History Served Sweet Sweet Power

Ertuğrul Güngör & Faruk Ertekin

Turkish artist duo Ertuğrul Güngör and Faruk Ertekin work collaboratively across ceramics and tile-based media to explore the dynamic interplay between tradition and contemporary culture. Rooted in the craft heritage of their hometown, Kütahya—renowned for its ceramic production—they merge classical Anatolian motifs with elements from pop culture and literature. Employing a mix of underglaze and overglaze painting, freehand drawing, and sculptural techniques, their works create layered visual narratives that challenge and recontextualize historical forms. Güngör’s expertise in ceramic arts and Ertekin’s background in illustration and digital design enrich their hybrid aesthetic. Together, they push the boundaries of ceramics beyond its perceived fragility, asserting the medium’s potential for resilience, reinvention, and cultural commentary. Their collaborative practice serves as a vibrant platform for dialogue between past and present, craft and concept, material and meaning.