Shine, Shine!

Here with the expressive strength of a simple line, we see traces of Arif’s youth, when he started out by drawing cartoons. Anyone who’s traveled to Istanbul’s historic district or to smaller Turkish towns, like Ayvalik on the Aegean coast, will no doubt recognize the shoeshiner. While his kit might appear fancy, the expression on his face belies any real success. His companions seem to share the same sense of boredom or forlornness.