Soul and body dualism in contemporary ceramic art

Dualism is a concept that signifies the harmony of two opposing and interdependent elements. Translated into Turkish as "ikilik" (duality), "ikileme" (dichotomy), or "ikili denge" (balance of dichotomy), dualism is grounded in the principle of opposition and complementarity frequently observed in nature and the universe. The concept, which is initially explored and defined within a philosophical context, has been adopted and interpreted in various ways across disciplines such as mathematics, physics, psychology, religion, art, and design. In the natural sciences, dualism manifests in phenomena like positive and negative charges, while in the social sciences, it is reflected in the interaction between matter and consciousness or the union of the feminine and masculine. In the fields of art and design, dualism can be explained through the relationship between form and content. In artistic works, form represents the physical and visible structure of the piece, while content embodies the ideas and meanings conveyed through this form. As such, form and content are the foundational elements of duality in art. Ceramic art, while offering significant potential for exploring dualism, remains relatively underexamined within this framework. The flexible and moldable nature of ceramic materials facilitates a strong connection between form, texture, color, and surface qualities, creating a harmonious interplay between form and content. Consequently, duality in ceramic works can be expressed as a cohesive and unified entity. The current study examines the definition and historical development of the concept of dualism. The second chapter focuses on dualism in science, the third chapter explores dualism in art, and the final chapter provides an in-depth analysis of its reflections in ceramic art. The works of artists who consciously incorporate dualism into their creations, as well as those where the concept can be interpreted, are analyzed under the subheadings of Contemporary Ceramic Art sections. Finally, personal ceramic works are presented to interpret the theme of dualism in an applied context. This research aims to contribute to the understanding of dualism in ceramic art by interpreting the unity of body and spirit through the relationship between form and content in artistic creations.