The Works of Painting-Crafts Education Department Students Selected for Exhibition at the 3rd International Student Biennial
Students from the Department of Fine Arts Education, Painting-Crafts Education Program, Graphic Arts Division at Pamukkale University (PAU) Faculty of Education, had their works selected for exhibition in the 3rd International Student Biennial, organized by Istanbul Aydın University under the theme “What’s Next?”
PAU 4th-year undergraduate students Abdulkadir Sarıtaş and Semih Kambur, along with Gizem Eren, a graduate student in the Painting-Crafts Education Program, were among the artists chosen to participate in the biennial, which includes national and international art students. The event is hosted by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Istanbul Aydın University from May 5 to 23, 2025.
Held biennially, the Istanbul Aydın University International Student Biennial offers an interdisciplinary platform for exchange and production for young artists studying art and design. This third edition, themed “What’s Next?”, focuses on the crises of the contemporary world and their potential for transformative change. The exhibition includes workshops, talks, and digital events, providing young artists the opportunity to showcase and develop their work on an international scale.
All artworks and the list of participating artists will be available online at bienal.aydin.edu.tr/en/exhibition from May 5 to 23, 2025.
Exhibited Works and Manifestos
To experience “Töz,” scan the QR code, allow camera access when prompted, hover over the visual, and press the “Start AR” button once loaded.
Exhibition – 2 – What’s Next?
Semih Kambur, Töz, 2024, New Media, Augmented Reality, Digital, 1920×1080 px
Artist Statement: “Stones are not merely inert masses. They carry a memory that exists beyond time and people. By contemplating the silent resistance of stone, one understands their own mortality—and also their creative power.”
Abdulkadir Sarıtaş, The Direction of Fire, 2024, Digital Drawing, 29.7×42 cm
Artist Statement: “Every atom, every tree is part of a grand cycle in which life and death are intertwined. The Direction of Fire merges the rhythm of nature with human intervention. On the fine line between pain and hope, our experiences shape who we are. Change is necessary—but what does it require?”
Gizem Eren, Transformation, 2023, Video Art, 3 minutes 23 seconds
Artist Statement: “Focusing on themes of nature, emotion, and humanity, this video artwork explores the notion of continuous human transformation and the cyclical nature of change.”
Artist Biographies
Abdulkadir Sarıtaş
He began his undergraduate studies in 2021 in the Painting-Crafts Education Department at Pamukkale University. Sarıtaş works in the fields of graphic design, digital drawing, and illustration and serves as a board member of the Renaissance Art Community (RESET) at Pamukkale University. His work Çırçır was exhibited in “Cotton: The Memory of the Object,” organized in collaboration with the Cafer Sadık Abalıoğlu Culture and Education Foundation. His work Rusty Friendships was shown in the CultureCIVIC-supported “A/R/Tographic Living Inquiry Workshop” exhibition. His project “The Digital Reconstruction of Laodicea: Reviving Cultural Heritage Through Artificial Intelligence and Digital Art” is supported by TÜBİTAK 2209-A Student Research Projects Support Program. He continues his studies in the studio of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceren Tekin Karagöz.
Gizem Eren
Born in Ankara in 1990, Gizem Eren graduated top of her class from the Painting-Crafts Teacher Education program at Pamukkale University. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the same department. Eren is a founding member of the Renaissance Art Community (RESET) at PAU. Her works Line and Trace of Water were featured in the “Cotton: The Memory of the Object” exhibition organized in collaboration with the Cafer Sadık Abalıoğlu Culture and Education Foundation. Since 2023, she has been working as a visual arts teacher in Hatay under the Ministry of National Education. Her artistic practice centers on themes of nature, emotion, and humanity. Alongside her individual productions, she continues her academic and artistic work with the aim of contributing to the global art scene.
Semih Kambur
Born in Yalova in 2003, Kambur was admitted to the Painting-Crafts Education Department at Pamukkale University in 2021 and has been continuing his undergraduate education in the Graphic Arts Division. He works with techniques such as digital drawing, 3D modeling, and AI-assisted animation, with a particular focus on new media art. His projects include participation in “Space for Youth: Media Art Competition” by İBB Culture Co. and the “From Sketch to Pixel: Digital Art Exhibition” organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 2024, he was accepted into the “Pixel. New Media Guest Artist Program,” where he received training from internationally recognized new media artists and successfully completed the program. He currently works as a part-time student assistant in the Painting-Crafts Education Department at Pamukkale University and continues his undergraduate studies.