Levents Heimat

Wir baten euch zur Revision und damit, uns zu schreiben, was sich für euch hinter dem Begriff Heimat verbirgt. Und das hat Levent von Kompaktmannstraße Fotografie getan.


Thinking of home and what it means to you, when was the moment you felt the most far away from it?
January 2012. It's cold, you don't go out much so you start focussing on your inner thoughts. And you start to think about the fact that you are so god damn rooted to some places - just because you were born there. You picture your street on which you were playing during childhood, those communist buildings everywhere, the schoolyard, the huge park including Tabacariei lake and the fucking seaside, where you were swimming and playing frisbee every summer since always. And then you check out the weather outside and realize how far you are, literally, from home.

How did it feel to return after being away for a long/short/intensive time?
Last time I've seen home was May 2011. I have some expectations regarding my future feelings and I think I'll go with the flow when I'll return home, next summer most likely. Before leaving Romania, when I was spending months in Bucharest, once in a while I was visiting Constanta, my home city; for a short time, it felt good, but then boredom was getting in the way so I was returning to Bucharest, a city which is more dynamic, according to my needs back then.

Did you find home somewhere else than the place you grew up already and what makes this place home for you?
Absolutely. Bucharest has been home for me between 1980-1987 and 1998 and forever. I grew up in Constanta, I had my first alcohol highschool parties there, my first girlfriend also there, but when I moved to Bucharest - I felt free. Bucharest was already feeling home because of some beautiful childhood memories. For the following years, Bucharest kicked ass. I've met wonderful people, I've seen the nicest events, we have the nicest buildings, beautiful parks, it feels like the good parts of Berlin if you know where to hang out. Now, Berlin feels home also and I'm pretty sure that these almost 2 years I've spent here will remain on my mind for the rest of my life. For instance, I know that I'll never forget the first place where I lived, nor the good food and parties around Krossenerstr. "Ubi bene, ibi patria" or, as a lady friend of mine was saying, "Home iz where da kat iz". I don't have a cat, yet the statement is true.

People abroad: Do you surround yourself with something that resembles home for you while you’re away?
Not really. I don't even speak my language that much. In general I'm curious and I explore whatever feels new, so sticking to stuff which reminds me of home, pass. I watch some football when my team has a game, but that's it. I speak to my parents on Skype, I speak to some old friends, but most of my social life is Berlin related.

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