I was born and raised in Istanbul. I studied painting at the Mimar Sinan Fine Art University, which has one of the best views of the beautiful Bosphorus and the historical city silhouette in its own backyard. I lived in the Asian side of the city and travelled to the European side across the Bosphorus by ferry, so I was fortunate to experience the beauty the city has to offer every single day. I feel so lucky to have grown up in one of the most magical cities in the world.
The city is a great inspiration for an artist. The history, the people, the culture and, of course, the food! I love that the city is packed with colour, motion, sound and feeling. Some parts of Istanbul are like a colourful Tetris game, with shapes and colours layered over each other. There are also domed shapes and spiked structures that create a pleasing and naturally abstract composition. For me, Istanbul is a really cinematographic city, both visually and emotionally.
The Karaköy district is my favourite part of Istanbul. The street vendors, food carts, bustling ferry stations, narrow alleyways packed with art galleries, restaurants and bars, and of course the Golden Horn waterway. You can take in the beautiful Istanbul skyline while having a Turkish tea and simit [bun] at a café on the banks of the Bosphorus at Karaköy, and watch the seagulls and ferries pass by. You can easily reach the Historical Peninsula and its many famous sites from here – it’s just a short walk over the Galata Bridge. It’s the perfect place to be.
