Hello, I’m Hazal, an archaeologist and ceramicist, specialising in hand-built forms. I explore the intertwined biographies of objects and humans, drawing on personal experiences and early encounters with artefacts. Continuity, change, and transformation drive my work as I focus on the reciprocal relationship between humans and their material world; how we shape objects, and how they, in turn, shape us.
I primarily work with one of the oldest hand-building techniques: coiling. This technique connects me to ancient traditions while allowing me to reinterpret them in a contemporary way. My pieces are fired at 1050°C or 1240°C, gaining strength and a timeless presence. I often adorn surfaces with patterns that echo fabrics, ornaments, and body decorations, using ornamentation as a visual language of identity. My forms are inspired by prehistoric and contemporary communities of Southwest Asia, honoring their layered cultural heritage. My practice is rooted in domestic life, inspired by still life objects particularly those cherished by the women in my family anchor my work in memory and lived experience.
Clay, with its enduring presence across millennia, embodies gestures and stories that outlast the maker, becoming vessels of memory and bridges between past and present, material and identity. Now, they wait to build new memories with those who will live alongside them.
Commissions are welcome.