Use of the human face and possibilities of expression in ceramic art in the light of the concept of archetypes in Jung philosophy

Located on lands with a rich cultural heritage in world geography, Anatolia has been home to numerous civilizations. Ceramic production in Anatolia has persisted from the Neolithic Period to the present day through various forms and examples, such as pottery and idols. After the Seljuk and Ottoman eras, traditional ceramic production continued in centers like İznik, Kütahya, and Çanakkale; with the proclamation of the Republic, it evolved into contemporary ceramic art. Within the scope of this qualitative research, beginning from the Republican period to the present, the works of both Turkish ceramic artists and contemporary global ceramic artists have been examined. The study focuses on how these artists address the human face and facial expressions in their contemporary ceramic pieces and, in the context of the archetypes of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung-one of the most influential thinkers in depth psychology-how they interpret form, shape, and meaning through ceramic material. Works by Turkish artists Füreya Koral, Nasip İyem, Ayfer Karamani, Jale Yılmabaşar, Erdinç Bakla, Güngör Güner, Mehmet Tüzüm Kızılcan, Sıdıka Sibel Sevim, Tevfik Türen Karagözoğlu, Deniz Onur Erman, Armağan Ulusoy, Arzu Türk, Orçun İlter, and Toygar Eren are discussed, alongside the use of facial features and expressions in the works of contemporary foreign ceramic artists such as Robert Arneson, Vilma Villaverde, Beverly Mayeri, Penny Bidwell, Jennie McCall, Adina Solomonovich, Sergei Usipov, and Arek Swezed-again examined through the lens of Jungian archetypes. By conducting a detailed analysis of how these artists use the human face and facial expressions to convey emotional states and themes, the works are evaluated according to Jung's four primary archetypes: Shadow, Anima and Animus, Persona, and the Personal Unconscious (Ego), with the aim of providing a resource for researchers interested in this field.