Everywhere in Turkey you will find portraits of Atatürk in shops, offices und tea rooms. The founder of modern Turkey is famous for his radical modernisation of Turkey but also for military dictatorship and censorship. By the Atatürk Protection Law (5816) it is still forbidden to critizise or denigrate his memory, also in art. However, there are a lot of manipulation of photographs, showing Atatürk in a heroical or sternly pose.

The project "Smile Atatürk" sails close to the wind, on the borderline of permitted and forbidden manipulations of portrait photographs of Atatürk. Three of the most popular portraits were transformed from heroic-grim to friendly-smiling: one in a sceptical way, one whimsically, one ensnaring. The website invites all Turks to put a more friendly picture in their rooms, corresponding to the change of their society.

The website offers three photos for download in printable resoulution and collects all other manipulations of pictures of Atatürk, found in the Internet, on bank notes or as tattoos.