Mamut Limited Vol.1 pop-up, the first exhibition of the Mamut Art Project team's Mamut Limited (Artist Editions) project, which aims to meet all creative people working in different fields and techniques from visual arts to design, music to fashion, took place at Yapı Kredi bomontiada between September 16 - October 1, 2023. We are introducing the artists of this year's Mamut Limited, which will present special selections throughout the year on its online platform mamutlimited.com. Our sixth guest is Nisan Talaz
Nisan Talaz
We can start by talking about your artistic journey. You graduated from Anadolu University Industrial Design Department and established your own studio in 2020. How was this process and its aftermath for you?
I have a passion for producing that actually goes back a very long time. I worked in sculpture studios where I had the opportunity to experience different materials. At that time, when I came home from work, I found myself producing with the material in my hands again. At some point, I decided that I wanted to devote more time to my own passion and production. I thought there was a time for this, and I felt that time had come. I resigned and started working to establish my own studio.
It felt extremely powerful to discover what I wanted to do in this life and to take that step. It was like embarking on a never-ending adventure... I was excited and passionate about everything I was going to produce. I talk more about what I felt during this process because the reason for this journey is the emotions, I felt rather than the things I experienced or didn't experience. The workshop setup phase and afterwards was a completely passionate process and I continue my productions with the same passion.
Does your local culture and environment influence your artistic work? If yes, how? Do the materials and techniques you use in your art find a resonance in this network of interaction?
I do not attribute the influence of my artistic work to a specific location; I am inspired by everywhere I travel, see, want to see, or shape with my imagination. At this point, rather than geographical limitations, I am fed by a wide range of different cultures and natural landscapes. Each of my works emerges as a reflection of the various places that affect me and the atmosphere in these places. Therefore, the main factor in my production is my interest in the universal and ever-changing beauty of nature.
I don’t attribute the influence of my artistic work to a specific location; I am inspired by everywhere I travel, see, want to see, or shape with my imagination. At this point, rather than geographical limitations, I am fed by a wide range of different cultures and natural landscapes.
You create organic forms by hand shaping your works. The cycle of nature is at the center of your productions. What are the reasons for choosing ceramics as a material?
Clay, for me, is a unique material that does not have a specific form and offers a wide space of freedom for my creativity. The sense of freedom this material gives me allows me to push the boundaries and express myself in my work. During the production phase, the soft structure of clay acts as a guide in the process of learning patience.As a natural material, clay reinforces the feeling of being a part of nature while being shaped by primitive methods. This experience equips me psychologically with teachings on how to adapt to and integrate with the cycles of nature. Clay is an important tool not only for my artistic expression but also for understanding personal and natural connections.
Nisan Talaz, Untitled, Ceramic, 29x29x42 cm
Form is at the center of your work. What does the fact that you do not apply any glaze or paint after creating these "natural" forms represent, what does it identify with?
My works are reflections of the forms and colors I observe in nature. By choosing various colored clays from different regions, I aim to capture the rich palette of nature. The decision to shape the soil in its raw form instead of using paint reflects my desire to interact with nature in the most primitive way. The need for only the earth and my hands are fundamental elements in my artistic expression and my connection with nature.
The Flow series we saw at Mamut Limited was conceived and created based on the meeting process of water and rock. Can you explain this process for us?
The moment when the water meets the rocks contains the forms shaped by the erosion and change of time. My brain photographs the water hitting the rocks moment by moment; my hands process this evolution. The rocks carved with the power of water reflect the temporal texture of nature and its impact on the environment like a painting. The curves in my works bring this interaction of nature to life in my art by conveying the power of water and the ever-changing dance of nature to the viewer.
Nisan Talaz, Untitled, Ceramic, 29x23x170 cm
I would like to talk about your preferences in your color palette. What is the influence of color on your work?
Different colored muds from different regions are a symbol of diversity in my color preferences in my works. Nature's unique geographical features and climatic differences shape the muds that come out of the lands with various color palettes. This diversity offers a richness and versatility expressed through the colors I choose in my art. The color choices in my work represent geographical diversity as well as cultural differences, offering the viewer the opportunity to experience the broad spectrum of nature and humanity. In this way, each of my works is like a mosaic, showing the various faces of nature and how these differences come together to create harmony.
Clay, for me, is a unique material that does not have a specific form and offers a wide space of freedom for my creativity. The sense of freedom this material gives me allows me to push the boundaries and express myself in my work. During the production phase, the soft structure of clay acts as a guide in the process of learning patience.
For you, is producing a successful work about personal satisfaction or recognition from the art world? Why?
A successful work comes to life by reflecting my inner world and personal fulfillment. My emotional depths meet the viewer in every detail and meaning of the work, so that my own inner journey is revealed as part of the work. This personal fulfillment emerges as a unique combination of passion, creativity, and the search for meaning in the creation of my work and offers the viewer the chance to share in this rich inner experience.