Organized by Erdemir Türkiye’s leading integrated steel producer the Steel and Life Sculpture Competition brings together art and the steel the company has been producing for over half a century; this year’s edition was held under the theme "Infinite Human, Infinite Form." The competition’s awards have now been presented to the winners.

A total of 88 entries from 14 universities across Türkiye were submitted to this year’s competition, which Erdemir organized for the ninth time with the aim of contributing to art education and supporting young talents who will play a role in the development of the art of sculpture.

Human creative power and the limitless transformation of steel

Under this year’s theme, young talents explored human creative power alongside the limitless transformability of steel and the impact of technology on human identity. By combining the new layers offered by the digital age with the physical form of steel, these works demonstrated once again that steel is not merely an industrial product but also a powerful artistic medium.

Following a meticulous evaluation by the competition’s selection committee, 18 of the outstanding entries were awarded prizes, while 21 works were selected for exhibition. Young artists who placed in the competition open to undergraduate and graduate students in the field of sculpture received their awards at a ceremony held in the OYAK Mining Metallurgy Conference and Foyer Area.

18 works were selected for awards, and 21 were deemed worthy of exhibition.

In the competition, Yağız Akdoğan from Anadolu University took first place with his work titled "Oburluk - Gluttony"; Mehmet Türken, also from Anadolu University, placed second with "Lazy Goat - Miskin Keçi," while Selin Varol from the same university came in third with "Upside Down - Altüst."

The works that placed in the 9th Steel and Life Sculpture Competition and were deemed worthy of exhibition will continue to be presented to art lovers in Ereğli, İskenderun, and Divriği, following their display at the OYAK Mining Metallurgy Conference and Foyer Area.

The award winners of the 9th Steel and Life Sculpture Competition are as follows:

First Prize: Yağız Akdoğan

Second Prize: Mehmet Türken

Third Prize: Selin Varol

Jury Special Award:

Raşit Metehan Acehan

Ata Kırgız

Emirhan Özkök

Azra Aysen Şahin

Işıl Afacan

Erdemir Special Award Winners:

Muhammed Enes Yetişkul

Banu Tuğçe Öztopaç

Özden Dursun

Ferhat Taş

Deniz Aydın

Honorable Mention Winners:

İlayda İrem Baratan

Enes Uçar

Vakkas Emre Yılmaz

Güliz Doğan

Umut Berke Özcan

Works Selected for Exhibition:

Ömer Arda Başarır, Bahar Posta, Kerem Tozkoparan, Dilara Yerlikaya, Arda Ege Ağgez, Onur Kaya, Zeliş Yağmur, Feyza Nur Turhan, Efe Yaşar Baysal, Elçin Yaren Çakırlar, Tuba Aydın, Aslı Özaltın, Görkem Karaağaç, Yusuf Demir, Furkan Keskin, Vaha Açık, Sude Naz Ayaz, Mehmet Ali Çetinkaya, Mustafa Demirel, Esra Eylül Kaya, Çağrı Kınık.