The Motif Of “Eli Belinde” Unites Turkey and Romania

The motif of ‘Eli Belinde’ which is a cultural heritage of Ottoman times was revealed with the collaboration of Istanbul University and Istanbul Dimitrie Cantemir Romen Cultur Center. As a part of the project, Eli Belinde Ceramics Exhibition which has met with art lovers for 3 weeks in the entrance hall of IU Rector Building will be exhibited at the Vezneciler metro station permanently.

The project of ““Eli belinde-Mâini pe șolduri” which was revealed with the collaboration of Istanbul University, Istanbul Dimitrie Cantemir Romen Cultur Center, Bucharest National Art University and Yunus Emre Turkish Culture Center; united Turkish and Roman artists and university students. Eli Belinde Ceramics Exhibition which was prepared as a part of the project, met with art lovers for 3 weeks in the entrance hall of IU Rector Building.

The owner of the project of Eli Belinde, which was directed by IU Rector Advisor and IU Press and Public Relations Director Prof. Dr. Ergün, is Ceramics Artist Yıldız İbram, Project Coordinator is Özlem Özer Tuğal, who is an academic member of Handicrafts at IU Vocational School of Technical Sciences (TBMYO). We talked with Ceramics Artist Yıldız İbram about the project with aimed at introducing common cultural values between Romania and Turkey and bringing art students of both countries together and transferring the motif of “Eli Belinde” aesthetically.

“I Followed the Marks Ottoman Empire Left”

Ceramics Artist Yıldız İbram said that she has been following the marks of Ottoman Empire left since her childhood and added, “It was inevitable that the project that I made was going to be a work which reflected Ottoman-Turkish culture and leave a mark on ceramics. Eli Belinde, is one of the very significant marks that Ottoman culture left in Romania. Carpets and rugs that Ottoman had sent to Romania are still exhibited at very special places. During my childhood, I was very inspired when I had seen them. Then I made a wish that I was going to make something to make it permanent in the future. Actually, this is how the project evolved.”

Yıldız İbram expressed that they have been working together with Özlem Özer Tuğal for the last two years and added, “We had the chance to make this project happen with the contributions of Istanbul University Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmut Ak and Rector Advisor Prof. Dr. Ergün Yolcu. In the project, 11 artists and students from Turkey and 22 artists and students from Romania participated. “

“Eli Belinde is a Symbol of Motherhood and Fertility”

Yıldız İbrahim expressed why they termed the project as “Eli Belinde”: “Eli Belinde is a form that is from neolithic period and is reflected by a lot of statuettes found in digs. It is a motif that is used commonly in our and Romanian culture.” The motif of “Eli Belinde” symbolizes not only motherhood and fertility but also luck, abundance, fortune, happiness and joy.

Yıldız İbrahim, who stated that they had planned to make three dimensional statuettes in the beginning of the project, said that: “In the beginning we thought how three dimensional statuettes are turned into some objects suitable for applying. Every single artist prepared the motif of “Eli Belinde” in a modern way on a plaque. We worked with 30x30 plaques and made a board approximately 12 metre by uniting them. We will apply this board to the metro station of Istanbul University with the supports of Istanbul University.

Yıldız İbrahim, who expressed that the Project of “Eli Belinde” will continue in Romania, stated that: “Our works will be in Romania with the help of Yunus Emre Cultural Centre Bucharest. They prepared an occasion that brings Istanbul University and Bucharest University together. The other part of this project will continue in Romania on 9th -18th May. There can be a totally different project. Brazilian Consul General, attending the opening ceremony of “Eli Belinde” Ceramics Exhibition, implied that they want to make a common project with Istanbul University. We can make an intercollegiate project between Turkey and Brasilia in near future.

“This Was a Nice Cultural Exchange”

IU TMBYO The Department of Hand Arts students who have joined the project said that they had learned team work and had had the opportunity of getting to know new cultures. The students, telling that this project in their cVs will make easier opening a workshop for them, expressed that they feel a pleasure of making permanent works.

The students of Bucharest National Art University said that they were very pleased to unite this common beauty of Turkey and Romania by telling that this project was a nice cultural exchange.

“Eli Belinde” Exhibition, which will be showed during May in Istanbul University, will be showed permanently in Vezneciler Metro Station.

Translated by: Zeynep ÇELEBI, İrem YAŞAR

IU Press and Public Relations Department