''Protesters gathered in front of the burning press vehicle, capturing the chaotic scene''

At the end of May 2013, protests began in Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi Park as an environmental movement against plans to replace the park with a shopping mall. Police intervention and violent suppression ignited a growing wave of dissent. In a very short time, millions of people joined in, and the demonstrations spread to different cities across Turkey, encompassing demands for freedom, lifestyle, justice, and democracy. Gezi became more than just a matter of saving a park; it turned into a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism and oppression.

The protests that started in Gezi Park became a symbol of a turning point in Turkey’s recent history. Shaped by demands for the right to the city, freedom, and democracy, these events brought together diverse segments of society and quickly spread nationwide.

These photographs bear witness to the Gezi process. The images captured in the streets are not only records of individual reactions but also traces of a collective resistance, a shared memory, and the reclaiming of public space. Each frame reveals the spirit of the time, the solidarity that emerged in the shadow of conflict, and the inventive forms of resistance.

Here, art assumes a role beyond aesthetics: to preserve social memory and carry it into the future. The images recorded during Gezi bear witness to an era, emphasizing the importance of remembering and not forgetting by linking the traces of the past with the questions of the future.