Gabriel Şahin

I come from an old Syriac family in Mardin, and silver filigree work, telkari, has been part of my family's trade for three generations. On camera I like showing the wire actually being shaped, since photographs of finished pieces rarely explain how they are made. I also guide sessions at Kasimiye Madrasa, a short walk from the workshop, where the courtyard and reflecting pool show a different, quieter side of the old city. I keep my sessions warm and personal, since both places connect directly to my own family's history here.