Street Artist Semi O.K

By Semi O.K in Istanbul, Turkey for Kartal 100.

More by Semi O.K: Popeye! By Semi O.K – In Kocaeli, Turkey (3 photos)

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STREET ART UTOPIA

2025-07-29 12:45:39

Playful Art By Semiok (8 Photos)

Semiok, born in 1983, is a Turkish street artist who turns urban features into the heart of his art. Active since 1996 and a member of the Dsk and Ok collectives, he uses objects like trees and pipes to create playful and unexpected visuals.

A tree becomes a paintbrush, a pipe becomes a crying face – Semiok’s work transforms overlooked parts of the city into something extraordinary.

Follow Semiok on Instagram

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Street Art of Popeye in the Kocaeli Province, Turkey

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Semiok, born in 1983, is a Turkish street artist who turns urban features into the heart of his art. Active since 1996 and a member of the Dsk and Ok collectives, he uses objects like trees and pipes to create playful and unexpected visuals.

A tree becomes a paintbrush, a pipe becomes a crying face – Semiok’s work transforms overlooked parts of the city into something extraordinary.

Follow Semiok on Instagram

Street Art of Popeye in the Kocaeli Province, Turkey

More favorites by Semi O.K!:

Which one is your favorite?

On Facebook.

On Facebook.

yavaş yavaş türkiye’nin sokakları gökkuşağı rengine bürünüyor. sizce de böyle daha güzel değil mi? #direnmerdiven pic.twitter.com/tKJMIwVPsV

— kerem tekinalp (@verbikerem) August 31, 2013

Ankaranın en küçük merdiveni bile rengarenk.! @direnankara pic.twitter.com/Dl8V6OJJ1f

— özge (@ozgelu) September 1, 2013

Photos from and more info on:

“Locals had reacted strongly after municipality workers painted grey the famous “rainbow” steps, which had been orginally colored by a retired local “to put a smile on people’s faces.” “Take your brush and come,” became a call on social media websites, while thousands used the #resiststeps hashtag on Twitter and Facebook, becoming Twitter’s most trending topic.” – The Lede

“Speaking to Turkish television reporters after the stairs were painted over, Mr. Cetinel pointed out that all of nature — “cats, birds, flowers, mountains” — is brightly colored. “Where does this gray come from?” he asked. “Did we have another Pompeii and got flooded with ash?” – Daily News

“Diyarbakır Sanat Sokağı, Ankara Esat Caddesi’nde bulunan bir merdiven, İstanbul Kızıltoprak tren istasyonunun merdivenleri, Bakırköy’de bir merdiven, Ankara Konuk Sokak, Cihangir ve İzmir’de merdiven gökkuşağı renklerine boyandı.” – Baska Haber

In Istanbul, Turkey. They made a statue to honor a stray cat that used to sit in this position and watch the passers by. I lived there for a few months and they really love their cats (who are everywhere).

Cats in the neighbourhood came to pay their respects to Istanbul’s most famous feline.

One month after its installation the sculpture went missing. A comment from Turkey MP Tuncay Özkan: “They stole the Tombili statue. They are enemies of everything beautiful. All they know is hate, tears and war”. The statue was safely returned a short time later.

It all happened in 2016. The the cat’s name Tombili and the statue was made by the artist Seval Şahin.

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In Istanbul, Turkey. They made a statue to honor a stray cat that used to sit in this position and watch the passers by. I lived there for a few months and they really love their cats (who are everywhere). pic.twitter.com/u1MboJD2l9

— STREET ART UTOPIA 🖼️ (@StreetArtUtopia) March 21, 2022