The 16th EMU Art Gathering events organized by Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Directorate in collaboration with EMU Fine Arts Club was held under the project coordination of Club Instructor and Artist Ayhatun Ateşin. Taking place on 3–4 May 2026 with the theme “Produce, Repair, Transform,” the event featured workshops on ceramics and sculpture together with a sculpture firing activity carried out on-site. The program enabled participants to actively experience different stages of creative production.
Bringing together distinguished artists from various artistic disciplines, including Bahar Küçüksu, Evrim Ergün, İbrahim Yıldızbaş, Kaan Canduran, Kadir Sevim, Mert Kılınç, Sinem Akın Kılınç, Vafaollah Alması, and Vedia Okutan Gaydeler, the event offered participants a unique art experience.
“An Important Platform Highlighting the Value of Collective Creativity”
Ayhatun Ateşin, instructor of the EMU Fine Arts Club, stated that art within university life is not merely an aesthetic field, but also a powerful common language that nurtures sharing, experience, solidarity, and cultural memory. Ateşin emphasized that the art gathering serves as an important platform that makes young people’s creativity visible, builds bridges between different disciplines, and highlights the value of collective production and collaboration.
“Artistic Activities Will Continue to Expand and Contribute Lasting Value”
Vice Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Dr. Sonuç Zorlu expressed her gratitude to the participating artists and emphasized that such events bring vibrancy and richness to university life. Prof. Dr. Zorlu stated that artistic activities would continue through courses and practical workshops, allowing a greater number of students to engage in and benefit from creative production processes, while also noting that student-oriented art activities would continue to increase. In her speech, Prof. Dr. Zorlu also thanked Ayhatun Ateşin, instructor of the Fine Arts Club who has dedicated many years to organizing artistic activities on campus. She highlighted that gatherings like this contribute significantly to the enrichment of campus life and support students in discovering and developing their creative abilities. Emphasizing the broader role of art, Prof. Dr. Zorlu described it as a lasting value that strengthens social connections and enriches the cultural memory of the university.
“Various Stages of Artistic Production through Practical Applications were experienced”
As part of the event, participants attending the ceramic and sculpture workshops gained knowledge of basic techniques under the supervision of experienced artists while also having the chance to produce their own unique creations. Through direct interaction with materials, they experienced processes such as shaping, constructing forms, and adding surface details, allowing them to explore different phases of artistic production in a hands-on manner.
“The Artwork Will Be Exhibited at the Open-Air Museum”
The sculpture firing activity organized as part of the EMU Art Gathering provided participants with the unique opportunity to observe the transformation of clay through fire. The sculpture produced and fired during the event will take its place at the Mediterranean Open-Air Museum with the collaboration and logistical contributions of the Lapta-Alsancak-Çamlıbel Municipality. To be positioned among the museum’s archaic sculptures, the artwork will remain as a lasting contribution to the cultural memory and artistic identity of the campus.
Following the event, certificates of participation were presented to the instructors who conducted the workshops and the artists who carried out the firing process by EMU Vice Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Dr. Sonuç Zorlu, and Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Director Cemal Kılıç. The works produced within the scope of the 16th Art Gathering will be available for collection from the EMU Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Directorate in the coming days.
