ISTANBUL, April 30 (Xinhua) -- In the quiet galleries of the Pera Museum downtown, daylight fell on handcrafted ceramic plates, highlighting a vibrant world shaped by color, narrative and tradition.
Now on display in the exhibition "Extraordinary Minas" at the museum, these works have drawn renewed attention to Kutahya ceramics and to Minas Avramidis, a master artisan whose legacy is increasingly being reassessed both in Türkiye and abroad. The exhibition also reflects a broader artistic dialogue rooted in centuries-old exchanges between Chinese porcelain and Anatolian ceramic traditions.
Turkish ceramic art historically developed along two major traditions, Iznik and Kutahya, which followed distinct yet complementary paths. While Iznik ceramics were closely associated with the Ottoman court and widely used in mosques and palaces, Kutahya developed as an inland production center in western Anatolia, rooted in local craftsmanship and everyday use.
Born in Kutahya in 1877, Avramidis introduced new thematic elements into traditional ceramics, incorporating mythology, portraiture and Western literary subjects.
Among his best-known works is a series of four plates depicting the European folk tale of Genovefa, exploring themes of faith and loyalty through ceramic form.
"While collectors around the world have long recognized Minas and paid significant sums for his works, he is only now being rediscovered in Türkiye," said ceramic artist Ozlem Camkoz, who conducts postgraduate research on Avramidis.
"This exhibition represents a turning point, not only for Minas but also for the broader appreciation of Kutahya ceramics," she added.
Meanwhile, efforts to promote Kutahya ceramics internationally have gained momentum in recent years. According to the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, training programs held at the Turkish Cultural Center in Frankfurt last year introduced German participants to traditional Kutahya techniques.
Scholars also highlighted the historical connections between Kutahya ceramics and Chinese porcelain traditions.
"Chinese porcelain, through the Silk Road, established a fundamental framework for ceramic aesthetics and techniques across regions," said Zhou Qianwen, director of the Confucius Institute at Bogazici University.
"Kutahya ceramics represent a localized reinterpretation of this tradition within the Anatolian and Ottoman context," Zhou told Xinhua. "While retaining certain principles of color and composition, they also incorporate elements of Islamic art."
She described the interaction as "an aesthetic bridge between East and West," noting that such exchanges enabled ceramic art to develop new meanings across different cultural settings. ■
