photographed by Can Koroglu

Tangled 

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On the sculpture series, Tangled

I started this series on a Sunday during lockdown when I felt stuck, both in the physical and emotional sense of the word. I put a chunk of clay in front of me, and began to play with it without any premeditation other than the urge to reflect my emotions. I let the medium to guide me, following the direction it wanted to go. The moment I felt relieved of my distress, the piece was finished. There was this wholesome form: the first tangled sculpture.

As I examined it, I felt deeply connected to this form that soothed me. The clay became an instrument to clarify and convey my emotions, like a heartbeat monitor that visualises our inner dynamics that constantly change in tandem with our subconscious.  

The overlapping limbs, which represented my diligence for progress and growth in defiance of anxiety, restraint and burden of the past, became literally more elevated in the ensuing works of the series, as if mirroring my liberation from these self-imposed obstructions, through this creative process. The negative space enveloping these fluid lines turned out to be an uncharted territory full of wonder, hope and endless possibilities for future. It is a room for magic that I believe the universe yields in its inexplicable ways.

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Tangled I

Clay, glaze, wood

H35xW25xD10cm, wall sculpture

Tangled II

Clay, glaze

D22xH11cm, wall sculpture

Tangled III

Clay, glaze

H28xW22xD16cm

Tangled IV

Clay, glaze

H16xW18xD17cm

Tangled V

Clay, glaze

D21xH14cm

Cappadocia Series

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On the sculpture series, Cappadocia

A tribute to my Turkish roots and Anatolia,

Cappadocia, a historical natural beauty, is known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Cappadocia valleys. Sites include Bronze Age homes carved into valley walls by troglodytes (cave dwellers) and later used as refuges by early settlers. A center of ceramics and pottery; The tens of thousands of clay tablets recovered from the remains of an Assyrian merchant colony at Kanesh are among the oldest written documents discovered in Turkey. Pottery production in Avanos has been continuous since the Hittites. Pottery making is known to be an ancient art since Hittite times (1800 BC) in this area and is continued in the ancient traditional ways. To this date pottery is one of the most important core values among the Cappadocia residents.

This magical landmark has always been an inspiration to me. The forever valleys, cave structures, 60 million years of history, its sunsets and sunrises, the smell of the clay, beautiful textures of the chimneys and rock formations, the feeling of looking at humanities past as standing on the very same ground of untouched natural legacy.

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In my Cappadocia series I started making vessels while dreaming about my visits, memories and the unforgettable sights of Cappadocia. I let the clay take shape as my mind was taking a journey between fairy chimneys and the Red Valley during a Cappadocia sunset. I wanted to create big wall installations, meter long vessels and even tiny objects to show my appreciation of this gift from our mother earth. Work in progress; some of the works are smaller for retail purposes and some will be kept for an exhibition ergo a large audience can meet with Cappadocia even if they weren't able to visit this magnificent plateau.

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photographed by Can Koroglu

Cappadocia Women

Clay, glaze

H42xW16xD17cm

Cappadocia Vessel

Clay, glaze

H61xW19xD18cm

Cappadocia Cave

Clay, glaze

H8xW14xD6cm

Untitled (Dark Side)

Clay, glaze

H46x  D36cm

Cappadocia Night I

Clay, glaze, repurposed glass

Vase & candle holder

H30 x  W48cm

Cappadocia Night II

Clay, glaze

Small candle holder

H15 x W14 cm

Vivarium

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On the  sculpture series

VIVARIUM....a place to live. 

Vivarium is a sculpture series inspired by water pipes used throughout the construction industry.

This series hopes to raise awareness around the harmful impact of the construction industry on human life and the earth's natural habitat.    

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Freestanding interlocking pieces mimic the (complicated) chain of destruction caused by this toxic industry, an industry that is responsible for 50% of all natural resource extraction worldwide, and contributes to a staggering 23% of air pollution, 50% of climatic change, 40% of water pollution, not to mention 50% of landfill wastes across the globe. 

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The ultimate aim of Vivarium is to highlight the negative impact on the most modern addictions - CONSTRUCTION !

Vivarium 'a place to live'

Clay, glaze

H46xD12cm

H41xD8cm