REPUBLIC OF SHOPKEEPERS

 

Republic of Shopkeepers is Ali Cabbar’s humorous and observant reflection on the everyday rituals of small shopkeepers in Turkey. Inspired by the familiar scenes of neighborhood tradesmen who extend their presence beyond the limits of their shops—occupying pavements, placing chairs outside, sharing meals, drinking tea, cooking, chatting, and watching the street—the project turns these ordinary gestures into a visual narrative about space, habit, and informal ownership.​

Using playful and symbolic imagery, Cabbar highlights how shopkeepers create their own micro-territories within the public sphere. The traffic cone, transformed into a recurring sculptural and visual element, becomes both a marker of claimed space and a satirical crown of authority. It reflects the invisible boundaries constantly negotiated in daily urban life, where private habits spill into public space.​

Balancing humor with social observation, Republic of Shopkeepers explores the unique culture of street-level commerce and the unwritten rules of coexistence in Turkish cities. The project captures a form of everyday performance—familiar, absurd, and deeply recognizable—where the shop itself becomes an extension of identity, territory, and belonging.