Arts Lab 4.0: Month I, Yavuzhan Gumus - A piece of myself

Hey you, I’m Yavuzhan Gumus from Turkiye. I’m a visual art teacher and also a sculptor. It's been a month since I arrived in Târgu Frumos, this town is more beautiful than I could have imagined, it is full of nature and is very peaceful. 

We participated in a lot of activities but my favorites were the events at Sturdza Palace in Miclăușeni and the Human Symposium of Ionela Mihuleac, from Cucuteni. 

At Miclăușeni castle, in the ''Journey to 1900'' event, I got the role of Prince George and I did a ceramic workshop on the topic of the Cucuteni civilization. We needed to diversify our approach because the people didn’t know much about the Cucuteni civilization. So besides ceramic, we had music, and drawing workshops. Non-formal education helps people to remember better and learn faster. Doing a workshop in a castle made me feel a connection with the history of Romania. 

During my first month, I met some very kind people who have always helped me when I needed it, and I discovered Romanian culture and learn about it through its artists. 

I feel that I have all the tools to create my sculptures. I am also in the process of learning how to do modeling with a potter's wheel because until now I have not had access to such a special space to produce ceramics. For me, one of the most important things in my life is to create and leave a piece of myself in every work of art.

Yavuzhan Gumus is doing a long-term volunteering project in our organisation, under Arts Lab 4.0, a project funded by European Solidarity Corps @suntsolidar.eu, a programme of the European Union.