Turkish hammam bowls on the ‘world’ showcase

Prof. Dr. Elvan Özkavruk Adanır, Head of Department of Textile and Fashion Design, Izmir University of Economics (IUE) and Asst. Prof. Dr. Duygu Ebru Öngen have created a special collection of 27 hammam bowls designed using fabric pieces. By applying different dyeing techniques, patterns, and hand embroidery, Adanır and Öngen transformed ‘hammam bowls’, one of the symbolic objects of Turkish culture, into works of art. Their collection has been accepted to the “From Lausanne to Beijing International Fiber Art Biennale” to be held in China this December.

THE ONLY PROJECT ACCEPTED FROM TURKEY

The collection titled ‘Hammam Bowls: Water Appealing to the Senses’, which will introduce Turkish hammam culture to hundreds of thousands of international visitors, became the only project from Turkey to be accepted into the biennale, where 110 projects from 53 countries will be exhibited. Prof. Dr. Adanır also made history as the only Turkish designer to be selected for the biennale four times in a row.

“THERE ARE VARIOUS USES IN ANATOLIAN CULTURE”

Providing information about the project, which they completed after nearly five months of work, Prof. Dr. Elvan Özkavruk Adanır, Head of IUE Department of Textile and Fashion Design, said their greatest goal was to promote Turkish culture. Prof. Dr. Adanır stated that they truly enjoyed the process and stated, “Hammam bowls have different uses in Anatolian culture and rituals. For example, the bowls used in bridal and children’s baths can even vary in size. Since hammam culture was widespread, these bowls were treated with great care and importance. Looking back at earlier times, we see that bridal bowls, in particular, were crafted with more attention. That’s why we created 27 different hammam bowls by repurposing fabrics and adding special motifs. The results were truly beautiful.”

“WE REVIEWED THE LITERATURE AND VISITED MUSEUMS”

Stating that they examined a large number of hammam bowls during this process, Prof. Dr. Adanır said, “We visited hammam museums in Eskişehir and Gaziantep. We reviewed the literature and identified motifs. We also benefited from the publications and books collected by Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru. While promoting our culture, we emphasized the importance of water for cleansing and purification. To be included in such a prestigious biennale is a great source of pride and happiness for us.”

“TRADITIONAL PATTERNS WERE ALSO INCLUDED”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Duygu Ebru Öngen from IUE Department of Textile and Fashion Design said, “Each hammam bowl in the project differs in its colors, shading, and embroidery. We used textile materials such as fabrics and metallic threads. With hand embroidery, we created traditional patterns. I have always been fascinated by the hammam bowls used during the Ottoman period. Since 2002, I have carried out many studies on this subject. Our project ‘Hammam Bowls: Water Appealing to the Senses’ has a very strong background.”