Capturing Belonging: Pinar Yildiz’s Story at Horizons Festival
When photographer and visual artist Pinar moved from Mardin, Turkey, a city bathed in near-constant sunlight, to Manchester’s ever-grey skies, she quickly found her relationship with light, space, and self beginning to shift.
But rather than chase brightness, she turned her lens toward the night, to what she beautifully describes as “a kind of fragmented darkness.” In Manchester, with its illuminated streets and layered shadows, Pinar’s search for light became something more introspective. Her latest work, Between the Lines, explores how we shape and are shaped by the spaces we inhabit, especially in moments of transition, uncertainty, and migration.
“Photography was something familiar, and slowly, that sense of familiarity extended to the spaces around me.”
At the heart of Pinar’s practice is movement, both physical and emotional. She began photographing during long walks through her neighbourhood, often while soothing her colicky baby. What started as a necessity became a ritual of connection: capturing images that gradually transformed unfamiliar corners into recognisable places of belonging.
“Photography was something familiar,” she says. “And slowly, that sense of familiarity extended to the spaces around me.”
“Even if it’s just 10 or 20 seconds, that time becomes part of the image, and part of the presence I leave behind."
In Between the Lines, Pinar uses long-exposure photography to hold moments open. This isn’t the quick click of a shutter, it’s a slow unfolding, an act of witnessing.
“Even if it’s just 10 or 20 seconds, that time becomes part of the image, and part of the presence I leave behind."
This notion of expansive time, time that stretches and holds, runs through all her work. It allows space for reflection, stillness, and a powerful sense of “I was here.”
“It’s about showing up, being visible, and deciding how I want to be seen.”
One of the most poignant aspects of Between the Lines is Pinar’s presence both behind and in front of the camera. Taking on this dual role allowed her to explore identity and visibility in new ways.
“It’s about showing up, being visible, and deciding how I want to be seen,” she explains. “This process made me feel a bit more grounded, like I had a say in how I exist within the space around me.”
"That kind of trust makes a big difference.”
Pinar’s work is part of Horizons Festival 2025, HOME’s annual celebration of sanctuary, solidarity, and stories of migration. For her, being included in Horizons holds deep personal meaning.
“Trying to grow and take root in a new place comes with so many challenges,” she says. “Being part of a space that centres these experiences gives me a way to express my emotions in a language I’m comfortable with. That expression, that solidarity, helps me feel like I belong to this community a little more.”
Despite initial doubts and a hectic schedule, Pinar submitted her application for the Horizons commission on the final day. It’s a decision she’s grateful for.
“Working with Horizons has been a real pleasure,” she shares. “They gave me space to think and create freely. That kind of trust makes a big difference.”
Pinar Yildiz's work is on display as part of Horizons Festival at HOME from Thu 12 - Sun 15 Jun. Don’t miss the chance to experience this moving and quietly powerful photographic installation.
Horizons Festival is co-curated with people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, celebrating the creativity and resilience of sanctuary-seeking communities in Manchester and beyond.
Find out more and get involved here
Pinar Yildiz: Between the Lines
Through new photographic work, Yildiz explores what it means to her work to be made in a different city.
Pinar Yildiz’ Between The Lines Preview
Be the first to see this new photographic work, where Yildiz explores what it means to her work to be made in a different city.
Horizons Festival Afterparty + Networking Event hosted by the Arts & Migration Group
Hosted by the Arts & Migration Group