Life is full of surprises. At our exhibition at the Deniz Müzesi (Marine Museum) we received an invitation to Kaþ. It’s a familiar place, to exhibit there was an appealing idea. We were excited. (We-6 people from the academy and our son-make gravuers at the Ayþe Erte Gravuer-Art Workshop since nine years.) We thought this would be a good vacation for us.
Eflatun Art Camp is located 500 meters up in Kaþ as a plateau. Leaving Kaþ down, passing by stone houses, we wondered where we were going. These untouched roads gave us a strange pleasure. We were going to have an adventure-this was certain. We were inside the thousands of scents and colors of nature. Animal sounds carried in the wind, leaves rustling, mixed with the howl of the stone road. How could we know that this road was used by the Lycians thousands years ago and that we’d find ourselves inside history.
When we got to Eflatun, Aydýn Çukurova and the team welcomed us warmly. This place was arranged to a natural confort. While receiving treats, sitting on the pergola under the big tree, Aydýn told us about the location, history and natural beautiesi making a journey plan. And daily, we stuck to the plan. In our long hikes, he told us about the things he learned and discovered like a joyful kid, a responsible teacher, a patiant saint. At nights, as we lied down on cozy pillows and sipped our hot tea, seing photos he took from all over the world, we were enchanted. Kekova, Kaþ, Patara, Kalkan.... We did many kilometers in the Lycian road. We learned the language of the stones and plants. We were happy returning to Eflatun, with beautiful food waiting for us. Speaking of food I should mention; I am a vegeterian and for the first time, in this vacation I could ‘really’ eat. Days went on by fast. When it was time for departure, besides the feeling of fitting all this into five days, we felt sad to leave.
Aydin is a real genteman, a person of wisdom and friendship. We are grateful to him for teaching us again that were Anatolian people.
Leaving Kaþ, we thought about how special it is to be someone from this land, our forgottan values, and how nice it is to be a part of nature, sadly, returning to our dry, dirtied lives.
Gülden Günaydýn,
ggunaydin@ttmail.com
Artist, iST.
Eflatun and Aydýn..
For me, finding Elfatun was like discovering an oasis in a desert. I
had been hiking the Lycian Way for several weeks when I landed upon
this wonderful and welcoming establishment. Discovering the first
English words I had seen in a while, I tentatively walked through the
gate and requested some water and information as to my whereabouts.
The hospitality and warmth were soon overwhelming. I was offered
water, food, and shelter. Aydin truly surpassed all obligations,
allowing me to feel not as a guest, but as a friend.
I decided to return to Eflatun upon completion of my hike. My decision
was easy to make and incredibly rewarding. Relaxing at Eflatun has
been refined to perfection. Enjoying a warm cup of tea beneath the
gorgeous sitting tree is a memory I cherish and keep with me even
today. I enjoyed Aydin's creative stimulation and was even able to
bring some art home to show for it. Of course for me, my greatest
memories were of rising early, practicing yoga, and diving into a
delicious, fresh, traditional Turkish breakfast.
Aydin, you have a special place. Eflatun is far more than just a plot
of land. It is an idea, a belief. Eflatun remains my source of
inspiration and tranquility. I feel so fortunate to have found you.
Michael Schecter
mschecter@gmail.com
Eflatun Art Camp
The art camp that artist Aydýn Çukurova created in the Çukurbað Village of Kaþ-perhaps for himself to begin with. You can’t go without saying ‘I should have a place like this’ when you enter the garden.
From the Kaþ-Antalya road, take the left, after 8 kms you pass Kaþ (or 8 kms before Kaþ, take the right). There is the Aðullu junction. From there, the signs will lead you to the camp. Of course, someone who owns a café in Pýnarbaþý keeps taking down the signs. If you can’t see a sign-from the Pýnarbaþý turn, you take left/south. The rest is easy to find. But, if you have vehicle that’s low, drive carefully. The road is covered with metal-bending stones.
Now there’s the fact we can call an intellectuel seclusion. The creative person, in order to achive his design without any parasites, wants to get away from people, from noise, from anything that might interrupt him. He stays with himself.
There’s a saying; where someone’s freedom begins your’s end. If there’s no one around your’s never end. To be alone is an oppurtunity to increase the artist’s productivity. Someone who won’t even make a sound in the environment could negatively effect this process. Someone else’s being causes an interruption in the thinking process. Once you say ‘footsteps are coming, he’s going to the kitchen perhaps’ it’s over!
Some art genuises-though very passionate lovers- not getting married, may be explained with this arguement. Anyway, Aydýn Çukurova have separeted his time in two. He works on his individual art project in the winter. I leave some relavent details for later. Let me tell about the life at the camp a bit.
Aydýn Çukurova opens up the oppurtunity for accomadation at the camp in the summer. We can call it a sort of a tourism activity. He gives education on ceramics, marbling (ebru), etc. to his guests-in the beginner’s level. The camp has a few rooms. Besides, you can stay at the vaults or tents. There is a terrace to rest in the beautiful garden, hammocks, and the old wooden table which I call the ‘conan table’. The nails used to build the table are also wooden-that’s how old it is. The hall of the stone building is like an outdoor workshop. On top of the hall, at the terrace surrounded by grapevines, you can join the meditation sessions in the morning. Hikes are arranged, for nearby historical locations. Phellos, Kyenai, Patara, Letoon hikes are soem that come to my mind. Wow! Even if you say ‘I wouldn’t want to hike and get tired’, I’d say you should-at least the Eflatun Hill hike. The hill didn’t have a name before. Thanks to Eflatun Art Camp it’s popular, there’s a magnificent view to see Kaþ overhead-the hike is worth it. Especially at the sunset. I only walked this route.
I didn’t take part in any of the art activities I mentioned, either. I ate, and slept. There’s no neccesity to join the camp program. So I enjoyed the 8-10 degrees temprature difference in the village from the Kaþ center, during the hot-as-hell summer season in the Antalya region. But it’s useful to have a jacket for the nights. I was sick when departing-and it was july!
This is how the camp is. Let me tell a bit about Aydýn Çukurova. Sometimes, when you are to talk about art, and there’s an artist there, ones like me who are not artists conversing might be a problem. The problem shows itself like this; the conversation issue ‘art’, hangs and springs like a transperent tray in the air. (excuse me, I can only explain with this metaphor) When this is the case, your jargon that won’t lift up in the air won’t receive any recognition or respect. When you are talking about art with Aydýn Çukurova, you can touch that crystal tray. As a matter of fact, the intimacy you witness with his daily life encourages you to touch that tray. So; this is the same person you’ve just conversed with, about whether to put olive oil on the salad, or whether you should have beer or wine!
you have the chance to see his paintings all around the camp-that were made in a unique method never applied before in art. For now, he won’t say anything about this technique that he calls the ‘transperent method’. He says that he’s hoping to find an apprentice in the future and let him/her know the secret. In these paintings you find the traces of the past of that region. The thousands of years old ruins of the Lycian Civilization, continue their lives in a colorful frame with whatever the technique is. The theme of these paintings are part of a large project titled ‘the living Lycia’. About the project, here’s the link: www.kasartcamp.com.
I mentioned seclusion; though Aydýn Çukurova was positive about my suggestion to visit the camp in the winter-I don’t think I will since I’m concered about his artistic production process. If you find the chance before the summer ends and plan to visit the Antalya region, Eflatun Art Camp may give you a different world where you can forget anything else. I suggest this-not strongly/harshly but rather calmly. No heat, I suggest this with my tranquil mind.
geronimo, 11.08.2006 14:19 ~ 14:21)
Greetings to the Eflatun team!
Bright, simple, natural, funny, kind, good-hearted, high-standart team of Eflatun
I want to thank.
Since I’ve been back to Ýstanbul, telling about my experiences, showing my photos, I feel like I’m telling a tale. How much we’ve fit into a week! I wanted you to know, you have a place in my chest of valuable, nice memories.
The lifestyle you’ve accomplished with Eflatun should be an example to the world.
Greetings and love,
Artist Serap Baþol
serapbasol@superonline.com
Letter to Eflatun
After a long, tiring journey we arrived at Kaþ. Kaþ is a more natural, more influencing plance than any other vacation joints I have seen. Our exhaustion vanished with the owner of Eflatun Art Camp, Aydýn’s warm welcoming. After informing us about the place, we headed to the camp.
The camp is hidden amongst high mountains, in a village that has nothing lost of its nature. The camp Aydýn created with a great care and love is really worth seing. Rooms for art exhibitions, rooms made for guests who enjoy simplicity and naturalness ve the kitchen you may use as you wish make a cozy vacation place. Also, the historical background and the works of artists invited make the place richer. Aydýn, besides his artistic personality, sharing his knowledge, being sincere and natural, helped our days to be more colorful and peaceful. Besides his nature and art loving side, he is a great cook. Especially his basil omelett is delicious! This is beautiful place anyone from any age can go and stay safely. Aydin’s accomplished, beautiful dreams, and most importantly him sharing these dreams with others is worth applauding. For the historical nature hikes, for sharing your art and knowledge with us, for being such a greak host and the lovely conversations I thank you so so much. Stay with love and health. July 2007
Füze SÜMER
A.D.O.B Orchestra Musician
Eflatun is a song;
With it’s flowers, basils, grapevines…
This was a surprise journey to EFLATUN for me, started on the morning of July 16. The camp is a modest place in the Çukurbað village. Nature, art, culture are blended, a group of people all coming from different places (Ýstanbul, Sydney, Eskiþehir) and different backgrounds; a family formed under the grapevines.
Yoga, workshops, culture hikes, plus the sea. No more to say about the activities. Blue and green embracing, besides, the sunset at the Eflatun Hill is something else…
Hammock delight for tiredness, we had conversations in the lightly chilling wind, on the pergola...
No hurries, no crowds, Eflatun Camp is far from stress. The host AYDIN ÇUKUROVA’s positivity makes it a WONDERFUL PLACE.
We had our exhibition, we made culture hikes, examined the historical fibre closely, we swam. .. For new friendships, filled with love, our hearts were sour because of separation we waved goodbye.
We returned home fresh, peaceful, happy with warm, so warm friendships.
Thank you Aydýn Çukurova. You’ve opened your arms for friendship with Eflatun Camp.
To new friendships…Again to friendship…
As our young friend says; MAYBE WE’LL MEET AGAIN, IN THE LAND OF FLOWERS, BASÝLS, GRASSHOPPERS…
21-07-07
NÝMET CÖRÜT, Artist, ESKÝÞEHÝR
nimetcorut@yahoo.com.tr
Back from Eflatun
The idea of going to Kaþ Art Camp came up with my painter friend Nimet Çörüt’s suggestion of an exhibition.
I said I, too have to be there, after visiting Eflatun Camp’s website.
Our journey began with a child’s excitement. Aydýn welcomed us in the entrance of Çukurbað village.
The end of the stone road and our arrival to the Camp… Our natural habitat “EFLATUN”.
A magnificent dilemma and excitement..
Greeting the day with Yoga, distributing peace to all times.
At EFLATUN, Aydýn Çukurova’s positive energy turnes to joy of life, embracing the whole group..
Life at the camp is soo pleasent. Natural village breakfast..
During the day, Lycian hikes through different routes, full of surprises of NATURE and HISTORY…
Then sea pleasure in different bays..
Meanwhile, exchange of energy and harmony amongst other friends at the camp.
The magnificent Kaþ view from the Eflatun Hill...
Kyenai to Kekova and tiny islands..
Fun workshops..
Most importantly, the sense of belonging there together with the sadness of departure.
Already promising to self to spend the next vacation at Eflatun Camp while leaving.
And bringing the habits, the peace and the joy of sharing from Eflatun, back to the city we live in…
I start the day with Yoga. I’m searching for a program to learn..
Aydýn Çukurova, THANK YOU for choosing EFLATUN as the location to live and for opening up the place for us..
“By the way, Sezgi’s distribution of the 2 puddings and the single wafer left to the group, and Gökçe’s ‘washing the dishes delight’-I can’t forget..”
GREETING and LOVE… July 2007
Yurdagül Iþýl
Artist
yurdagulisil@gmail.com
To Eflatun/Aydýn
I spent an unforgettable week at the art camp. Thank you for all your hard work. The show at TRT2 was great-I couldn’t watch but the ones who did told me so. I keep telling my friends about the lovely evening conversations, boat trip, rediscovering Lycia, your coffee surprise. To continue your mission, sharing your experiences and winning new Kaþ lovers-take care of yourself..
Hope to see you again…July 2007
Berna Özcan,
bernaozlem.ozcan@gmail.com