her. But I don’t know about Simko (third part of the Triptych) and the actors/guerrillas in Meanwhile. Simko went to Iraq to join the fights against the IS back in February 2015. Since then, I haven’t heard from him. Also the whole cast of Meanwhile is out of reach and the areas where we filmed the work, Kandil territory in North of Iraq, is under constant airstrikes by the Turkish army since July 2015. I hope the situation gets better soon and I can go and show the finished work to them. Hito Steyerl: There is one more question I am really interested in. Where did you find the backdrop, what was it used for? Savas Boyraz: The story of the backdrop is interesting. During our first trip to the guerrilla camps, we were hosted by their culture group, where they have theater actors, musicians and filmmakers. When I started taking the portrait photos, I decided to use a backdrop but I was not prepared, I did not have one with me. So I asked them if there was a piece of cloth that I can use. They told me that the theater group might have something useful at their previous camp site, which was a couple of hours away. We went there and found a big metal barrel buried in the ground to stash some of their theater props and accessories. This particular backdrop was used on stage for some of their performances. I still have it and eventually will give it back to them.
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