Turkish artist’s exhibition highlighting Gaza genocide opens in London

An art exhibition titled Posters to the Olive Tree of Exile opened in London on Thursday, shedding light on the destruction in Gaza following Israeli attacks that began in October 2023.

The solo exhibition features 20 works by Turkish artist Yusuf Aygec, focusing on themes of memory and witnessing in the aftermath of Israel's genocidal attacks.

Using colored pencil and soft pastel drawings, he said that each work addresses a different theme.

Curated by Samed Karagoz, the exhibition highlights art as an ethical space for witnessing amid an ongoing humanitarian disaster, blending visual works with verses by Mahmoud Darwish, widely regarded as the national poet of Palestine.

Each of Aygec's drawings represents a letter addressed not to an individual, but to the olive tree -- a symbol of endurance and resistance.

Osman Koray Ertas, Turkish ambassador to London, and Turkish lawmaker Rumeysa Kadak were among those attending the opening ceremony of the exhibition, organized by P21 Gallery and Saka Art with support from the Yunus Emre Institute in London.

Speaking to Anadolu, Ertas said the exhibition was deeply meaningful.

Emphasizing the importance of global responses to Israeli attacks, he said Türkiye will continue to stand with Palestinians.

Aygec said the exhibition took about a year to prepare, with roughly 10 months devoted to drawing.

"I combined a painting by Caspar David Friedrich, with Handala (an iconic national symbol of the Palestinian people and resistance) and created a narrative of my own," he said, explaining one of the exhibition's diverse compositions.

The Turkish artist added that he also sought to reflect how Palestinian writers and poets have shown resistance over time.