Graffiti artist volunteers to heal children’s trauma with colors after Türkiye’s earthquakes

GAZIANTEP, Türkiye (AA) – A volunteer graffiti artist at a tent city in Türkiye’s quake-hit Gaziantep province is healing the trauma of children through art.

Senol Karakaya spends time daily with about 50 children at the tent city in Islahiye after the February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye.

“We’ve come for a volunteer effort to help our children’s mood. Children’s Street is a project that we developed, and we are here to help children paint and color their dreams,” he said in an interview with journalists.

Volunteers plan activities like flying kites, creating sculptures and painting with children in the tent city.

“Colors have a significant impact. Blue, for example, is associated with tranquility, and yellow resembles the child’s light. We also analyze the colors they use and see how terrified they are. Colors are our primary shields, distracting us from the psychological state of the devastation and our worries. Colors serve as a uniting factor in our lives. This type of work allows us to glimpse the light in their eyes,” he said.

Karakaya noted that during the first days, children were afraid of getting out of their tents and that they were afraid of the dark since they experienced the earthquake at 4:17 a.m. local time.

“Because they experienced an earthquake at 4 a.m., as there was no electricity when they went out, it was dark everywhere and there was an environment where people were screaming. That’s why the dark seems so frightening to them. Many witnessed the loss of friends and family and are in psychological ruin,” he said.