Man’s Best Friend

Dogs are a common character in Arif’s paintings. While it’s probably a “street dog,” this doesn’t mean it’s completely living on his own. In many neighborhoods throughout Turkey’s towns and cities, while a dog may sleep on the street (or in the doorway of a butcher shop), it’s fed and cared for by the locals, and rarely wanders out of its own territory. From their attire, these guys appear to be horse-cart drivers sitting in the teahouse directly across from Arif’s home/hair salon/studio. While one man gestures for a glass of tea, the other pours over a pamphlet (perhaps horse-racing statistics?).