What is "MammaLiTurki!" ?
"MammaLiTurki!" is a multimedia project by Italian artist Dj Nio where Music, Photography, Video and Graphic Design meet in a unique blend to speak about a different Istanbul, a different Turkey.
"MammaLiTurki!" is a photo-book, a series of records, a documentary and a constant evolving project.
What does "MammaLiTurki!" mean?
โMamma, li Turchi!โ is an old Italian expression and saying that, literally translated means: โMom! The Turks!!โ. Itโs an ancient saying that is still popular in Italy to this day.
It originates back into the Ottoman times during raids of Italian coasts, where young women were kidnapped and where cities were set on fire. The expression โMammaLiTurki!โ represents the fear of the Turks and for the Muslims in general.
How did this project start?
Everything started from terrorist threats and... a mother. "I moved to Istanbul in 2016, at the peak of the bombings and any kind of social tension, probably one of the worst moments in the whole history of Turkey" - Nio explains -, โand my mom was really worried for my own life. But despite all the crazy things that were going on around the country that I chose as a temporary home, I was totally and completely in love with Istanbul and Turkish people. There I was able to find a peace that I lost in my hometown, Genoa (Genova - Cenova).
Thatโs why heโs been taking a lot of photos around and sending them to his mother in Italy to explain to her that life in Turkey was not as bad as many international medias were always repeating all the time everywhere. โDespite of all the terrorists attacksโ - Nio says -, โthe killings, the blood and the crazy situations, even despite being arrested by mistake during the attempted coup, I've been showing a different reality to her and to my family, made by very normal and cool people that are working, eating, sleeping and trying to live peacefully like everyone else on earth. I found a new meaning to the word โresilienceโ thanks to the Turks.
โTurkophobiaโ has deep and ancient roots in my country. With "MammaLiTurki!" I hope to blow this fear away a bit, at leastโ.
