27-year-old Burak Yurdakul, known by the alias “Rakun,” who created wall paintings in many streets of Istanbul, especially in the neighborhoods of Suadiye, Caddebostan, Yeldeğirmeni, Hasanpaşa, and Erenköy in Kadıköy, has passed away.
The news of his death was announced on social media by his artist friend, who goes by the alias “Somon” and also creates wall paintings. A native of Kadıköy and a street artist by heart, Yurdakul stated in an interview with Gazete Kadıköy in 2017 that what he did was not graffiti; he painted on walls. He mentioned that some of his paintings had stories behind them, while others were improvised on the spot.
Rakun, who has been creating wall paintings since age 15, used spray paint and acrylic paint in his works. The artist, who studied at the Painting Department of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, stated in a 2017 interview, “There is much more I want to do in street art.”
