Organized by Mehmet Nuri Gocen Culture, Art and Education Foundation and Kusadası Municipality, the 8th International Mehmet Nuri Gocen Ceramic Workshop was held in Kusadası between 25th September - 2nd October. Workshop is one of the best repercussions of what can be done thanks to those supporting art such as Gocen Foundation.
ASSOC. PROF. M. CANDAN GUNGOR
Organized by Mehmet Nuri Gocen Culture, Art and Education Foundation and Kusadası Municipality, the 8th International Mehmet Nuri Gocen Ceramic Workshop was held between 25th September - 2nd October with works being held in Pine Bay village and opening and closing exhibitions being held in Kusadası Hilton Old Town. Artists from Greece, Georgia, Italy, Israel, Serbia and Turkey attended the symposium this year.
Workshop's Art Consultant and Curator M. Tuzum evaluated the past symposiums held to this year in the opening ceremony of the event, thanked the Foundation President Naile Gocen Cukurova for her supports and continued his words; "We all speak the same language; fire, clay and ceramic. We share a lot of things on ceramic both from its' culture and its' art. Our artist from Italy Antonio shared the enthusiasm of Italian culture with us. Meanwhile, together with our very important Turkish artist fellows and those professors, associate professors and assistants serving academically, from Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Akdeniz University, Bodrum Sitki Kocman University, Dokuz Eylul University produced, without prioritizing their positions by no means. It's much proud for me... Let's say if all being well, we're planning to hold the workshop twice in a year. All of those in the workshop are very estimable masters. It's a must to convey the knowledge and experience of these masters to youth and develop and spread this branch of art through them. With this awareness Miss Naile is giving her support. For the first time in May this year, we headed on with a group including only the youth. There are also masters in the symposium and obviously some findings that these masters shall produce with these youths and guide them. Actually we always want to learn. This has no age. I've been into ceramics for 60 years but have the chance to learn something even from someone with no interest at all. If I have the opportunity to watch him or her and try to understand him or her I can learn something every year. I mean if you look right from every perspective every second, you can learn something. So we work to learn and produce and are grateful of those who give their support.”
During the workshop, various firing techniques such as raku, obvara, naked raku and luster are applied to unique forms brought forth by each artist with their choice of sludge and technique. In addition, applied ceramic seminars are organized by artists on subjects of their expertise. Along with their technical knowledge and experiences, artists also shared their personal contributions and authentic pursuits on such technique with other participant artists.
Within the context the symposium, daily tours are organized for especially artists coming from abroad to introduce our country's rich cultural heritage. One of the traditional pottery center Karacasu workshops, production technique and firing kilns are introduced in these tours. Another one of the tours are made to ancient city of Ephesus.
Those who attended this year's symposium are; Antonio Buonfiglio, Atilla Cengiz Kilic, Bilgehan Uzuner, Burcu Karabey, Caner Guner, Cho Kyung Il, Emre Aydos, Fatih Karagul, Hu Xiao Peng, Irina Salmina, Kadircan Avci, Kemal Tizgol, Kyung Hun Kong, Leman Kalay, M. Berrin Kayman Karagul, Nato Eristavi, Nuran Yildizer, Oya Uzuner, Pinar Caliskan Gunes, Serap Erdogan, Shamai Sam Gibsh, Tevfik Turen Karagozoglu, Theodora Tsirakoglou, Umit Koyman, Velimir Vukicevic.
In her speech she made in the opening of 8th Mehmet Nuri Gocen Ceramic Workshop, the foundation president Naile Gocen remarked that artists have devotedly brought forth their efforts and underlined as follows: “They beautify the world, play an important role in establishing world peace. I thank all of them for their contributions, so glad we have you.” And Workshop Curator M. Tuzum Kizilcan said “I especially would like to thank a lot to the estimable Gocen family who gathered 18 artists together and provide every opportunity to us. Our power is never enough to do a lot. We need those who believe and trust in our back. Like Miss Naile, like Gocen Foundation...”
Organized according to pandemic rules in Kusadası Hilton Old Town located in the old town of Tabakhaneler where art meets history, artists are presented their deeds of adherence at the end of the closing ceremony of the symposium.
