Uncle Osman's Two Pockets
Tinsmith Osman Şimşek has been working in his workshop in Hışvahan for thirty years. Within the scope of the Antep Kalealtı arrangement project in 2012, when the historical places were restored, he lost his workshop and his neighbors. He moved his workshop to Bakircilar Bazaar.
Tinsmith Osman says, "I used to sleep on the stones to cool off in the summer." about his days in Hışvahan; now he cannot enter Hışvahan, which is used as a hotel today, even as a visitor. The inn has lost its function in order to revive tourism and lost its identity as well. Despite all, Uncle Osman is a strong person who holds on to life with his humble personality and conservative identity.
Since 2014, we have been photographing Tinsmith Osman Şimşek in his workshop in Gaziantep Bakırcılar Bazaar. One day, while pulling out his wallet to show his youth photo, the pockets of shirts with safety pins attracted our attention. The photo we took that day caused us to start this story.
