It was in Cihangir that i first learned Istanbul was not an anonymous multitude of walled-in lives - a jungle of apartments where no one knew who was dead or who was celebrating what - but an archipelago of neighbourhoods in which everyone knew each other.

I consider myself a person who comes from a Muslim culture. In any case, I would not say that I'm an atheist. So I'm a Muslim who associates historical and cultural identification with this religion.

Istanbul is certainly in the process of transforming itself into an attractive cultural, tourist and financial center. But there are also millions of sad stories in this giant sea of immigration, poverty, misery and contradictions. So much anger, frustration and fury.

The snow reminded me of the beauty and mystery of creation, of the essential joy that is life.

Without patience and the skill of a craftsman, even the greatest talent is wasted.

Mankind's greatest error, the biggest deception of the past thousand years is this: to confuse poverty with stupidity.

Try to discover who I am from my choice of words and colors, as attentive people like yourselves might examine footprints to catch a thief.