Travel, (1996-2007) - Agence VU'

Travel, (1996-2007)

Michel Vanden Eeckhoudt

“If he does not travel the planet to bear witness to the pains of the world, if he escapes the fascination of war, drama and blood, it is clear that he does not make a pact with the world of privileges. He speaks to us about us. About our children, about our days, about our solitude, about our puffs of joy, about our tiredness, about the death that lurks, about the curious way the earth turns, about the light that strangely cuts our silhouettes on the absurdity of the world. Interior/exterior landscape we no longer know, but the gaze is intense, we go deep into the universe described. “(Francine Deroudille)

The series “Travel 1996-2003” covers trips to Sicily, Japan, and Turkey that were commissioned, “carte blanche” or by invitation.

Japan, Tokyo, 1996

Withdraws into itself for a long time, Japan open to trade and world influences only in the twentieth century. From its story, the country keeps a very strong relationship with its own culture. Entrancing, it can be also disconcerting, indeed incomprehensible for an uninitiated. Michel Vanden Eeckhoudt went in Japan, without any “à priori”, to discover a world. He photographs Japan in its modernity, and hunt down traditions’ breaches.

Italy, Sicily, 1999

Turkey, 2007

Within the framework of the project, entitled “Türkiye de Zaman”/Time in Turkey, the Daily Zaman newspaper invited 25 world-renowned photographers to tell stories that reflect the life and problems of Turkey from their particular point of view. Michel Vanden Eeckhoudt was the guest of the Turkish nomads, the Yörüks.

The Yörüks, “those who walk”, claim to be of pure Turkish origin. They are the last nomadic shepherds of Turkey. There are still a few hundred of them. They raise goats and sheep. They live all year round in tents. They are in the plains from November to May. When the fine days come, they transhumance with their herds to medium altitude mountains. This trip can take them between 1 and 2 months. They then stay on a fixed camp, then go back down. They carry their goods on camels (or in tractors for the more fortunate). Each Yorük family owns several powerful Kangall dogs, trained to destroy any possible predator of the herd.