Mavi Kalem Sosyal Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Derneği Hayata Rengini Kat!
“Women Tell Their Stories”
Women’s Stories Met Art in Hatay
The Women Tell Their Stories project was developed to create a space for women living in Hatay to express their post-earthquake experiences through art after the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake.
Within the scope of MaviKalem’s Women Start Their Own Business project (2023–2024), 82 women were supported to strengthen their economic independence.
Among these women, five volunteers also chose to take part in the Women Tell Their Stories art workshops to express their personal stories through art. The project began with an orientation meeting at the end of January 2025 and concluded with the final workshops in March.
Through painting, collage, and written messages, the women reflected their stories in art. A total of 17 workshops were held, each centered around one of five main themes:
- Who Am I?
- What Happened to Us?
- Under What Conditions Did We Live?
- How Did I Recover?
- What Am I Doing Now?
Most of the women had never painted before. Many were juggling work, housework, childcare, and caregiving responsibilities. Despite their demanding schedules, they made time to express themselves through art. The workshop days and hours were scheduled according to the women’s availability and held at Defne Municipality Cultural Center, close to their neighborhoods.
The workshops became a space for both artistic creation and solidarity. The women experienced the power of producing together, sharing, and becoming visible.
Launched in November 2024, the project took place in Hatay. Women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and life experiences came together under the facilitation of painter and sculptor Meryem Tomak.
The artworks created by the women were showcased at an exhibition held at Cemil Meriç Provincial Public Library in Hatay between June 18–20, 2025. The exhibition, which made the women’s stories, hopes, and recovery process visible through art, was met with great interest by Hatay residents and art lovers.
At the end of the project, a booklet titled Women Tell Their Stories was also published, featuring the women’s artworks and their voices.
The digital version is available via [web page].
Exhibition Opening
The exhibition opening was attended by H.E. Claire Brosnan, the Ambassador of Ireland to Turkey, Tiraje Zeynep Yüregir, Vice President of MaviKalem’s Executive Board, İbrahim Naci Yapar, Mayor of Antakya, along with municipal and cultural institution officials, civil society representatives, and numerous art enthusiasts.
Ambassador Clare Brosnan emphasized how inspiring it was that the women continued to produce and express themselves through art despite all the challenges.
Tiraje Zeynep Yüregir shared how MaviKalem’s work in Hatay, and this project in particular, contributed to the empowerment and visibility of women.
Mayor İbrahim Naci Yapar highlighted the importance of supporting and amplifying women’s voices through art. He closely examined the exhibited works and extended his thanks to the women and the workshop facilitator, Meryem Tomak.
Workshop facilitator and artist Meryem Tomak shared:
“This exhibition was more than a space for painting. It was a meeting point where women carved out breathing space within their lives filled with work, home, children, and caregiving. Women who once said, ‘I can’t even draw a stick figure,’ began to tell their stories with colors and words. These workshops gave us all the chance to see different parts of ourselves. It was a rich and joyful journey shaped by our differences.”
Women’s Reflections on the Workshop and Exhibition
The participants shared that the process was deeply healing and brought them a sense of pride:
Ebru Yoğun:
“Each collage I made in the workshop surprised me. This process is addictive.”
“I’ve been in therapy for a year, but these workshops helped me even more.”
“I’m so glad I came.”
“I was nervous before the exhibition, but both the ambassador and the mayor were so warm that I relaxed. People’s reactions created memories I’ll never forget.”
Burcu Kutlu:
“When I first started, I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do? How will I manage?’ But the workshops were so inspiring. We created space for ourselves, away from the chaos of life. While talking about my paintings during the exhibition, I felt like I was reliving those days and felt proud.”
Şirin Yılmaz:
“You held this workshop at exactly the right time. I was feeling so low mentally. Overwhelmed by work, home, and the children… This workshop gave me breathing room. I didn’t just vent — I transformed what I felt into something real.
I can’t describe what I felt at the exhibition. People I know and don’t know have been calling to congratulate me. I feel so proud.”
Zarife Bilgin:
“I’m a woman trying to do everything, but there’s never enough time. In the workshop, I created a figure pulling back time, and I got so excited — it was exactly how I felt. At first, I felt like I was falling behind, but our teacher motivated me so much that I regained my self-confidence.
The interest shown by the mayor and the audience during the exhibition made me so happy. Young people couldn’t believe I had made those works — and I felt proud of myself too.”
Hüsni Keleş:
“I was really curious about this workshop. I had a feeling it would help me get away from my problems — and it did.
It was the first time I painted, and I was part of an exhibition. When the mayor came over, I didn’t know what to say at first — but then I relaxed. I’m very happy, all my relatives congratulated me.”
Young people who visited the exhibition engaged in conversations with the women and listened to their journeys. They expressed how deeply moved they were by the women’s artistic expression and viewed the artworks with great excitement.
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We thank everyone who supported the Women Tell Their Stories project and exhibition.
Special thanks to H.E. Claire Brosnan and Hande Özden from the Embassy of Ireland;
Defne Municipality; Hatay Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism; Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Directorate of Culture and Social Affairs; Hatay Cemil Meriç Public Library and all their staff.
We wholeheartedly thank the MaviKalem teams in both Hatay and Istanbul who contributed at every stage of the project.
Strong support from local governments was a vital part of this process.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Mayor İbrahim Naci Yapar, Deputy Mayors Salahattin Öztürk and Şükrü Çağlarsu, Antakya Municipality’s Director of Culture and Social Affairs Cengiz Şenkule, Hatay Provincial Culture Director Abdullah Dinç, Deputy Director Ali Ateş, and Hatay Metropolitan Municipality’s Director of Culture and Social Affairs Yasemin Ateş.
Thanks also to Gönül Uğurlu (Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Board Member), Metin Kuseyr (General Secretary), and Mehmet Ali Aycıl (Chair of TÜRSAB Hatay Regional Representation Board) for their contributions.
And a heartfelt thank-you to the artist and sculptor Meryem Tomak, who led the workshops and empowered women to express themselves through art.
Media Coverage
- Cumhuriyet Newspaper: https://l24.im/2Foh
- bianet.org: https://bianet.org/haber/kadinlar-hikayelerini-sanatla-anlatiyor-308472
- Özyurt Newspaper: https://www.ozyurtgazetesi.com/kadinlar-hikayelerini-sanatla-anlatiyor
- Medya Yenigün: https://www.medyayenigun.net/haber/25233999/hayata-rengini-kat-hatayli-kadinlar-sanatla-yaralarini-sariyor
- Özyurt Newspaper (additional): https://www.ozyurtgazetesi.com/hayatli-kadinlardan-anlamli-sergi
- Özyurt Newspaper (Instagram post): https://www.instagram.com/p/DLO4PuwoivU/?img_index=2&igsh=YW8ybmEwa2F2aHRu
- Antakya Newspaper: https://antakyagazetesi.com/kadinlarin-hayat-mucadelesi-sanata-donustu/
- Hatay Ortak Akıl: https://www.hatayortakakil.com/haber/kadinlar-hikyelerini-anlatiyor-665.html
- Hatay Ekspres: https://www.hatayekspres.com/kadinlar-hikayelerini-anlatiyor-sergisi-hatay-da-ziyaretcileriyle-bulustu/148223/
- Anadolu Basın Birliği (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18a9kTTLBz/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Women’s Stories Will Keep Finding Visibility Through Art
The next stop of the Women Tell Their Stories exhibition will be in Ankara.
