Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) hosted an exhibition showcasing the marbling (ebru) artworks created by its international students.

The exhibition, which featured works produced in a marbling workshop held as part of the 2025 Samsun International Student Academy project, was organized by the OMU Foundation and supported by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). A total of 70 international students from 20 countries participated in the workshop, and their creations were presented for the appreciation of art lovers.

Academics, students, and art enthusiasts attended the exhibition held at the OMU Faculty of Education Art Gallery.

A Cultural Encounter Through Traditional Turkish Arts

Associate Professor Dr. Selma Karaahmet Balcı, a faculty member of the Department of Art Teaching at the Faculty of Education, expressed her delight at exhibiting the workshop works created with the international students.

Balcı noted that 18 of the participating students exhibited a total of 40 marbling artworks and said:
“All of our works were centered on ebru, one of the traditional Turkish arts. The international students attended the workshop with support from YTB scholarships, and I accompanied them throughout the process. In traditional Turkish arts, it is considered more modest and consistent to highlight the identity of the artwork rather than the artist’s name. Therefore, traditional Turkish artists often do not prominently display their names. In this exhibition, you are viewing the artworks, not the names of the artists.”

International Touches to Marbling Art

Among the workshop participants, Merve Elyasino, a Syrian graduate of the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Department at Selçuk University, said she deeply enjoyed the marbling art and had a wonderful time, expressing her intention to continue working in this area.

Selmana Halilovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a graduate of OMU’s Faculty of Theology, thanked YTB for the opportunities it provided and stated that she quickly learned the art of marbling. She added that she plans to promote the art form when she returns to her home country.

The exhibition will remain open until tomorrow at the OMU Faculty of Education Art Gallery.