This saying by Rumi whispers a simple truth that has echoed through the ages: between selfhood and visibility, there is not a contradiction, but a possible balance. The photographs I took with friends were born from connections I formed with people who chose both to appear as they are and to be as they appear—vibrant, sincere, and full of life. The trust that comes with familiarity carries both freedom and the transparency of a colorful life.I bring together my friends who perform on stage at Cahide, one of Istanbul’s iconic nightlife venues, with both their performative identities and their everyday presence. These portraits bear quiet but powerful witness to the relationship between performance and daily life. Each frame brings Rumi’s call into the present: To appear as you are, and to be as you appear, are both possible, both valid, and both beautiful.These photographs are not only a story of coming together, but also an expression of visibility, representation, and acceptance. This process began with a message I sent to Ahsene, and years later, they embraced me with the same love and trust, as if no time had passed. Every expression, every gesture they carry—whether on stage or in the streets—is already political; already an act of resistance and transformation.I did not seek to explain or define anyone—only to make them visible, as they are. Through this friendship, I was able to see; and because I could see, I could photograph. These images carry the beauty and legitimacy of existing not only on stage, but in every corner of life.The call to “appear as you are” is not a wish in this series—it is a reality. It is a kick against the unhappy lives that try to shape us into what we are not, a fist raised against the forces that dull who we truly are. I am deeply grateful for being embraced with such love. These photographs were made possible through you.