REPUBLIC POSTER WORKSHOP Exploring the Republic with Graphic Design

At the Republic Poster Workshop, which emphasized the importance of graphic design on Republic Day, children went beyond the familiar Atatürk and Turkish flag drawings and questioned fundamental concepts such as equality, freedom, and rights with their own imaginations, designing original posters based on the slogans they came up with.

Republic Day, held on October 29th, is a holiday where graphic design is heavily used, even if we don't realize it. Celebrated nationally, this holiday distinguishes itself from religious holidays in its emphasis on national values. Its distinct characteristic is the extensive use of images of Atatürk and the Turkish flag in collective memory and public spaces throughout the city. While the colors red and white are associated with the Turkish flag, a painting or photograph of Atatürk, rendered using various techniques, has become a symbol that goes beyond the representation of a ruler and, like Marianne in France, represents the values ​​of the Republic of Turkey.

poster design of Republic Poster Workshop, designed by Hasan Işıklı PhD, October 2025

While Republic Day has been celebrated with greater enthusiasm by the public in recent years due to political and social developments, not only are visual representations limited, but the very concept of the Republic itself has also become hollow. This holiday, the Hi Journey Studio team examined and designed a project for Republic Day from a designer's perspective.

First, let's consider the concept. What was the Republic? How can the abstract concepts representing the Republic be conveyed concretely through visual representations? What expression can graphic design, now known as visual communication design, enable children at the beginning of the learning process to explore these concepts?

While considering content at the beginning of October, our paths crossed with Dr. Gizem Kolbaşı Muyan from Izmir Katip Çelebi University's EU Deep (Jean Monnet Module), where a similar project was underway. We organized a republic poster workshop for 8-12 year-olds (specifically, primary 3 and 4) on October 24-25, 2025, at the Karşıyaka Event Center of BAYETAV Schools and the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life, which received their support.

The children were supported by Dr. Under the guidance of Gizem Kolbaşı Muyan and Hi Journey Studio founder and graphic designer Dr. Hasan Işıklı, they first questioned and discussed the concepts of "What is being a citizen?", "What is equality?", "What is freedom?", and "What is urbanity?" through a role-play. Then, in pairs, they designed posters by visualizing the slogan they came up with using drawing and collage techniques.