The works of a Turkish street artist have become emblematic of the subversive forms of grassroots protest emerging against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-decade rule. The 34-year-old Hikmeti Tabiyeci — a pseudonym meaning “physicist” in Ottoman-era Turkish — draws inevitable comparisons to the British superstar Banksy. “Even the most democratic gatherings are often prohibited,” Hikmeti Tabiyeci remarked in an interview in the capital Ankara. A former political activist, Hikmeti Tabiyeci shot to fame after leaving his career in advertising and devoting himself to art four years ago. Hikmeti Tabiyeci does not exclusively focus on making political statements, often preferring to have mind-bending fun with his work.

Source: The Hindu February 16, 2024 10:57 UTC