I am an artist working mainly with glass material in the field of visual arts and sculpture. Even though I completed my education in the field of ceramics and glass, I have always been interested in the creative processes where the material limit was removed and the mixed-media works that came together with the combination of different materials and the works that emerged as a result of these.
Although the material I use in my ongoing creative process is mostly glass, I have experienced in the course of my career that the material can bring limitations as well as its contribution to my processes. As I became freer in the use of materials, I saw that the works I create express more freely about me and my relationship with the environment and ideas I interact with.
Beyond my own experience in this field, I started to work on a research project which is about the experiences of artists from many different educational and cultural backgrounds of the world and to learn more about the perspectives of the artists on the material they work with and the relationship between their expression methods and material preferences. This research, beyond various classical materials such as paper, clay, wood, etc., will question how productions in these fields can be sculpture materials, starting from the main disciplines such as architecture, cinema, and botany. It will also focus on the role of different materials and the techniques offered by these fields in sculpture.
Contrasts of the material and color were the strongest highlights of my early period artworks. Questioning the materials’ reflex as an optic impression with the inspiration of architecture and nature. Following years, I continued to study by reflecting on my own drawings and printing practices on glass and 3D forms. I combined glass and paperwork studies in my artworks and create a layered effect in 2D studies by using the transparency and opacity of glass.
My recent works are connected with the space and architecture that surrounds me. It draws inspiration from architecture and archeology. These inspirations are reflected in my works not only in terms of texture or solid sculptures but also in terms of building abstract structures. Sometimes they become an instrument of the existing architecture or part of the space they are exhibited. Because of that emptiness, the existing space is also a part of my work. Recently I have done some work combining paper with different materials such as glass and metal. These structures became growing organisms, becoming part of the space as much as it allows. With these ideas, the idea of ‘Structural Studies’ emerges. An endless work with different materials and at different scales.
Born in Istanbul in 1978
EDUCATION
2008 – 2010
Ceramics and Glass MFA
Mimar Sinan University, Fine Arts Faculty, Istanbul
1995 – 2000
Ceramics and Glass, BFA
Mimar Sinan University, Fine Arts Faculty, Istanbul
1991 – 1995
Painting Department
Istanbul Fine Arts High School, Istanbul
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
14.01.2012 – 04.02.2012
Visual Memory II
Kiziltoprak Art Gallery, Istanbul
15.11.2011 – 09.12.2011
Visual Memory
Galatea Art Gallery, Istanbul
07.12.2010 – 31.12.2010
Silhouettes
Ormo Art Gallery, Istanbul
07.04.2009 – 01.05.2009
Optical Impressions
Enka Dr.Vickers Art Gallery, Istanbul
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
20.05.2023 – 29.07.2023
Archive of the A.I.R.
Past Present Projects, Philadelphia, USA
08.02.2022 – 28.03.2022
ON: MSGSU-VitrA Ceramic Art Studio / 2012-2022
Tophane-i Amire Culture & Art Center, Bes Kubbe Gallery
Istanbul
27.06.2019 – 11.07.2019
Onsekiz-Ondokuz / MSGSU-VitrA Ceramic Art Studio
VBenzeri Mekan, Istanbul
14.11.2017 – 25.12.2017
Across the Line / British Council – AltCity
Digi.logue, Zorlu, Istanbul
22.01.2014 – 27.03.2014
State of Material-2
Armaggan Art and Design Gallery, Istanbul
22.01.2014 – 27.03.2014
+1: Glass
Lincoln Arts Project, Waltham, MA
06.08.2011 – 22.10.2011
Invisible Cities – Reflections on Travels Between
Istanbul and New York City
Floating World Projects / The Society of Arts and Crafts
Boston, MA
AWARDS, GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
Wheaton Arts,
Creative Glass Center of America Fellowship 2018
Millville, NJ
Turkish Cultural Foundation
Cultural Exchange Fellow 2013, 2018
The Republic of Turkiye, Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Travel Grant 2010, 2013, 2018
Rotary Art Prize 2012
Catalog Selection
Glass Furnace, Full Scholarship 2002
Therman Statom, Sallie Portnoy
RESIDENCIES
15.09.2022 – 15.12.2022
STARworks Glass Residency
Star, NC
10.12.2018 – 27.12.2018
MSGSU-VitrA Ceramic Art Studio Residency
Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul
18.04.2018–18.07.2018
Wheaton Arts, Creative Glass Center of America
Millville, NJ
23.10.2017–05.11.2017
AltCity Istanbul Residency Programme
Zorlu Performing Art Center, Istanbul
29.05.2016-10.06.2016
Open Studio Residency
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Floating World Projects 2010-2011
Artists Group Project held in Istanbul and NYC
15.09.2001 – 15.10.2001
Schott Desag Factory Residency
Grunenplan, Germany
FAIRS
07.10.2013 – 10.10.2013
Contemporary Istanbul International Art Fair
with Armaggan Art and Design Gallery
22.10.2012 – 25.10.2012
Contemporary Istanbul International Art Fair
with Gallery Ilayda
27.04.2012 – 01.05.2012
Artexpo Arezzo, Italia
with Neo Art Gallery
30.10.2010 – 07.11.2010
Artist 2010, Istanbul Art Fair
with Enka Dr. Vickers Art Gallery
03.12.2009 – 06.12.2009
Contemporary Istanbul International Art Fair
with Arda Art Gallery
SYMPOSIUMS AND TALKS
17.05.2023
ODTU Music and Fine Arts Department, Glass Art Lesson
Artist Talk with Assoc. Prof. Ödül Işıtman
Online talk at Zoom
17.11.2022
Artist Talk
STARworks Glass, Star, NC
26.01.2021
MSGSU-VitrA Ceramic Art Studio
Artist Talks with Yeşim Zümrüt
Online talk at Zoom
11.12.2020
Artist Talk, with Şanel Şan
online Instagram live @tasarimparki
13.05.2019
Artist Talk
Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Fine Arts Faculty,
Ceramic and Glass, Canakkale
17.12.2018
Artist Talk
Mimar Sinan University, Ceramic and Glass, Istanbul
13.06.2013 – 16.06.2013
GlassBoston Glass Conference, USA
participated artist
02.10.2010 – 12.10.2010
L’viv International Blown Glass Symposium, Ukraine
participated artist
PUBLICATIONS
Ayers, Elaine. Quarantine Herbarium, 2020
Gucluturk, Fem. Maison Française, January 2016: 49,
Page: 112
Turan Eke, Öznur. “A Studio and Two Sisters”,
Art-ı Mekan, May-June 2014: 45,
Page: 118, 119, 120
Hız, Dilhan. “Silhouettes Behind Glass with Gülfidan Özmen”, Focus, January-February 2011: 23,
Page: 80, 81, 82
Yanık, Figen. “Urban Reflections in Glass”, Sabah Daily Newspaper, December 26, 2010
Faces / Hundreds of Istanbul
100 Glass Artists in Istanbul
Gültekin Çizgen. Page: 34
Best of Worldwide Glass Artists Vol.1.
Kennedy Publishing, 2010, Page:112.
Creativ Dergi, October, 2009
Page: 8-9
Tasarım, Review of Architecture, Interior Design and
Visual Arts, 2009: 191.
Page: 46
Kohler, Lucartha. Women Working in Glass.
Schiffer Publishing. 2003
Page: 186
PUBLISHED WRITING
Glass: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly
Summer 2023, Issue 171 Page 64-57
Reflection Article “Artist-in-residence programs, already so important to developing artists, become even more critical when artists become victims of disasters.”
Turkish Ceramic Society VI. International Ceramic Congress, Sakarya with Dr. Hasdemir, İlhan
PATE DE VERRE AND VITROMASS IN GLASS FORMING Page:23 2006: 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460.
SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCES
09.07.2022 – 27.07.2022
Teaching Assistant at Pilchuck Glass School, USA
Session-4
07.09 / 28.09.2013
One of Three: Serigraphy Workshop (+15-20)
as part of the Suna and Inan Kıraç Foundation Collection Exhibition
Pera Museum, Istanbul
29.05.2013
Olé! Pop Art: Serigraphy Workshop (+15-20)
as part of Manolo Valdés Exhibition
Pera Museum, Istanbul
08.03 / 12.04.2014
Glass within Glass: Mixed Media Workshop (+15)
as part of Aurora: Contemporary Nordic Glass Art Exhibition
Pera Museum, Istanbul
2008-2014
Lecturer at Mimar Sinan University, Ceramic and Glass
Contemporary Glass Art and Design 1
Contemporary Glass Art and Design 2
Glass Studio 3
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
01.06.2015 – current
Freelance Artist
31.03.2015 – 04.05.2015
Valens Mosaic and Tiles, Istanbul
Product and Design Advisor
05.06.2008 – 29.02.2012
Gülfidan Özmen Art & Design Consulting Service
for VitrA Tiles, Ferer Pigments
01.03.2004 – 31.03.2008
VitrA Tiles, Istanbul
Chief of Production, Production and Design Specialist
15.05.2003 – 30.09.2003
Art Objects, USA
Assistant of Therman Statom
15.01.2003 – 01.05.2003
Cenan Uyanusta Studio, Istanbul
Assistant of Cenan Uyanusta
01.09.2002 – 20.12.2002
Cam Mühendislik
Glass Objects Design Advisor
08.08.2000 – 31.08.2002
Fuzyon Teknik
Architectural Glass Designer