Communication Design Major Shares Turkey Travels in Presentation

Junior communication design major Yahaira Zapata will share stories of her recent travels to Istanbul, Turkey, in a campus talk “The Color of Life: Chromatic Profusion in Turkey,” Thursday, October 29, at 12:15 p.m. in Upton Hall 230.

Zapata’s talk marks the second in the fall 2015 series, “Artists on the Road: Travel as Source of Inspiration,” co-sponsored by the Design Department and the International and Exchange Programs Office.

A McKinley High School graduate, Zapata traveled to the Dominican Republic as a young girl at her father’s urging—to spend time with family and learn more about her culture.

“I will forever be grateful for that spark he instilled in me,” she said.

Zapata spent the summer of 2014 with Buffalo State’s Summer in Istanbul program, which she noted was literature-based.

“We were to read a few designated books over the course while we were in Istanbul and then analyze each,” she said. 

One place that stood out was the Museum of Innocence, which Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk wrote about in his book of the same name.

“This trip made me realize what an impact color can have,” Zapata said. “In design, we should be more cognizant of our color choices and how we expect them to impact the public.”

Zapata exchanged dates with Tara Nahabetian, associate professor of design, whose presentation “Taking Flight: Finding Adventure in the Unknown” has been rescheduled for November 19. The last in this fall 2015 series will focus on recent the professor’s travels to Germany and Japan. All of the presentations take place at 12:15 p.m. in Upton 230.

For more information on the Artists on the Road series, contact Carol Townsend, associate professor of design and coordinator of design foundations, at (716) 878-4986.

Pictured: Yahaira Zapata stands outside of the Dolmabahçe Palace in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul.