Exhibition by the Ceramists
Association at the Atatürk
Cultural Centre
KIMLIK/IDENTITY – A difficult question not only for ceramic artists
By Heidi Trautmann…..
Faces….I and You…..We….Bodies…upside down….the new born out of the old…multifaceted persons. Then….containers and round forms representing the world. A great variety of interpretations around the question who am I, who are we, what is identity.
The question was important enough for our new president Mustafa Akinci who is known for his support of the arts to come for the opening and address the artists and guests with his view. Also Sibel Siber, Speaker of the Parliament joined us to congratulate the artists, and Nilay Tuncalp, Director of the Cultural Department who must be quite busy at the moment with the many cultural events going on.
Semral Öztan, President of the Turkish Cypriot Ceramists Association, opened the exhibition. There is quite some history to look back on and here are two links referring to some of the founder members, i.e. Tomrul Tomgüsehan (born in Lefke in 1945) and Hasan Eminağa (born in Kyrenia in 1948) click here, there were seven in the very beginning, and my interview with Semral not so long ago…click here
The association’s aim is to promote the profession of ceramic art, of pottery. Just imagine, so far, and this is the situation in the 21st century, we have only one pottery in the TRNC. They, the potters, have to fight the cheap ware coming from China and elsewhere; Dizayn 74 is proud to produce ceramic products representing Cyprus, hand made and hand painted. It is also about supporting a craft that is now experiencing a revival in other countries, such as ceramic art in architecture.
This year’s participants were Semral Öztan, Eser Keçeci, Mümine Özdemirağ Yağli, Bedia Kale, Hasan Eminağa, Hasan Işık, Hasan Saydam, Hayal Dimililer, Osman Murabık, Özge Refik Kutsay, Sinem Saydam and Tomrul Tomgüsehan.
Weeks before Bedia Kale had told me that none of the participants had seen each other’s work so for them the exhibition was also a big surprise.
Different techniques were used for the many art pieces, from work on the wheel, hand-building to sculpting. Some of the artists had participated in the Terracotta Symposia over the last two years.
Working wirh clay is one of the oldest crafts and art forms, from bowls and containers for use in household, tiles and decorative arts in the building industry to sculptures and reliefs. It is a big help in psychiatry and education of adults and children which is also an important activity of the association.
To see this review and other art and culture articles visit my website http://www.heiditrautmann.com
