I am Gökçen Togay, I was born in Ankara in 1973. I am from North Caucasus origin, I am Circassian. I am married and mother of two children. I can say that my work related to art started from the ages I know myself. Due to my interest in art, I planned to study in this field after high school and respectively: Ankara Advanced Technical Institute Fashion Design Department, Gazi University, Non-formal Education Faculty, Traditional Turkish Handicrafts Teachership, Gazi University, Educational Sciences, Department of Traditional Turkish Handicrafts, M.Sc. I completed my education in these departments. Afterwards, I continued to contribute to my education in the fields of felt, patchwork, jewelry design, marbling and entrepreneurship with the courses I attended again. I received training in making sandals from the masters named Ahmet Sağkaya and Mehmet Kopar. Throughout my career, I have had opportunities to work on different art based subjects: Fashion design work, garment atelier management, Founding Presidency of Handicraft Women's Cooperative, Instructorship at a workshop I organized in a museum in Ankara, workshop trainer in an association in Ankara, art education for kindergarten teachers in a kindergarten at Ankara, and I worked as a fashion design teacher for 7 years at a private collage. I am also a member of the culture, art and education association named "From Tradition to the Future" and the Ankara Circassian Association. Kişisel sergilerim ise: Geleneksel’e Hayat Katan Sergi/Next Level Avm Sergi Salonu-21.09.2018/30.08.2018 Geleneksel Türk El Sanatları Sergisi/B&T Sergi Salonu-27.11.2018/07.01.2019 “Gelenekselin İzinden “ isimli Sergi/İstanbul Anadolu Adalet Sarayı Sergi Salonu-25.03.2019/05.04.2019 “Köklerin sessiz dili” isimli Sergi/İstanbul Ticaret Odası Yeni Cami Hünkar Kasrı-03.09.2019/10.09.2019 İstanbul Hünkar Kasrı’nda, İstanbul Ticaret Odası Yönetim Kurulu’nun katılımıyla açtığım sergim, kurul üyelerinden, yerli ve yabancı sergi ziyaretçilerinden çok ilgi gördü. Yeni sergiler açmak için çalışmalarıma, kadim Türk kültürünün etkileyici geçmişi ve sözsüz dili, kullanılan materyallerin estetik gücünden ilhamla devam etmekteyim. My personal exhibitions are: The Exhibition titled as "Adding Life to the Traditional" / Next Level, Shopping Mall, Exhibition Hall - 21.09.2018 / 30.08.2018 The Exhibition titled as "Traditional Turkish Handicrafts" / B & T Exhibition Hall 27.11.2018 / 07.01.2019 The Exhibition titled as "From the Footsteps of the Traditional" / İstanbul Anatolian Justice Palace Exhibition Hall - 25.03.2019 / 05.04.2019 The exhibition titled as "The Silent Language of the Roots" / İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Yeni Mosque Hünkâr Pavilion 03.09.2019 / 10.09.2019 My exhibition, which I opened in İstanbul Hünkar Pavilion with the participation of the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, received a lot of attention from board members, local and foreign exhibition visitors. I am continuing my work to open new exhibitions by inspiring from the impressive history and the tacit language of the ancient Turkish culture, and the aesthetic power of the used materials. I also participated in four group exhibitions with my art works: Group Exhibition in Necatibey Exhibition Hall with the cooperation of Gazi University, Non-formal Education Faculty and Ministry of Culture. 28.05.2002 / 07.06.2002 Felting Exhibition with cooperation with Ankara Development Agency and ATO - 02.06.2013 / 05.06.2013 8 March International Women's Day Handicrafts Exhibition / Maya College Exhibition Hall - 08.03/2017 / 15.03.2017 8 March International Women's Day Handicrafts Exhibition / Maya College Exhibition Hall - 08.03/2020 / 14.03.2020 I made a 13-episode television program called "One Woman One Life One Art" on BengüTürk TV. In the program, I shared art and my designs. In the fields of our leather forging art and felt art, which is one of our traditional Turkish Handicrafts, I produce works by inspiring from the rich elements of the Turkish culture too, since leather and felt are natural and sustainable materials: Needlework, lace, patchwork, embroidery, rug patterns, knitting weaving, stories are the elements that I frequently use in my art works.
The opening ceremony of ANKAEL WOMEN'S COOPERATIVE and Ankael Atelier, which was established within the scope of TOBB Ankara Women Entrepreneurs Board's Engürü House Project, was held with the participation of Ankara Chamber of Industry President Nurettin Özdebir.
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The motifs and materials used in handicrafts are, according to some, interest, according to others, passion and liking. The problem of the masters is different: To keep the Anatolian handicrafts that have a history of hundreds of years alive, to revive the lines that are about to be erased with new designs… Designers emphasize the need for knowledge in handicraft production, which has gained momentum in recent years. To know the traditions and values of the Anatolian people; making sense of the motifs reflected even on carpets, rugs and prayer rugs and interpreting the colors and feelings that add value to life are forming the basis of this knowledge.
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According to the artist Gökçen Togay, who brought her works together with art lovers at the 'Silent Language of Roots' exhibition at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce New Mosque Hünkar Pavilion, art is a therapy tool. Stating that age is not important for the performance of art and that it can be done until death, Togay said, "Art is a must in order to enjoy life."
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