From the 1960s onwards, Candeğer Furtun has produced ceramic works informed by problematics relating to life, philosophy, history, society and politics, featuring an original approach in terms of both form and material.
Published on the occasion of the artist’s first retrospective exhibition (16/09/2021– 17/04/2022) held at Arter, this book provides a visual and conceptual record of Furtun’s production throughout the years, while granting visibility to the pioneering contributions she made to the art of ceramics as well as the multiple facets of her artistic practice, sustained by an unmediated relationship with the earth. Opening with a curatorial introductory text whereby Selen Ansen broaches the artist’s work under the aegis of the three-year-long preparation process of the exhibition along the concept of “bark”, the book features, in addition to an extensive conversation with the artist by Hanife Ölmez, which sheds light on the experiences that shaped both Furtun’s life and her artistic journey, a text written by Füreya Koral for Furtun in 1994, which is presented to the reader for the very first time in this publication. While a text written by author Latife Tekin specifically for this occasion is followed by an art historical exploration by Deniz Artun, ceramic artists Christie Brown, Phoebe Cummings, Sakine Çil and Yasemin Özcan also provide a written account of their “encounters” with Furtun’s work. Poet Francis Ponge’s “Unfinished
Ode to Mud”, texts by Melike Abasıyanık Kurtiç, Ayda Arel, Gottfried Borrmann and Seyhun Topuz focusing on various periods and layers of Furtun’s production as well as archival photographs reflecting the artist’s educational experiences seminal in her ceramic journey, past exhibitions and production processes in her studio help further broaden the scope of this monography. Designed by Emre Çıkınoğlu, the book also features exhibition and reproduction photographs by Hadiye Cangökçe and flufoto (Barış Aras and Elif Çakırlar).