The Department of Tourist Guiding at Cappadocia University hosted one of the leading figures of the culture and arts world, Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan. During the visit held at the Oktay Sinanoğlu Conference Hall on our university’s Mustafapaşa Campus, Koçan met with academics and students and shared his insights on art, cultural policies, museology, and the development of contemporary art in Turkey. He also spoke about the Utopia Workshops, which he conducts especially with young people as creative thinking gatherings, emphasizing that these workshops “provide a foundation for intellectual discussions on the ideal society and education model of the future.” These activities, aiming to encourage participants to rethink the relationship between culture, art, and society, were followed with great interest by the students.
Artistic Life and Works
Born in Bayburt in 1946, Hüsamettin Koçan is recognized as one of the prominent representatives of contemporary art in Turkey. Having received his education at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts (today’s Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University), Koçan has carried out many significant projects over the years with his dual identity as both an academic and an artist.
Throughout his career, Koçan has stood out with works centered on painting, cultural heritage, social memory, and the cultural fabric of Anatolia. He has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions, and his works are included in many private collections and museums.
One of Koçan’s most well-known projects is the Baksı Museum, which he founded in his hometown of Bayburt. Bringing together art, local production, and collective memory, this project has received international awards and is regarded as one of Turkey’s most original initiatives in the field of culture and arts. The Utopia Workshops conducted within the scope of the Baksı Museum constitute an important intellectual platform where creative discussions are held with young people, artists, and academics on topics such as the “ideal society,” “ideal education,” and “the future role of culture and art.”
We would like to thank our esteemed professor for his visit to our university.
