Disabled artist opens miniature exhibit at Miniatürk

Miniatürk exhibition venue hosts the first solo exhibition of physically disabled artist Suat Yüksel as a part of the International Day of People with Disability. The exhibition which features miniature models created by Yüksel will stay open until May 22. The exhibition puts the works which Yüksel worked on for two years on display and features the miniature models on landmark building in Istanbul such as the Maiden's Tower, the Kariye Museum, the Yedikule Fortress and historical houses in old districts of Istanbul including Balat.

The artist works with the materials such as wood and ply-wood and says that he does not need a lot of materials while working on his models. He first takes pictures of the building that he will create a model from and chooses the material. "I was always food with crats. I made the kitchen cupboard in our house 10 years ago with a handsaw. Whenever, our house is in need of alteration, I roll up my sleeves," Yüksel said.

The process of making miniature models takes between a week and six months. The artist said that the duration of the creating process changes according to the details of the model. "I love making the miniature models of historical buildings," said Yüksel. "I tour and visit places where historical buildings and artifacts can be found. Whenever, I like something, I take a photo of the building or artifact and try to create a miniature model of it. Sometimes the architecture of a historical building inspires me." Apart from the historical building located in Istanbul, Yüksel is also known with his models of figures belonging to Turkish folklore.