Elhamra, 2023

Sculpture, Craft Research

Elhamra is a traditional Çini studio located at the Greek quarter of Kütahya, right next to the Orthodox Greek Archangel Church (1959-2003). The studio, established in the backyard of an old house, does not make itself noticeable from the outside, despite its huge size and the fact that it has been standing there for 63 years, built on a steep slope, hidden behind high garden walls. Once you enter, you are greeted by labyrinth-like corridors and rooms that have grown organically through additions to meet evolving production needs. This dark and dump space preserves Kütahya’s Çini history and gives the feeling of the times when its story begun. It urges us to envision it as a living museum of the stages and tools of traditional Çini production. Its 2 well-type wood-fired ceramic kilns were built by the only ceramic kiln master of the Republican period for his son, who also devoted himself to the craft. Elhamra allows us to discover the history of Çini production, its relationship with the city, its socio-economic ties and the living conditions of different periods. Most importantly, Elhamra is a story that gives us the pleasure of reading a craft within its context and time.

“Elhamra” is one of the results of the artistic research made by artist Bilal Yilmaz and curator Lydia Chatziiakovou in the context of their joint project Creative-Craft Platform, building Creative Communities and Networks around Crafts.

The artistic research is made with the motivation to analyse the current conditions of Kütahya Çini crafts through a contemporary artistic approach combining a multiplicity of field and bibliographical data with individual narratives.

Commissioned by Pera Museum in the framework of the exhibition “Souvenirs of the Future”, curated by Ulya Soley.

A huge thank you to Mustafa Kerkük, 3rd generation Elhamra Çini master, who shared the story of his family and their studio with us!