İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu With The Eyes
A reproduction of Atatürk's Eyes was gifted to him October 2020.
The one arrested is the one with the bare face. It's extraordinary how easily people wore face nappies when instructed; just following orders. I never did, but I was in the countryside away from the confines of a city.
I remember a politician being arrested and incarcerated when I lived in Istanbul c.1999. He was imprisoned for four months after reciting a poem that compared mosques to barracks, minarets to bayonets and the faithful to an army, which led to his conviction for inciting religious hatred. Today that man is President. Perhaps he set a precedent.
That's a reproduction in the photo. The original canvas is 3m x 1m. There are 6 original Eyes paintings with private collectors, No: 06 is being only one For Sale.
Saturday evening BBC Radio 4 PM news recently reported thousands of people involved in protests.
Protests erupt in Turkey after Erdogan rival arrested
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yren8mxp8o
The front page of The Sunday Times reported 2.2 million people at Maltepe. I painted at Maltepe University in 2005; 20 years ago, when Erdoğan was Prime Minister.
For any English, non-Turkish speakers:
İmamoğlu sounds a bit like 'im-am-or-loo'.
Erdoğan sounds a bit like 'air-dough-an'.
This is a page from a Bambi Cafe brochure c.2002.
https://www.bambicafe.com.tr/
Today’s President is sat top middle. İngiliz Ressam Ned is sat bottom right.
This is Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu at the 97th Gazi Horse Race meeting 25 June 2023 standing with the original painting Atatürk's Eyes No: 06
97th. Gazi Horse Race
https://turkiye2023.substack.com/p/97th-gazi-horse-race
This same original painting went to Japan and back with the Turkish Navy.
The last display of a painting of Atatürk's Eyes was No: 07 at St. Mary's, Redgrave 12/13 October 2024
St. Mary's Church
A prominent Turkish Minister commented on the display at Redgrave, Suffolk.
Your efforts to spread Atatürk's understanding of ‘Peace at Home, Peace in the World’ to the world through your art is a valuable message of peace for humanity in the face of today's global tensions and unrest.
I believe that this mission undertaken by distinguished artists like yourself will find a response in the conscience of communities.
Taking this opportunity, I wholeheartedly support your message of peace and hope it will resonate all over the world. I wish you health, peace and well-being.
“Yurtta baris, dünyada baris icin calisiyoruz.”
“We work for peace at home, peace in the world.”
This was sent to me from the protests. I wonder if the man with the tattoo realises it is an image by an Englishman. Someone probably told him.
Atatürk's Eyes No: 07 is a painting made in Suffolk, England to commemorate 2023.
The current starting price for the only original Eyes available is:
Atatürk's Eyes No: 06: For Sale: £300K
Inquiries can be made at https://turkiye1923-2023.com/contact-us/
-o0o-
As a wag once said,
‘The artist must go very far, so that the ordinary man will go far enough. Arsenal!’
Yurtta Barış Dünyada Barış : Peace At Home, Peace İn The World… if only.
Previous:
https://turkiye2023.substack.com/p/he-said-peace-at-home-peace-in-the