Migration – Return to the Self…

Greetings beautiful souls of ARTTMODERNMIAMI !

I am happy to return to this wonderful organization, where I was a guest writer recently with my article “How do you know London” this time as a permanent writer. I received such great feedback from you that I took the courage to accept ArtT Modern Miami’s offer to join our family. I hope we will have a beautiful journey together.

In my last article, I briefly talked about myself in one sentence. Hey! There is no escape this time. First of all, I would like to share with you the most important turning point of my life journey. I thought this would be a good way for you to get to know me better.

After 26 years, I will talk about the short manifestation of my migration from a huge metropolis, where the modern world almost forced me, to my small town with a rich history.

I believe that this migration is not unique to me. I know I read, I watch many people moving from one place to another for similar or different reasons…

Let’s talk about me;

I continued my education life, which I started with Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Theater, Stage Design in Izmir, with Istanbul Mimar Sinan University Graphic Design… but what do you think I did, who went from the town to the metropolis, who attracted attention in the environments he entered with the self-confidence of youth and who was often spoiled by this attention? I severed my ties with the school 1 year before my graduation. In making this decision, along with the aspects of academic education that did not suit me; there were also reasons such as the constant shift of my focus – my interest, inability to concentrate on one thing, being interested in too many things, being young.

I loved painting, design, production, and intellectual life but … I also loved having fun, traveling, nightlife, music, dancing, friends, and friends of friends.

I lived in Istanbul for 26 years. Sometimes I found myself designing the interiors of a place, sometimes I found myself running a place. I designed a concept place for a while. I opened a business. It was featured in popular magazines and newspapers of the period. Timeout Magazine was selected among the 50 style places. Again, at that time, I became the entertainment manager of a socialite nightclub. Is it over? No. I took the pieces of training of the International Real Estate and Investment company. I worked as an investment consultant to local and foreign funds and corporate companies. In my third year, I became the 2nd real estate consultant in the company with the best turnover nationwide… I organized concept parties occasionally because the attraction of nightlife did not leave me. This led me to venue management and design with the offer I received again. What could I do? I loved the entertainment life, I love people, I love communication. I have accumulated people, which is another thing I do best… My last periods in Istanbul were lively, colorful, and intense.

In my country: There is a good in every bad and a bad in every good, they say. My return from Istanbul to Tire, a town in Izmir, the pearl of the Aegean, was unfortunately like this. After 26 years, I left behind everything, everyone, and everywhere I knew, recognized, and loved; I returned to the town where I spent my childhood and took my first step into my youth.

It has been exactly 6 years now. In these past six years, so many extraordinary things have happened in the world that we have all witnessed … epidemics, migrations, wars, earthquakes, deaths, climate crisis, changing new world order, economic difficulties. So, I would like to ask you:

Which of us has not been affected, which of us has not had our share of these things?

I don’t know what you think but; escaping from the crowded city life and being in lush green nature, embracing the deep blue seas, being able to see the shining stars in the sky at night, growing your fruits and vegetables, making art, taking up hobbies, raising animals and being able to stay a little calm has been such a precious dream in the last period we have been living…I think I am one of the lucky people who made this dream come true.

So much so that since my return to the town where I grew up, I have built a brand-new life for myself with my old and new experiences and the training I have received, without feeling any strangeness and longing.

Here I was getting up one morning and going to the family fields and going to look at the products planted and grown. I was getting up one morning and going to the workplaces in the industrial site. Sometimes I was sailing to business associations with the comfort of being acquainted with our shop neighbors… So, in fact, from the first moment I returned, I was looking around, watching the environment – people, and making a business plan in my head that would turn my town life into an advantage.

I was spending time in the carpenter’s workshop, and iron workshop, doing research. I went to the city and spent time in fabric shops, places that produce and sell raw materials. I coded my mind design-oriented in the markets I explored.

When the time came and I felt ready, I founded my own company. I was going to design furniture, lighting, and decorative products. This job helped me a lot with all the troubles, negativities, struggles, and difficulties and brought me to my dreams that I was late or always postponed.

I met my beloved family again, whom I had been away from for years and even unknowingly alienated from. When I returned from Istanbul, my mother was struggling with dementia. Even though she doesn’t remember me much anymore, I had the opportunity to spend time with her and take care of her, and I do. We said goodbye to my father, whom I lost 2 years ago, perhaps before his death. We spent and still spend very different times with my sister, brother, and nephews. This is what life is all about, isn’t it? The good and bad precious times you spend with your loved ones. That’s why I have no regrets about my return from Istanbul to the Aegean. I am glad I left city life and met with my roots.

Now I am here, on a completely different journey, as a completely different me: I am in my Essence.

And, where are you?

Kamil Cakir

İnstagram: kamilcakirstudio