Interview With Yeliz Zaifoglu: Exploring Femininity, Cypriot Heritage, and LGBTQIA+ Community in 'Given & Found' Exhibition

In an exclusive interview, we sit down with talented photographer Yeliz Zaifoglu to delve into the inspiration behind her upcoming exhibition, 'Given & Found' opening in London at the end of July (find out more here). With a focus on femininity, her Cypriot heritage, and capturing the vibrant LGBTQIA+ community, Yeliz shares her experiences, creative process, and the profound impact of her work. Join us as we explore the intersectionality of identities and the power of photography as a medium for inclusivity and representation.

Yeliz, can you tell us about your upcoming exhibition, 'Given & Found' and what inspired you to explore femininity and your experiences photographing the LGBTQIA+ community?

I like to describe the whole exhibition as a love letter because that’s what it truly feels like. I was able to sit very naturally with my family, friends, and even strangers and simply talk about those intersections we have in common or learn from them. Nothing was hyper-constructed, nor did I really have a plan on what I wanted to do, I just wanted to sit with people that I love or admire and get to know them. As a result, I got some beautiful images, new friends, and a lot of really unique stories. In all honesty, curiosity inspired me.

How do you use photography as a medium to portray your ideas and concepts related to femininity and the expression of 'femme'?

As I shot the series on 35mm & 120mm,  I feel that the tactile quality of film does a lot of the portraying for me. I like to keep the style very basic, using natural light and personal space. That’s when I feel able to have conversations where people can open up on how they feel about the interplay between femininity & masculinity in themselves. If you capture them talking about it in the moment, their being will convey everything else in the image.

As a young LGBTQIA+ creative, how have your personal experiences influenced your photography and artistic vision?

I'm very inspired and driven by curiosity. I love talking and experimenting, especially with other creatives. Genuinely, I’d be nothing without my friends (creatives or not) who continuously inspire and help me in ways they probably don’t realize. 

Could you share some insights into your Cypriot heritage and how it influences your work as a photographer?

At heart, I’m a village girl. My fondest memories are and always will be Cyprus; whether that’s running around our family farm chasing chickens to sitting with my aunties helping them cook for my huge family. I’m at home in the sun and the sea, taking care of my little cousins. I never realized this love for something all too familiar could be something to influence me. It wasn’t until I joined a mentoring program and got paired up with an amazing woman that guided me towards that did this project actually gain momentum. Big up Angeli, love you!

Your exhibition is focused on celebrating London's LGBTQIA+ community. Can you discuss the significance of this community and why it is important to showcase their stories through your photography?

Well, the focus is targeted more toward the London SWANA LGBTQIA+ diaspora, as it’s a wide but underrepresented community that deserves representation. I felt it was important to give them that because I’m also a part of it. From the day I was put into a group chat filled with others exactly like me, it was family vibes. And that’s always maintained, whether I’ve known them for years or seconds. There’s a huge sense of pride in our community about the heritage and the preservation of culture in current generations, so capturing the people practicing that is massively important to me. It’s also important to note that this project equally has a big focus on people from SWANA communities generally, whether they are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community or not. It’s a celebration of culture and the beauty of that traditional visual language.

What does Pride mean to you personally, and how does it inspire your work as an LGBTQIA+ photographer?

Pride to me is quite literally freedom. Who doesn’t want to be free? It’s as simple as that. To live freely is to live authentically and whenever I encounter people that embody that, all I feel is aspiration. What better way to remember that goal than to capture their image, especially on something as prominent as film.

Can you tell us about your involvement with Converse's Proud To Be campaign? 

The Proud to Be campaign is all about celebrating those who are proud to be living life and expressing themselves on their own terms. As a Converse All-Star, I’ve been working with the brand during Pride month on campaign shoots - Converse’s community of LGBTQIA+ employees and allies are at the center of the campaign and collection. Converse is also supporting my first solo exhibition ‘Given & Found’, opening on the 21st of July. It’s been really special to have their support, especially as a young creative when it can be so hard to get a start in the industry. 

In your opinion, how can photography play a role in promoting inclusivity and representation of marginalized communities, such as the LGBTQIA+ community?

I think that photography is one of the most important ways to represent anything, really. We are nothing without observing and we do it so unconsciously that I think we forget how important it is. By capturing different communities, you're putting in that effort to educate, inform and gain exposure to a representation that that person may have never seen before. It’s hugely important in promoting inclusively as it gives you a visual reminder that you can form into anything you want to be. You’re not the first, you won’t be the last and you’ve got a community to feel love in; sometimes it’s just hard to find them when you don’t know what you’re looking for.

Are there any specific challenges you've faced as an emerging photographer, particularly as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and how have you overcome them?

Honestly, my challenge is burning out quickly. I tend to go through things really fast and don’t give myself or the project time to breathe. But this work was my real first attempt at taking things slow and not moving on from something that deserves time and space. Naturally, the industry is hard and competitive but that’s more of a drive to try to make my stamp.

How do you hope your photography will impact viewers and contribute to a more inclusive and diverse representation of femininity, LGBTQIA+ experiences, and cultural heritage in the art world?

I hope someone from my background or similar can see these images and recognize even a small part of themselves in there. They can see how you can grow, what you can grow into and understand that it’s not impossible to go against the grain, especially when you’re from a tiny island with a lot of expectations. Sometimes it’s hard for the older generation to see value in the art world as it’s not traditionally the way to success, but there’s proof out there and maybe for one person this is their proof to explore their creativity and contribute in their own way.

Yeliz Zaifoglu speaks to FIZZY MAG on her upcoming exhibition ‘Given & Found’, her involvement in Converse’s Proud to Be campaign and ongoing All Stars program; a robust, community-focused ecosystem of mentorship, commissions, and funding as Converse aims to create more opportunities for emerging creatives around the world. For more information, visit converse.com.