WSCC to host artist Hale Ekinci for HumanKind workshops, exhibition

West Shore Community College, as part of its HumanKind Series, will host artist Hale Ekinci for a series of workshops and exhibitions titled “Inherited Intelligence: The Memory, the Machine, and the Hand” throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.

Unlike a traditional exhibition in which an artist presents completed works for display, the exhibition will invite community members to become part of the creative process. In addition to showcasing Ekinci’s work, the exhibition will feature collaborative pieces created by community members during three workshops led by Ekinci. All workshops are free and open to the public.

The first community workshop, “ACT 1: The Memory and the Machine,” will take place Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 12:30 p.m. Participants will meet Ekinci in Room 128 of the Arts and Sciences Building on WSCC’s main campus to learn about her creative process and explore how artificial intelligence can be used to transform images from old family photographs.

Participants are encouraged to bring family photographs, either physical or digital, to use during the workshop.

Ekinci is a Turkish-American artist based in Chicago. Born and raised in Türkiye’s Marmara region, one of the earliest areas of the world to industrialize, Ekinci draws on her experiences as an immigrant woman and naturalized American in her artistic practice.

Her work includes mixed-media painting, sculpture and video, often incorporating vibrant colors, bold patterns and autobiographical objects and materials. Blending textile crafts with fine arts traditions, Ekinci explores the construction of identity through folklore, modes of communication and gendered labor.

More information about Ekinci and her work is available at hale-ekinci.com.

“Hale arrives at these important topics by reflecting on them from multiple perspectives,” said WSCC curator Eden Ünlüata-Foley. “As an immigrant woman who became a naturalized American, Hale understands the experience of leaving one country and building a life in another. At the same time, she comes from Türkiye, a country shaped by centuries of migration and one that continues to welcome large numbers of immigrants.

“That dual perspective deeply influences her art and the stories she weaves. Türkiye’s rich tradition of textile and craft has long provided a way for women to preserve and communicate their stories. Hale draws on those traditions while incorporating contemporary technology, reminding us that even our most modern forms of communication have roots in ancient practices such as weaving. Through her work, Hale brings these histories together and asks us to consider how identity, technology and the stories we tell are woven into our shared humanity.”

The second community workshop, an image-transfer workshop, will take place Thursday, Nov. 12 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 128 of the Arts and Sciences Building. Participants will learn how to transfer AI-manipulated family photographs onto fabric, creating new works that will become part of the exhibition.

The final workshop will focus on embroidery and is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Feb. 5 at Mason County Public Library, 217 E. Ludington Ave., Ludington. Participants will use embroidery techniques to further transform and embellish the collaborative artwork. The workshop will also serve as the opening event for the exhibition.

Ekinci’s artwork, along with collaborative pieces created through the community workshops, will be installed throughout WSCC’s campuses and at community locations, including Mason County Public Library and local businesses. Additional details about the workshops and exhibition will be announced as the dates approach.

The HumanKind Series is WSCC’s arts and culture lecture series and offers programming throughout the year, including presentations, workshops, film screenings, art exhibitions and performing arts events.

For more information about the HumanKind Series, visit westshore.edu or email humankind@westshore.edu.

To receive updates about upcoming workshops and exhibition activities, visit westshore.edu or contact Ünlüata-Foley at nfoley@westshore.edu.

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