Yunus Emre's universal values carried through calligraphic arts
ESKİŞEHİR
The Yunus Emre Museum of Calligraphic Arts, founded in 2023 under the aegis of Anadolu University, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the timeless principles of love, tolerance and humanity embodied by the revered Sufi poet Yunus Emre through the universal language of art.
Located in the Historical Odunpazarı Houses District of Eskişehir, the museum boasts an extensive collection in the fields of writing history, calligraphy and graphic design. It functions as an active cultural and artistic center, welcoming visitors from Türkiye and abroad.
The museum presents works that range from traditional Islamic calligraphy to contemporary graphic design, offering curated selections where the beauty of text meets the beauty of expression. By channeling the spirit of Yunus Emre, the museum establishes a holistic identity that merges artistic and spiritual depth.
Dr. Mehtap Uygungöz, head of the Graphic Arts Department at Anadolu University's Faculty of Fine Arts and director of the museum, told Anadolu Agency that they aim to carry Yunus Emre's messages of peace and compassion into the future through the art of writing.
Highlighting that the museum also offers valuable experience for students of graphic design, Uygungöz said: “Our current exhibition, titled ‘Like a Book,’ consists of typographic works based on letterforms produced by students as part of their coursework. It is an interactive exhibit, allowing visitors to engage with the works by reading and touching them.”
In addition to student projects, the museum also features works by professional artists. Uygungöz noted that in just two years, the museum has hosted five different exhibitions and plans to continue this diversity.
More than 20,000 visitors in two years
Emphasizing the museum’s popularity, particularly due to its location in one of Eskişehir’s most-visited tourist areas, Uygungöz said more than 20,000 people have visited in the past two years.
“Local and international tourists visiting Eskişehir on weekends show great interest in the museum. We’ve also integrated the museum into our university’s ‘Cultural Activities’ curriculum, encouraging students to visit and build a deeper connection with the space,” she added.
The museum’s permanent collection features calligraphy, typography and lettering-based works from both national and international artists.
“Writing is not just a form of communication — it’s also an aesthetic mode of expression. Artists treat letters as design objects, and Yunus Emre’s words add even greater depth to this artistic language,” Uygungöz said.
Stressing the importance of bringing art to the public, she added: “We exhibit the same works both at the university and in the museum in Odunpazarı, eliminating the gap between academia and the general public. Yunus Emre’s words continue to unite people today, and our visitors take great pleasure in engaging with these works.”
Uygungöz also noted that the small booklets currently on display were created by graphic design students over the course of 10 years under the supervision of various instructors and that this curated selection highlights the value placed on student work.
