There is Art in the Country!

Within the scope of the Eti and Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG) cooperation, 16 young people were determined to be supported this year in the fields of science, culture-art, social responsibility and sports with the 'You are Young, You are the Power' project. Mentorship and grant support will be provided to the winners of the project.

Within the scope of the "You are Young, Power is You" project organized in cooperation with the Eti and Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG), 1742 selected among 16 young people and 4 selected from the field of culture and arts, with the project titled "There is Art in the Countryside", which aims to use and spread the power of plastic arts. We made an interview with Merve Namidar, who is one of the leading role models and is shown as an artist. Namidar stated that it is very exciting to walk under the leadership of Barış Karayazgan in the process where the selected young people will be supported with grants and mentorship.

Let's get to know you a little more! Can you tell us about yourself?

Hello, I'm Merve Namidar. I was born in 2000 in Istanbul. I won the Ceramics and Glass Department of Hacettepe University in 2018. In June 2022, I graduated from my department with the highest average. In the same month, I applied to the Hacettepe University ceramics master's program and was accepted to the thesis master's program by succeeding in the exams. Throughout my undergraduate life, I continued my education with state and association scholarships. I have always felt indebted to this country. My interest in the field of art, art as a result of my observations at a young age; I defined it as “creating something that does not exist.” I followed this dream and built a utopian world. I was disappointed when I realized that I could not concretely create the act of creation. I looked for different branches, but I couldn't give up on the field of art. For this reason, during my high school and undergraduate years, I fought big wars with my family and my environment. I would like to convey my project to every audience in order to stand by the children who are in this war.

What is your dream/goal you want to achieve? Can you tell us about your dream/goal?

“There's Art in the Country!” This project, which I crowned with the title, covers children in kindergarten and primary education who have limited or no access to plastic arts, and who have never heard of this title before. I want to be a light in the lives of children with the project. I want to open new doors to guide children who live in the countryside and whose only dream is to be a doctor or teacher, who build their lives only on earning money due to families and environmental factors, are not allowed to use their endless creativity or do not know how to get this creativity out. With this project, simple art history, works of art, etc. are presented to children studying in the country. I aim to introduce the field of art to children with the help of the expression, and then with a short discussion on what art is, to express what art means to them in different disciplines (provided that they are in plastic arts) with the auxiliary materials they choose, so that they can reveal their endless creativity. With the exhibition to be held at the end of the workshop, I would like to give them the opportunity to open their first exhibition and let them enjoy the texture of this space. I have no doubt that many talented people will be discovered. In this way, I am sure that no matter what field they advance in their lives, art will always exist and that they will not lose their different perspectives even if they reach the age of forty. I want to offer them this opportunity and touch the art.

What do you think makes your dream/story special and different? Can you briefly summarize?

Touching people's lives is the most special thing for me. If the project is realized, it would be a great honor to be a stepping stone on the path that the people involved take to shape their lives. Paying off the debt of loyalty to my country with the project, eliminating social inequalities and giving people an opportunity is what separates my dream from other dreams. I believe that this awareness can be created with the education to be received at a young age so that art can see the value it deserves.