Artists from across Türkiye are coming together to support Palestinians in need of prosthetics through a charity art auction, in response to the devastating toll of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, which have left over 17,000 Palestinians injured and more than 5,000 children with permanent disabilities due to limb loss.
Spearheaded by renowned painters Ilhami Atalay and Cemal Toy, the auction will feature nearly 200 works donated by 60 established and emerging artists. The event will take place on Friday, April 18, 2025, at 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Instagram via the @cemaltoy account.
Viewers will be able to participate in real-time bidding during the live broadcast. In addition, art lovers who make donations at the recommended value will have the opportunity to acquire artworks ahead of the auction date.
The event is organized in cooperation with the Fatih District Municipality, and all proceeds will go directly to the "Barrier-Free Gaza Prosthetics Production Project" run by the Alliance of International Doctors (AID), which is working to provide prosthetic limbs for amputees in Gaza.
The collection includes a variety of artistic styles and techniques, including paintings, sketches, and works rooted in traditional arts. A highlight of the event will be the live performance series “Lines of Palestine” by Atalay, created during the event itself, capturing both the pain and resistance of the Palestinian people.
“These works are more than just pieces of art – they are documents of history,” said painter Cemal Toy, founder of the Birlikte Sanat Derneği (Art Together Association).
“As artists, it’s impossible to remain silent in the face of such brutality. Through various exhibitions and projects, we have stood against this genocide and tried to offer support through art,” Toy said. “Led by Ilhami Atalay, artists of all generations have created works for this auction that bear witness to the times. Just as Picasso’s Guernica became a universal symbol of wartime destruction, Ilhami Atalay’s Lines of Palestine series stands as a testament to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
