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Art Winds at Muş Alparslan University: Exlibris Workshop Event Held
MUŞ – Muş Alparslan University Technical Sciences Vocational School hosted a comprehensive workshop on Exlibris, one of the long-established branches of the art world. Organized by the Art Platform Art Club, the event provided students with the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practice by meeting with master artists. The Art Platform Art Club, operating within the Handicrafts Department of Muş Alparslan University Technical Sciences Vocational School, organized a meaningful event bringing art lovers together on March 16, 2026. The event, titled "Exlibris Workshop" within the scope of the Uni Des Project, was held with the intense participation of academics and students from the Handicrafts and Graphic Design departments. Engraving artist Mesut Demir, who participated as a guest artist, shared the intricacies of Exlibris and engraving art with the participants. In the presentation, which was conducted together with Art Platform Art Community Academic Advisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulkadir Öznülüer, printing techniques, the historical development of engraving, and the importance of Exlibris art for book lovers were discussed in detail. From Theory to Practice: Linoleum Plates Come to Life
Following the presentation, the event moved to the workshop phase, where students transferred their previously prepared original Exlibris designs onto 15x15 cm linoleum plates. In the application activity, which was conducted under the guidance of artist Mesut Demir and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulkadir Öznülüer, the engraving and etching processes were followed by the printing phase. The closing speech of the event was given by Art Platform Art Club Academic Advisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulkadir Öznülüer, referring to the exceptional place of Exlibris in the art world, noted the following:
"Exlibris is the Most Elegant Document of Ownership in Art"
"Exlibris is not just a seal showing who owns a book; it is the most elegant document of ownership that combines the discipline of graphic design with the permanence of printmaking. Today, together with our students, we once again experienced how valuable the culture of 'original printmaking' is in the digitalized world. This workshop, enriched by the experience of engraving artist Mesut Demir, enabled our students to transform their theoretical knowledge into tangible works of art on linoleum plates. Printmaking has played a critical role throughout history in terms of the democratization and reproducibility of art; Exlibris is the most personal and collectible piece of this great heritage."
Art and Academia Meet with UNIDES Support
The event was realized within the scope of UNIDES (University Culture and Arts Activities Support Program), which aims to revitalize the cultural and artistic climate in universities. Referring to the importance of carrying out the project with this support mechanism, Lecturer Dr. Abdulkadir Öznülüer added the following at the end of his speech:
"The UNIDES program, which encourages the artistic production of university youth, has a great share in the realization of this valuable workshop. I would like to express my gratitude to the UNIDES unit for the support they provided to our project. I would also like to thank our Rector of Muş Alparslan University, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Alican, and our Director of the Technical Sciences Vocational School, Dr. Fatih Şevgin, who provided us with these opportunities with their endless support for art and artists, and all our stakeholders who contributed to the coordination of the project."
Exlibris: The "Small Giant" Works of Printmaking
At the closing of the event, the strategic importance of Exlibris in printmaking was also discussed. Exlibris, which is called the title deed of the book, has a critical place in the hierarchy of printmaking for the following reasons:
Exlibris brings together typography, illustration, and graphic design on a single plane. It elevates technical discipline to the highest level by requiring the artist to both strike an aesthetic balance and convey a message of ownership within a limited space (usually small). It is one of the areas that has contributed most to the survival of traditional methods such as engraving, linoleum printing, and woodblock printing. In the digital world, it represents the inviolability of the "original print" logic and reproducible art. Unlike other printmaking arts, Exlibris creates a living, organic bond between the artist and the art lover because it is designed directly for an individual or institution. In this respect, it is considered one of the artistic materials with the highest collection value. At the end of the event, the workshop was successfully completed with the students receiving prints of the seals and images they designed themselves. It ended after a group commemorative photograph was taken and the resulting works were examined.