Oy Dağlar

Oy Dağlar means “admiration for the mountains” and is a common theme in several türkü (folk songs). But, far away from any mountain, Oy Dağlar is a prominent street art artist living in Istanbul. Although she does not have a specific repetitive style, one can recognize her vision easily: it is a mix of both naivety and tension. Recently, she did some artworks in the areas of Fındıklı and Elmadağ, close to Taksim square.

Her latest project was about children. However, behind the smiling faces of kids on the walls, the buildings in the area where these kids live are currently being demolished as part of an urban “renovation” program. Oy Dağlar started street art in 2004 after a two weeks visit in London: “I saw some stencils on the street, which I later got to know were by Banksy. I’ve also been very influenced by his Have a nice day stencil, which was used on placards by protesters rallying in Hyde Park against the U.S. occupation of Iraq.”