ANATOLIAN VILLAGE GATHERS ARTISTS AND VILLAGERS
On the coast of Beyşehir Lake in Konya, director Mehmet Taşdiken built a village where artists gather at certain times to rest in Anatolia, and to hold workshops and festivals with villagers
THE VILLAGE of Eternal Gratitude (Sonsuz Şükran Köyü), built almost nine years ago in the Çavuş neighborhood of Hüyük district in central Turkey’s Konya province, attracts a lot of attention thanks to its story, architecture and the events that shaped it.
The area, one the coast of Beyşehir Lake, was founded by film director and producer Mehmet Taşdiken. Once completed, the village will consist of 30 houses. It hosts the “International Thanksgiving Gatherings for Anatolia” and various other events throughout the year. in the village that consists of adobe houses, the tallest of which is just two-story.
Many celebrities including fashion designer Cemil İpekçi, director Orhan Oğuz, sociologist professor Nilüfer Narlı and actress Nilüfer Açıkalın have visited the village and attend different events with the villagers.
The annual International Thanksgiving Gatherings for Anatolia, organizes various activities every August, including film screenings, photography and sculpture exhibitions, painting and photography workshops, conversations at village chambers, literary talks, concerts and folk dances. the as a show of loyalty, I founded the Eternal Gratitude Village. It is now known as “the village of artists.”
Taşdiken said that many celebrities and artists, who in live in metropolises like Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir have not had a chance to visit their hometowns for a long time. “I have so many friends, especially in arts and culture circles, who didn’t see a return to their hometowns for long many years. I think everyone has to do something for their hometown.”
“I moved to Istanbul after graduating from secondary school and I lived there for 50 years but never visited my hometown. I was on a non-stop guilt trip. One day I just stopped and thought. I realized that I haven’t done anything to contribute to the land I was born in. So, I decided to found an artists’ village, consisting of adobe houses at Çavuş,” Taşdiken said.
He said that they worked really hard to complete the village project they started in 2009. “My potential, social circle and work experience made me found such a village. We built up a village with adobe architecture that dates back hundreds of years ago but fell into obscurity. Artists from various art branches came to the village,” he said.
Taşdiken called out to the ones who were born in Anatolia and urged them to spend a part of their life there. “These lands need you. Everyone has to do something for the village or town where they were born or grew up, with the feelings of honor and appreciation. This contribution may be in the form of economic or cultural projects. This is extremely important for the locals and for the country. We must look after our own culture, lands and villages that are being forgotten. We have to show that we will be always supporting them.”
Built in the form of flat roof with a focus on Seljuk architecture style, the houses in the village are great contemporary examples of traditional adobe architecture.
Offering its residents a peaceful ambiance far away from urban life, the village also grabs attention with its night beauty.
The combination of the yellow street lamps that enlighten the village and the authentic scenery of adobe houses offer a matchless frame for photography aficionados. The moon appearing over the village that is home to adobe houses, every one of which has their unique design and a bay window, adds a priceless beauty to the scenery.