Exhibition by a young artist bringing Turkish mythology to life

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) Faculty of Arts and Design Visual Communication Department graduate and Social Sciences Institute master's student A. Kaan Şen has come before art lovers with the 'Turkish Mythology Exhibition'. The event, which is the first personal exhibition opened by a student in the faculty, received great interest in the foyer area of the Faculty of Arts and Design.

Prof. Murat Kara, who opened the exhibition, stated that his student Şen transformed the work he started during his undergraduate period into a much more comprehensive project during his master's process. Kara expressed that his student created an impressive work by bringing together different disciplines such as not only digital illustration but also animation, artificial intelligence-supported productions, and three-dimensional modeling.

Kara emphasized the importance of increasing the visibility of heroes and mythological narratives belonging to Turkish culture, stating that young people mostly grew up with Western-centered popular culture characters, but Turkish mythology also contains strong stories and figures. Highlighting that Şen's project brings this cultural heritage together with contemporary visual narration, Kara noted that the work is also an inspiring production example for students.

A. Kaan Şen, speaking about his exhibition, stated that a total of 14 characters are included in the project, and these characters are supported by three-dimensional models, stage designs, and animations. Expressing that he tries to develop original interpretations while preserving the historical texture, Şen mentioned that he reshaped traditional aesthetic elements in character designs with his own imagination.

Pointing out that original works on Turkish mythology are quite limited, Şen stated that he believes this cultural heritage should be transferred to new generations through different forms of narration. The young artist expressed that universes like Marvel and DC have transformed their own cultural elements into powerful narratives, and they want to show that Turkish epics and mythological heroes can create the same impact in the modern visual world.

The 'Turkish Mythology Exhibition' can be visited for two days in the foyer area of MAKÜ Faculty of Arts and Design.