Wonders of waste: Cold metal becomes heartwarming art
A "motorcycle driver" made by Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)


Recycling artist Ali Kotil transforms waste household items and cold metals into heartwarming objects with artistic texture, creating dazzling figures of art.

Kotil, who has been working in the "cold world" of iron and steel for years and cannot bear to throw away objects, creates completely different works by blending materials with scrap metal and wood. Ali Kotil turns scraps into works of art with his creative ideas about recycling.

A race car made by Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)
A robot made by Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)

Kotil's passion for transforming "metal to art," which started with a Morgan automobile, continues with creating a large collection of more than 100 objects.

His collection, which he calls his "children," includes Hollywood's iconic Rambo character, Viking characters with their ships, an owl, a tractor that he created from an idle sewing machine and dozens of other works.

A tank made by Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)
Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, inspects of one his artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)

Saying that he has dealt with metal for many years since he works with go-carts, Kotil said: "I have been working to restore items that I have not used, especially go-carts and parts from repair tools for several years. I like to give a character to all the objects I make from iron and idle items."

Expressing that his passion for the classics and his love of art brought him to this point, "I first started by making a Morgan race car. I didn't think I could do it, but it was beyond my expectations. This motivated me even more," he added.

A Viking ship made by Ali Kotil, an artist who transforms waste household items and metal into artworks, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 29, 2022. (AA Photo)

Kotil gets many offers from people interested in buying his art, but for him, their value is priceless and he doesn't want to sell them.