The exhibition “Heads” of Disabled Cartoonist Kutay Bilgihan Atabay opens in Fethiye

Fethiye City Council Culture and Arts Working Group is organizing the exhibition titled “Heads” of cartoon artist Kutay Bilgihan Atabay. After a traffic accident in 2010, Atabay, who became 99% disabled, will open the exhibition on Saturday, June 6, at 15:00 at Fethiye Özer Olgun Culture Center Exhibition Hall.

The motto of the exhibition is “If I Can Do It, You Can Do It Too!”

Within the program, after the exhibition opening, at 15:30 in front of the exhibition hall, a talk titled “Cartoon and Mythology” will be held with the participation of the artist.

The exhibition will be open for visitors for two days on June 6-7.

WHO IS KUTAY BİLGİHAN ATABAY?

In its announcement, Fethiye City Council provided the following information about Kutay Bilgihan Atabay:

He was born in 1965. He grew up as the youngest of four brothers. Before starting school, he was introduced to cartoon art with the Akbaba magazine his father brought home; he learned to read and write thanks to the Gırgır magazine read by his elder brothers. After completing his primary, secondary, and high school education in Bandırma, he trained at the Air Force Academy.

Cartoon art held an important place in every period of his life both as production and reading practice. After a traffic accident in 2010, he suffered spinal paralysis and became 99% disabled. However, with the support of his family, friends, and schoolmates, he never broke his connection with life and art.

In 2022, he published a children's storybook entitled Mit Misal Masal with text and illustrations by himself. In 2024, he prepared the cover and inside illustrations for the book Koşar Adım Geç Kalmışlık by poet-writer Serdar Öztürk.

With his artistic works, he participated in three different exhibitions organized by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Disabled Center. Invited by Bandırma Municipality, he held his first solo exhibition at the Tunç Başaran Culture Center. Then, invited by Seferihisar Municipality, he held his second solo exhibition at the Çağan Irmak Culture Center.

Gaining recognition with his children's book “Mit Misal Masal” which he wrote and illustrated, his book cover designs, and solo exhibitions, Atabay recently served as a jury member in the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s “Invisible Disability” International Cartoon Contest.