By Heidi Trautmann

I went to see the exhibition and when you read my review you will unfortunately no longer be able to see it, as it is open just for 4 days; what a pity for those who are interested in ceramic art work and what amateurs are able to. For the last five years I have been following up the activities of our local Association of Ceramists; they not only have the education of amateurs on their agenda but have been doing regular workshops among the professionals. One workshop some years ago was an invitation to artists of other disciplines to come and try their hand in clay and I was amazed by the energy the artists went about. The current President of the Association is Semral Öztan.

Prizes were given to: Tijen Zeybek, Zehra Bağkur, Erdoğan Baybars;

Mention worthy were the works by: Semra Tahsin, Kezban Dolmacı and Senay Birol

The exhibition was opened by the Head of the Cultural Department Mrs. Nurcan Namsoy and the prizes made of clay in ancient style, were given to the winners and the participants of the Jury.

There were many sculptures with a social or political meaning and relief works to hang on the wall. The works were well done with a courageous and conceptual approach. One of the main themes was birth, pregnancy and the interpretations were manifold. One participant showed me her work and proudly said that it was her very first work she had ever done. Amazing. Of other great importance, I understood, was the process of surface structure and of glazing.

One of the founders and former leader of the association Mr. Hasan Eminağa and his wife,

was also present; they were seven ceramists when they started with the idea to promote the art, today they are over 100, as far as I know. Also Bedia Kale, ceramist herself, who was presiding the association last, was present as ever, to collect material for the cultural department and the Art Magazine Defne.

Right at the entrance to the exhibition, the first ceramic art work displayed was by a young woman who only recently had come to a tragic death. The fact that this young woman would have been with them on this evening,  she was so talented and full of life and looking forward to the exhibition, that the other members of the association and participants in the workshop had been deeply shocked. There was a poster hung on the wall to remember her. What a tragedy for the parents.

We greet her from here, we have seen her work, so well done.

PS: There were altogether 25 participants in the competition.

I want to especially mention the very good photo on the poster.