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To my knowledge there was only one freelance ceramic ar- regardless of title or position the place was cleaned, repa-
tist living in Ankara, Hamiye Çolakoğlu whom I invited to ired and painted and eventually it was tuned into a centre
join the new faculty and start a department of ceramics. of attraction, and became a place of frequent visits from
Convincing her was an ardous work. Finally she gave in all other departments on the campus. It was all thanks to
and accepted the invitation. She immediately activated her the warm personality, talent and ability of Professor Ço-
professional network to meet the necessities of a new de- lakoğlu. The utensils, ovens and materials needed were
partment which was going to be established from scratch. all donations provided by heads of relevant industries,
Her next effort was to form her academic staff. Topping the friends and organisations as a result of personal relations.
list with her, I would like to commemorate late Professor Before admitting our first students for the 1982-83 aca-
Kaya Özsezgin, late Professor Sıtkı Erinç who were among demic year we came together to decide our education
the founding academic staff of the Department of Cera- policies and plans for the future. First we had to define
mics. May they rest in peace. The last but not the least I the role of art in man’s life. After lengthy debates we came
would like to extend my personal thanks to Professor Na- up with the idea that art promotes richness of experien-
zan Sönmez, and the first teaching assistants Yüksel Öcal, ce, help develop personality, and sociability, help search
Berna Orhon and Banu all of whom are no longer with us. the good and the beautiful, help the individual become
Of course, I cannot leave out the present academics who open-minded,and create emotional stability. Therefore
have untiringly been working for the further development we had designed the programs to educate the students so
of their department. I deeply appreciate their efforts and as to help them become spiritually, emotionally and mo-
I would like to congratulate them. The Department is no rally stable artists with independent and rational min-
longer seeking for academic resources but it has become a ds to be able to answer the needs and demands of their
resource in itself. country and get the necessary knowledge for a professi-
Another important problem that needed to be solved was on that would make them satisfied, happy and content.
creating the required space for the sudios and staff rooms, There fore the programs included such topics as aesthtics,
since the faculty had no building of its own and there was history of western thought, sociology of art, philosophy of
no sign of hope to have one. In fact the new century had to art, history of art, as well as studio work. However at this
be waited for the first building of the faculty. The only possi- point I have to express my regrets at the removal of these
bility offered was to discover unused spaces in the building courses from the teaching programs. Despite this failing
of the Faculty of Letters. For the Department of Ceramics point, after having such a trying beginning , it has been a
the space available was an abondoned corridor with a few pleasure to see the thriving of the department in the able
rooms. By the way they were quite lucky when compared hands of young academics.
with, for example the Department of Sculpture which was In 1985 we started with a 3- yearly national conference
obliged to use two landings of staircases. Which was to be on arts in general and published the papers presented,
the Department of Ceramics was covered with cobwebs, thus starting a series of publications on art. To have inter-
window panes were broken, walls were moldy with humi- national ties we became a member of ECUME an organa-
dity. However with the help of everyone, sation of art schools of the Mediterranean
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