Godfather of Turkish caricature bids farewell

The creator of characters such as "Avanak Avni" (Gullible Avni), "Kostebek Husnu" (Mole Husnu), "Utanmaz Adam" (Shameless Man), "Vites Husnu" (Gearbox Husnu) and many more was born in 1936 in Silivri, Istanbul. He started his comic career in 1950, working at various daily and weekly magazines and newspapers. He studied at the Istanbul University Arts Academy for three years before quitting and concentrating on becoming a cartoonist.

His cartoon Avanak Avni appeared in Hurriyet daily until the day he died.

He founded the weekly comic magazine "Girgir" in 1972 and made it the third largest selling such magazine in Europe with a circulation of 300,000. The magazine became a center where young and aspiring cartoonists would be educated and learn the tricks of the trade. Generations of cartoonists learned what to do from Aral. Aral’s aim was to make caricatures simple and accessible to people. His humor, principles and work ethic guided generations of Turkish cartoonists.

Girgir, known for copy that was critical of all social ills, was one of the first publications closed after the 1980 military coup and had to face many investigations.

Aral also wrote plays and was involved in the music and movie sectors. His cartoons Koca Yusuf (1966), Direkler Arasi (1967), Bu Sehri Istanbul (1968) and Agustos Bocegi ve Karinca (1971) are considered the beginning of this genre in Turkey.

Cartoonist Salih Memecan, after hearing the sad news, said: "Aral was a revolution in Turkish caricature. He popularized it. Before, it was an art form appreciated by a select few. His magazine Girgir made every child aspire to be a caricaturist."

Author Gani Mujde described Aral’s death as a tragedy for Turkish humor. He said: "What he did will still be remembered 50 or 60 years from now."

Cartoonist Hasan Kacan said: "I am very upset. I feel terrible. I lost my second father. I was wearing my school uniform when Oguz Aral took me in. Since then, he has been father and master to all of us. We all owe him a great debt. We are all trying to be creative with the things he taught us. My greatest satisfaction was when he said he liked what I did and was proud of me. He was not easy to please."

Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) President Orhan Erinc said on Tuesday that Turkish culture and arts had lost a great artist. He noted that Aral had become a legendary figure in Turkish caricature.

Aral suffered a heart attack on Sunday night in Bodrum, where he was spending his holidays. He was taken to the private Bodrum Hospital Intensive Care Unit, but died at 8:30 p.m. on Monday due to complications resulting from the heart attack.

Dr. Erkan Unal confirmed Aral was treated for a heart-attack, but later developed kidney problems and deteriorated rapidly. He noted that Aral smoked three packets of cigarettes a day. Oguz Aral’s brother Tekin Aral, with whom he founded the magazine Girgir, died in 1999, also due to a heart attack. His wish was to be buried next to his brother, said his son Seyitali, adding, "We will adhere to his wishes."