Turkey's First Women's Protest Immortalized in Izmir Metro

The protest actions of women against the increase in bread price in Izmir in 1828 became immortal with the mural. The protest, which was recorded for the first time in the history of Turkey, was painted at Üçyol Metro Station using spray and acrylic paint. President Soyer, We are proud that İzmir has historically been a city of both labor and women. We are striving to maintain these values ​​in every field today," he said.

Turkey's first women's protest was reflected on the walls of the Izmir Metro. The protest of women against the increase in bread price in Izmir in 1828 turned into a wall painting with the slogan “Izmir, the City of Labor”. Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer emphasizing the importance of art in the public sphere in keeping the history of a city alive, “We are proud that İzmir has historically been both a labor and a women's city. We are striving to maintain these values ​​in every field today," he said.

25 thousand people a day will see the mural

Sculptor Esen Kesecioğlu, who works at İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Culture and Art Department Culture and Art Branch Directorate, said, “For the first time, we are making murals in one of the metro stations, Üçyol Metro Station. This wall, with its domed concrete structure, was very suitable for wall painting. This metro station welcomes 25 thousand people daily. They are very concerned with the passengers as they come and go. From now on, we will continue to work at metro stations," he said.

Mural and graffiti artist Ahmet Sedat Tünay, who applied the work, stated that the protest, which is known to last for 3 days, is a meaningful subject for mural work and that similar works will continue.

The design of the work was done by Hakan Başer, an employee of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Culture and Art Department. It was applied to the wall by Başer and Tünay using spray and acrylic paint.

3 days of protest

According to the records of Ahmet Piriştina City Archive and Museum, in 1826, women who reacted strongly to the increase in bread prices occupied the streets for 3 days. At the end of these protest actions, the increase in bread was withdrawn.