Aesthetic and Cultural Approach to the Change in the Making Techniques of Karagoz Figures

Abstract

Karagoz developed as a unique culture in Anatolian lands. Despite many controversies about how Karagoz came into existence, there is a consensus that it emerged in the 16th century. Figures, as cultural objects, have production methods and techniques interwoven with the doctrines of the past. Today, figure-making for different purposes, inherited from the past, is present in Karagoz figure art. The aesthetic reflections, technique, and material harmony of the figures for show purposes must carry the cultural essence of Karagoz. This study examines museum collections and exhibitions, interviews with Karagoz masters, and a data analysis from an academic perspective. Considering these factors, it becomes clear that the training of masters for figure-making art is significant. Long-term training organized by institutions will contribute to this art and might be beneficial for good examples to reach the audience. Transferring the figures to future generations while preserving their cultural essence, making them in a suitable technique, and aesthetic understanding synthesized with modern techniques; will also contribute to the survival of this art.