Ayhan Kara, a local, gathers stone and wooden figures that evoke the face of humans and animal forms while wandering around in nature. Having collected 250 "artifacts" in two years, he sets to reveal his extraordinary collection to the world.

With its vast natural beauty, Samandağ province of Turkey's Hatay is full of green forests. Walking in these forests, Kara wants to immortalize the figures he came across in a collection.

"It all started when I realized that are strange figures on the trees. At first, it didn't draw my attention. However, when I came across seven or eight figures a few months later, I photographed them. Then I saw more when I was on vacation abroad. So I photographed them and thought about showcasing them in an exhibition. After that, I went on many nature walks to see more of these figures. I left no stone unturned. I have nearly 100 photographs taken. Various figures surprisingly resemble humans and animals," he said.

All-natural, no touch-ups

Kara, who opened his first exhibition with the photos of figures that he found on tree trunks, said: "I opened my first exhibition in my mountain hut. It drew many local and foreign tourists' attention. After this exhibition, I started to see little figures, especially on the seashore, mountains, and forests. Afterward, I thought to myself I could also bring small pieces together in addition to only photographing."

"Then a number of figures reached about 100. These artifacts are all-natural, with no touch-ups. It is a project in cooperation with nature. Nature gives shape; with some sunlight, soil, and wave, fantastic figures come to life. However, it is very hard to find them. There are thousands of them. You have to carefully assess the ones that have potential among thousands of objects. When you obtain a figure, you complete the missing piece with another figure. Therefore, all we do is connect and separate. I showcased these artifacts under Ayhan Kara Foundation in Hatay and then exhibited them in Germany twice," he added.

Rich collection

"After taking photographs and collecting wooden figures, I started inspecting stones and looking for similar objects. There are also strange figures. Until now, nearly 50 figures came out as one piece from stones. Now, I have 250 artifacts in total, which consists of 100 photographs, 100 collected figures, and 50 stone figures," he said.

Stating that he diligently protects his collection, he ordered a special bag for the figures and took them abroad. "I am thinking about showcasing them in a historic house in Antakya. Then my collection will be all around the world. I am confident in myself and my collection. This collection is a gift from nature, I have faith in it," he said.