Turkey: Female Artists Redefine Mosque Artistry Through Skill, Determination
Working several meters up on scaffolding, Aynur Şeker, Nazlı Cezan, and Işık Kahrıman are decorating mosque ceilings and walls with intricate geometric and floral motifs — a task once considered the domain of men.
Their latest project focuses on embellishing the Soyuk Mosque, currently under construction in Karacaören, a neighborhood in Samsun’s Salıpazarı district, according to Anadolu Agency.
Şeker, who began learning the craft in 2014 under the guidance of her husband Emin Şeker, has since participated in decorating over 100 mosques across Turkey, including major cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Manisa, Balıkesir, Isparta, and Antalya. She said the work requires precision, patience, and resilience.
“Every job has challenges, but ours requires exceptional care and patience,” Şeker said. “Setting up and dismantling scaffolding, painting floors, and working at heights is not easy, but women can do this work just as well as men.”
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For Şeker, a turning point came when she gained access to microcredit, a financial program designed to empower low-income entrepreneurs. She explained that this support allowed her to purchase essential supplies — paints, brushes, and materials — which helped improve both the quality and profitability of her work. Şeker added that microcredit offers women “tremendous opportunities for financial independence.”
Her colleague Nazlı Cezan shared a similar story. After separating from her husband in Istanbul, she moved with her two children to Samsun’s Çarşamba district, where she also turned to microcredit to rebuild her life. Cezan said that although starting over was difficult, the craft has become a means to sustain her family and educate her children.
The artisans’ success reflects a broader movement in the country, where women are increasingly entering fields once dominated by men — from construction and transportation to cultural heritage restoration. Programs promoting microfinance and skills training have enabled many to combine economic independence with the preservation of traditional arts.
Source: Agencies
