AYGUN DINCER KIRCA; AN ARTIST WHO PUSHES THE LIMITS OF CERAMIC

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University was Prof. Aygun Dicer Kirca's childhood goal. Today, she serves as the Head of the Ceramics and Glass Department at the institution where she started as a student in 1995. Her artistic works, in her own words, progress in a constant "transformation and deepening”.

FATMA BATUKAN BELGE

Your ceramics journey started in 1995. What led you to ceramics?

“Material” has excited me since childhood. Since I was a child in the 1980s, art supplies sold in stationery stores in the neighborhood were the focus of my attention at that time. When a friend of my father was working for a famous stationery brand, the art supplies he brought to us every time he visited seemed like the best gift in the world to me. Even though I had not yet met clay, I started making three-dimensional works with colored clay during my primary school years. The first series I made was Smurfs characters. These were my artworks that my family proudly displayed in the window of our living room for many years. I mean, my family cared about what I did, and that was really valuable to me.

There were also plastic molds sold in stationery stores. I was preparing plaster, pouring it in and painting it. I was making these on a table in the middle of the house, which my mother had placed on a cloth. My mother never said, "The house gets dirty, don't do it." I gave one of these works to my father as a gift. It remained at my father's workplace for years, and at his bedside from the time he retired until his death.

I saw Mimar Sinan University for the first time during my middle school years when our family went to see the place where my sister would take the university exam. My mother said, "Look, you will study here." So, these tiny memories that remain in one's mind can one day turn into a goal.

Then the high school years started, and as I learned later, our art teacher was a graduate of Mimar Sinan University. He was a difficult person to please.  I drew a turtle shell, it was an elaborate drawing consisting of different motifs. I noticed he liked it. When I was in my senior year, he brought me an application form to enter the Mimar Sinan University talent exams. Since I was born and raised in Istanbul and lived on the European side, I had not considered studying at a different university. However, I did not know which department I wanted to study.

At this point, the Ceramics Department became an ideal field for me where different disciplines were blended. Of course, the fact that there was a Sadi Diren exhibition during the department selection phase and that I visited it also contributed to this…

The story I have told so far may have happened in a similar way in the lives of many people. Some may have continued their lives as more successful artists, or they may have never touched it again, who knows? My motivation to continue was that my family did not say "first do this and then you will become an artist". In the following years, I always received support from my husband regarding my work. In this respect, I am grateful to my nuclear family, both then and now.

Where do you see yourself in your artistic journey?

I see myself in constant transformation and deepening in my art journey. My personal exhibitions such as 'White', 'Watch Carefully!', 'Witnesses of Time' and 'Borders of Ceramics' are important stops on this journey of mine. Each exhibition is not just a theme, but also a dialogue I establish with the audience. My first solo exhibition 'White' in 2008 was the first stage for me; it was like a laboratory of "how to make a personal exhibition". Even though it consisted entirely of porcelain works, the meaning of its name was that I was opening a white, brand new page to my art. I had to be very careful, what was written on that page was permanent, like the ceramic itself. The works consisted of modular compositions of blue-white porcelain versions of the intermediate units (tripods) we call "devil's foot" used in kiln firing. These units were exhibited as part of the historical building. I did not have a work on a pedestal that is expected from ceramic exhibitions, I made an exhibition based on a site-specific arrangement.

Yes, ceramics are generally expected to be displayed on a pedestal…

I will insert this information as an anecdote; in another exhibition, I asked for a dark painted wall to display my works, and the answer I received from the gallery was, "We have arranged a pedestal for you to display your works." How a ceramic work should be exhibited was determined by prejudices.

And the second exhibition in 2013…

The works I exhibited in 'Stare with Care’ started with creating different compositions of the cups displayed in the showcase, which caught my attention in my childhood, in my art proficiency workshop classes in 2006, and turned into composing the random fractures that occurred due to the damage in the kiln atmosphere. When I was a student, people who learned that I was studying in the ceramics department first asked me if I could repair their broken porcelain at home. These works were partly my way of interpreting what was asked of me at that time, in my own way. The works I created with the scraps of the palace porcelain manufacturer in Istanbul were pieces that were broken on the mass production line and never had the chance to meet their users. The work names of the compositions I created with the excitement of the material described the content of the works.

You returned to your roots in your exhibition titled "Witnesses of Time", right?

Yes, in this exhibition in 2017, I produced works that were a little more focused on my roots. Again, there were porcelain units and their shards in my compositions, but this time they were not lonely. There were experiences on them. Like every object that comes into contact with a person, they were witnessing a period of that person. In the works where trinkets were used in addition to tableware, the value of the material was that it was a grandmother's heirloom, but in its display, it referred to the roots of the object; European porcelain figurines standing in the front, motifs from Far Eastern ceramics on the floor…

In terms of materials, I used bricks, one of which is known as a rough ceramic material, representing the village institutes that have important contributions to the education system in Turkey, and the other one, I used lace made of delicate ceramic material, porcelain, as a metaphor for the disappointments my ancestors experienced with migration. Different materials of ceramics came together under the concept of witnesses of time. There was also an informational text next to the works. Thus, the audience not only watched, but also had the opportunity to interpret the work with the clues I gave.

In summary; I define myself as an artist who aims to change the viewer's perspective in every work. This was the case not only in my works, but also in my literary language and in my thesis studies. I want to develop and expand these interactions in the future.

What are the issues you prioritize in your work today? Social issues, internal expressions, criticism of ceramics as a discipline?..

It is important for me to question the boundaries of ceramics as a discipline and to break the traditional patterns in this field. Each work is both an effort to establish a dialogue with the viewer and a reflection of my quest to discover the potential of ceramics. Thus, I can use art as a tool for both individual and social interpretation. Meanwhile, I am also evolving, I am now a different person than Aygun, who started her ceramics adventure in 1995... The things I say tomorrow will be different from today.

According to the technical definition of ceramic, it must be fired. We saw that you did not comply with this principle in your work titled "The Limits of Ceramics". Was the aim to change the game?

My last solo exhibition in 2023, 'Boundaries of Ceramics', did not claim to be a ceramic exhibition, and the word "border" in question was used as a metaphor for the boundaries of ceramics. With different uses of the word border, each work refers to a different social issue, internal expression and criticism of ceramics as a discipline. The viewers can make their own conclusions by following the instructions and thinking about the names of the works such as limited form, limited number, those exceeding the limit, lower limit, upper limit, border. Some of the works are forms produced from clay, while others consist of compositions of already fired ceramic units. I did not do any kiln firing for this exhibition. As an artist, my aim is not to organize a ceramic exhibition, but to produce without turning clay into ceramics…

In connection with the previous question, is it possible to place ceramics in a defined area in the field of contemporary art?

Art is a field without borders. Artists have already been using ceramics as a tool to convey social, cultural and political messages. We see that the art practices that can be done with ceramic material are becoming more diverse day by day, which makes it more than just a material. Each artist redefines this material from their own perspective. In the works I did under the name of limited form, the works I created from clay placed in a certain mold were in the form of classical ceramic vessels. If they were not in this limited form but produced in a free form, they had a chance to be a sculpture. However, when ceramics are mentioned, the first forms that come to mind are these classic silhouettes. “Know your place!” that we see behind the exhibition area of ​​the works is also a criticism of this idea. The name of the work consisting of ceramic units that I exhibited beyond the appropriate framework is "those that exceed the limits". As a result, as I explained in my works; it does not seem possible to put ceramics at the limits in contemporary art, considering its versatility and how it is used by artists.

MSGSU Ceramics Department is one of the first and most important ceramic departments in Turkey. Could you tell us about the qualities of the education provided by your department?

I’m proud to say that, as Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Ceramics and Glass, we are celebrating the 95th anniversary of ceramics education in Turkey as of November this.

One of the most important qualities of our department; having a strong staff that respects tradition and is open to innovation. The harmony of our internal dynamics reflects positively on our students. Our students can directly benefit from the knowledge of all our teachers. For a sustainable education system, each of our teachers specializes in their field of study and aims to train someone who will continue this field in the future. We review our course programs every year and make adjustments as required by the times. Finally, we added the subject of the art proficiency thesis of our academic friend Hande Buyukatli, who passed away due to a sudden illness in 2022, to our program as an elective course under the name "creativity-game interaction in art and design". The instructor assignment of the course changes every semester, and the instructor teaches the course under this title with his own techniques. As a result, experimental studies that improve creativity emerge.

Additionaly, with the closure of our university's Basic Education Department this year, we also had new/old professors who joined our staff. The broad areas of expertise of our academic staff enrich students' views of art by providing them with different perspectives.

In addition to being Turkiye's first and most established ceramics department, our department also provides education as a glass department, thus offering a wide range of education to its students. Our education aims to maximize students' creative potential by blending technical knowledge and artistic understanding. We contribute to the academic staff of many universities with our postgraduate education programs. As a result, as MSGSU Ceramics and Glass Department, we strive to raise our students to be effective individuals in the dynamic world of art and design.

What kind of advantages did VitrA Art Studio have under the roof of your school?

Our collaboration, which started with the closure of the Eczacibasi Kartal factory in 2012, completed its 12th anniversary this year. In the article I first described this formation in Seramik Turkiye magazine, I said, "MSGSÜ-Vitra Ceramic Art Workshop, which was created with the cooperation of two leading institutions, one in education and the other in the sector, aims to contribute to their artistic development and expand their perspectives by bringing together university students and ceramic artists."  When we look at today, I see that we have achieved and maintained our goal. Our previous department head Prof. Suleyman Aydan Belen's contribution helped ensure this collaboration. The efforts of all our teaching staff in its sustainability cannot be denied. The mutual benefit we provide through this collaboration contributes most to improving the visions of our students. Sadi Diren's desk, standing in the middle of the workshop, is the working area of ​​artists from home and abroad. Our students have the opportunity to experience new art practices by working with these artists from time to time. Works of artists are also exhibited at certain periods.

Since you are the Head of the Department, you also have an administrative workload; Does it affect your art production?

The name of my school has been mentioned in all the stories I have told since my childhood. I am very pleased to be serving my university and department. Being an artist is a lifestyle. Our hands are constantly in the clay due to classes, and it is very difficult to concentrate on a subject and produce work because we work with process-based material. It is more difficult to be an artist, especially as an academic. This is about the fact that you are trying to make art with the limitations of being a civil servant, independent of the intensity of administrative work. For this reason, I make implicit expressions with my works. The limits are not in ceramics, we cannot call unfired clay ceramic anyway!?

As a teacher, what would be your message to future ceramic artists?

Art is a continuous learning process. Be open to experiences that will add value to your education life, art practice and technical knowledge. This will make you better equipped. Art is a form of personal expression; so feel free to bring your own story and perspective. You can use the potential of art to create social impact by aiming to establish a dialogue with the audience through your works. In ceramics, it is important to go beyond traditional patterns and question the limits of the material. Explore your own creative experiences and interpret ceramics in different ways. Don't be afraid to make mistakes in this process; every mistake is a new learning opportunity. Develop new perspectives and forms of expression by pushing the boundaries of art. Discover beyond the third dimension in ceramics. 

Of course, I would like to add that while you do all this, the changing world conditions and the people you encounter will also have a great impact. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my teachers who contributed to me and my colleagues in the department, whose support I have always felt by my side.