Tales of Salt Lakes is a book by Turkish photographer Aysegul Dalokay, edited by Ahmet Ertug, which highlights Tuz Gölü, the largest salt lake in Turkey.
Fed by multiple sources from both the surface and underground, but with no outlet to the ocean, the salt lake lives and transforms with the seasons. In summer, the water evaporates almost completely, exposing a thick deposit of salt as far as the eye can see. This is called a salar. When the winter precipitation arrives, the salt dissolves in the water, which returns to its terrestrial bed, which it left a few weeks earlier. Observing Aysegül Dalokay’s images, we discover or rediscover this sublime landscape, made of successive layers: salt, earth, grass, water; white, green, brown, blue. The sky and its complexities are reflected in it. At dawn and dusk, the whole thing takes on pink and orange hues.
This sublime landscape is also a fragile ecosystem, a refuge for flamingos and a key stopover for many migratory birds. Crucial for animals, it is also crucial for humans. And its benefits are numerous. 70% of the salt consumed in Turkey comes from there, making it an undeniable economic asset for the country. It is a vital barrier, a natural rampart against dust storms, responsible for asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses. Without it, the surrounding regions would be uninhabitable. Today, the tragedy of drought threatens it, due in particular to the intensive exploitation of water resources for agriculture.
Between 2023 and 2024, Ayşegül immortalized Lake Tüz through several photographic series. Her sensitive and committed work aims to raise awareness on the beauty of nature surrounding us and the need to protect this unique and vital place. “The view before and after you,” as the author so aptly puts it.
Marine Aubenas
Aysegul Dalokay : Tales of Salt Lake
Karl Grämlich GmbH
Texts written by Rolf Sachsse et Marine Aubenas
Format: 38X27
Number of pages: 117 pages.
