ANKARA
Saving humanity and seeking justice are the common motivations of superheroes but a Turkish street performer -- dubbed “Silver Surfer” by locals -- has another agenda: promoting art in the Turkish capital Ankara.
The story of Ferhat Kilic, 24, a pantomime and live statue performer, started at the age of 13 when he abandoned his home to perform on streets; he wears gray make-up during his performances, hence the nickname "Silver Surfer".
"I bought a portable stereo with the little money I secretly took out of my father's pocket. Later, I bought some paint on credit to cover my face in gray," he said, adding his family had firmly rejected his idealism but he was determined.
Describing himself as one of the very first Turkish artists to perform on streets in this genre, Kilic said he was inspired by the videos he watched on social media platforms as a kid and wanted to contribute to art on Turkish streets.
"It was a great beginning," he said. "In time, I traveled several cities and countries to make a living, produced street performances and took part in various competitions."
"I am always on the streets regardless of the season. I travel from one city to another in Turkey,” he continued. "I’m a free spirit, not limited to boundaries since my childhood."
Kilic noted he did not get an education in fine arts. "I believe art should not be limited to anything,” he said, adding he learned much on the streets but he might study in the future depending on his financial status.
"Even if a single person likes what I am doing, or gets inspired by me, that means I have accomplished my goal," he asserted.
Rejecting stereotypes
Kilic said he rejected all kinds of stereotypes "internalized" by ordinary people. "For me, life is not about finishing school, serving in the military, having a monotonous job, getting married and having children."
He burst into a laugh when he said: “By the way, did I mention that I am married?"
Kilic said he met his wife -- or "Wonder Woman" in his words -- while performing on the streets.
"She is also a street performer, she stands along my side and plays the violin," he said, adding she would no longer perform due to the difficulties of working on streets.
He went on to say that hitchhiking was a significant part of his life. "It not only provides you the opportunities of new experiences, it is also free!" he joked.
Kilic said he had been to Hungary, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria Georgia, France, the Netherlands, Czechia and plenty of other countries to perform.
In one of his hitchhiking adventures, Kilic said he ended up in Canakkale province, western Turkey, and experienced one of the "oddest" incidents in his career.
"So, I started performing following a concert event, hoping to draw attention. Someone among the crowd threw a coin to me. Then the local people, who are not familiar to street performances, started hurling coins at me!" he said, noting that was one of the most "painful" experiences he ever had.
When asked about the most challenging part of his job, Kilic said the cold weather conditions, negative attitude of some people and local security officials were his main concerns.
"It upsets me when some people on the streets criticize me for no obvious reason. I feel alienated when this happens and this is bad for my art, I believe," he said, adding that such ill-treatment was rare.
Re-enacting history
He underlined that he was looking forward to being helped by Turkish authorities on the streets so that he could present a new vision in art and contribute to Turks' perception of art.
He added that his main audience was senior Turkish citizens. "Maybe they remember the good old days when they are watching me; that might be the reason for their affection."
Kilic said almost everyone on the streets loved and respected him when he enacted renowned Turkish figures, such as Seyit Ali Cubuk, also known as Corporal Seyit.
Corporal Seyit is famous for singlehandedly lifting a shell of more than 200 kilograms (440 pounds) into the cannon barrel when the automatic loading crane broke down during the intense fights in Canakkale Battles during World War I.
"When you see the faces approving your work and feel their respect toward you, it is impossible not to get emotional," he said.
Kilic gave a solid answer when asked whether the gray make-up would damage his skin: "Art is worth anything."
Zeynep Surunc, 21, a university student, said she was happy to see Kilic performing in the streets as his work would "broaden the artistic perspective of Turkish people".
"I wish there were more people like him, everybody in the campus adores him. You can see him performing even in the harshest winter conditions, this is truly inspiring," she said.
Hilmi Demir, 57, a taxi driver, said Kilic was respected by people of all ages in the neighborhood.
"Well, I don’t understand much about art, however, it is remarkable that he consistently performs in the streets even when it snows. I see people of all ages applauding him. I do respect that," he asserted.
