Yuksel Guner, one of the doyens of the ceramics community, passed away in Izmir. Guner, who both made important contributions to the sector as a manager and continued to produce art, was one of the building blocks of Turkish ceramics. The funeral of Yuksel Guner, one of the founders of the Turkish Ceramics Society, was buried in the Karacaahmet Cemetery after the noon prayer at Sakirin Mosque on Saturday, August 19th.
Yuksel Guner, one of the first graduates of the State School of Applied Fine Arts Ceramics Department, worked at Yildiz Porcelain Factory when he was a senior at university, and at Canakkale Ceramic Factory in 1961 when he graduated. In 1964, he undertook the establishment and operation of the Floor Tiles Factory, which is the beginning of the current Kalebodur Factories. He left his 35-year senior management positions at Eczacıbasi Headquarters and Holding which he entered in 1966, and retired in 2000. He served as the General Secretary of the Ceramic Manufacturers Association. He took part in the establishment of the Ceramics Vocational School of Istanbul University. He worked as a lecturer at ITU Metallurgy Faculty and Architecture Faculty Industrial Design Department for 14 years. The artist has books titled "Ceramic", which is still used as a textbook in universities, and "Are You Aware", in which he writes his own life story and opinions.
Yuksel Guner, who moved to the Gumusluk town of Bodrum after his retirement, founded the gallery-museum with his wife Turkan Guner, who graduated from the same school, under the name Keramos Art House, where approximately 650 works are exhibited. The artist opened 21 solo exhibitions in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, mostly in Bodrum, and participated in 41 group exhibitions. He chaired the Gumusluk Environmental Protection and Bodrum Art and Culture Association. He continued his works at Keramos Art House with his art background of more than 62 years. In 2019, he moved to Izmir.
