100 WOMEN, 100 WORKS IN THE 100TH YEAR OF THE REPUBLIC

With the “100 Women, 100 Ceramic Works in the 100th Year of the Republic” project conducted by Suleyman Demirel University Ceramic Research and Application Center Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Unal, 100 women from different age and profession groups had the opportunity to experience ceramic art for the first time and produced works. After the completion of the project, a book was prepared that addressed the data obtained.

The “100 Women, 100 Ceramic Works in the 100th Year of the Republic” project, led by Suleyman Demirel University Ceramic Research and Application Center Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Unal, is an original study that encourages women’s participation in the artistic production process. Within the scope of this project, 100 women from different age and profession groups had the opportunity to experience ceramic art for the first time in groups of ten and produced works. Although the participants did not have an artistic background, the works that emerged were an important example of the discovery of creative potential. The project aimed to reinforce the place of women in artistic production today while emphasizing how ceramics has been shaped by women’s labor throughout history.

During the application process, participants were taught traditional and modern ceramic techniques; a wide range of applications were offered, from hand shaping methods to the potter's wheel, from surface decoration techniques to 3D modeling. Women produced works that stood out with functional forms and figurative expressions, and these works were introduced to art lovers in an exhibition held at the end of the project. This process revealed that art can transform individuals not only in a technical sense, but also in terms of developing an aesthetic and creative perspective.

During the project process, participants were determined using the monographic sampling method and implemented applications aimed at the basic stages of ceramic production. The findings show that women primarily tended towards functional forms in the free shaping process, but they also strongly included symbolic and figurative expressions in free-themed works. Especially in the three-dimensional form production process, the tendency towards figurative and abstract expressions drew attention. However, one of the important results of the research was that 52% of women who were introduced to ceramic art for the first time were able to produce works at a level that demonstrated artistic competence. This data indicates that creative potential can exist in individuals regardless of education and experience.

After the completion of the project, a book was prepared that addressed the data obtained and the cultural context of the process. Written by the project manager Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Unal, this book consists of two main sections. In the first section, the pottery culture, one of the oldest production areas in human history, is discussed, especially within the framework of its development in the Anatolian geography. The role played by women's labor in ceramic production throughout history and the socio-cultural meanings of this art are examined from an academic perspective. In the second section, the project process is detailed, and the stages of women's artistic production and the artistic analysis of their works are included.

This book is not only a document of the 100 Women 100 Ceramic Works project, but also an important source on the role of art in social transformation. Encouraging women's participation in production and making artistic expression accessible, this work contributes to new discussions on ceramic art and gender relations.