2025-2026 Fall
SHINTO MYTH OF CREATION
Scenario
Yomi, a pivotal turning point in Japanese creation mythology, and builds a universe around this event. The foundation of the designed world lies in the instant when the boundary between life and death is drawn for the first time. The central moment of focus is Izanagi sealing the passage between Yomi and the Japanese islands with a massive stone while fleeing the underworld. This act represents not only a physical separation but also the establishment of a cosmic order and the beginning of the cycle of existence.
Within this universe, Yomi is interpreted as a dark, corrupted realm where time and space feel distorted and heavy, embodying a world tainted by death. In contrast, the Japanese islands are envisioned as a realm of continuity, rhythm, and life, reflecting the persistence of nature and creation. The boundary between these two worlds becomes tangible at the sealed passage, which serves as the narrative core of the universe. This threshold represents a point of no return, both spatially and symbolically, defining the irreversible separation of the realms. The verbal confrontation that occurs at this moment establishes the fundamental laws of the universe. Left behind in Yomi, Izanami pronounces her curse, declaring, “Let a thousand people die every day.” In response, Izanagi, having returned to the world of the living, counters with, “Then a thousand children shall be born every day.” Through this exchange, life and death are defined as opposing yet interdependent forces, each sustaining the other within a perpetual cycle. The spatial design of the worlds and the emphasis on thresholds reinforce this cyclical balance throughout the universe. This universe approaches the myth not merely as a historical narrative, but as a living system shaped by space, boundaries, and contrast. The visuals presented on the board aim to emphasize the relationship between Yomi and the Japanese islands, the significance of the sealed passage, and the decisive impact of this moment on the structure of the universe. By translating abstract mythological concepts into a coherent spatial and visual language, the project seeks to reinterpret the creation myth through the lens of world-building and environmental storytelling.
Characters
Designers
Beyza ALKAN, Kerem ÖZTÜRK
THE MOMENT OF CREATION
Scenario
In Turkic mythology, the moment in which Ak Ana commands Ülgen to create marks the conceptual origin of existence rather than a physical act of formation. Creation begins not with matter, but with intention. Emerging from primordial waters, Ak Ana embodies intuition, memory, and cosmic awareness. She does not construct the universe herself; instead, she initiates the condition that makes creation possible. This project focuses on the precise moment when Ak Ana utters the command “create.” With this utterance, latent potential transforms into directed will. Prior to this moment, existence remains undefined and fluid; afterward, creation enters a state of becoming. Ülgen, as the rational and celestial agent, receives this impulse and translates it into structure, order, and form. This division reflects a fundamental duality in Turkic cosmology: intention versus realization.
The character designs are derived directly from this conceptual separation. Ak Ana is represented as a fluid, water-based form with smooth and uninterrupted surfaces, emphasizing her immaterial nature. Facial features are deliberately minimized; the absence of mouth and nose removes physical agency, while the eyes signify awareness rather than expression. Her form dissolves into water at the base, reinforcing her origin from the primordial sea. Ülgen is developed through sharper geometries and more defined surfaces, symbolizing logic and structure. The design process moves from abstract geometric studies to refined character forms, supported by orthographic views and proportional measurements that emphasize clarity and intentional form-making.
Characters
Designers
Defne ÇAĞLAYANIRMAK, Naz GÜNDOĞDU
THE MOMENT OF REBELLION
Scenario
This moment marks the point where Gaia can no longer endure what she carries. The burden is not only physical. Gaia is forced to imprison her own children deep within her body because of Uranos’s fear. The underground is not a separate place—it is Gaia herself. Everything that is suppressed becomes weight within her being.
Over time, this pressure turns into a permanent condition, and Gaia realizes that the suffering is not temporary but built into the order of the universe. What becomes unbearable is not pain itself, but its endless continuation. Silence no longer protects stability; it only sustains oppression. For this reason, Gaia rises from the depths and stands before Uranos. Earth and sky face each other for the first time. This is not yet a battle, and there is no resolution. It is the threshold where endurance transforms into resistance. The order still stands, but it has begun to crack.
Characters
Designers
İdil BOZOĞLU, Bahar TÜZÜN