Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
With the aim to question our habits of thinking, Esra Gülmen invites the viewer into her mind. Born in Istanbul, the now Berlin-based artist reinterprets the concept of calligrams by challenging the norms of drawings. Resulting in typographical artworks made out of words and sentences, Esra’s unique voice still echoes back in each piece.
Gülmen has mastered the art of simplicity. Her art holds the power to convey complex issues of identity, mental health and struggles of our digital age in simple graphics consisting of words or sentences. But still, all capture the multiple layers and inner conflicts each topic holds. She herself sees her art as a form of therapy, an infinite space where all of her flowing thoughts find a place to be let out in.
Besides canvas, everyday objects also function as a mediator of her art. In her latest collaboration with the Berlin-based porcelain manufacturer KPM, Gülmen also ventures into the sphere of porcelain. Combining both KPM’s traditional porcelain artistry with Esra Gülmen’s strong-minded drawings, the collaboration presents a limited-edition of To-Go cups that touch upon the topics of gender and feminism, again reflecting Gülmen’s point of view that shines through every piece of art she creates.
SLEEK spoke to Esra Gülmen about the evolution of drawings, the power words hold and her collaboration with KPM.
Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
SLEEK: In your work, images and words are closely intertwined. Why is it important that both outlets work together in the pieces you create?
Esra Gülmen: In the past, I have also used either word or image separately and standing for themselves. But yes, I love to use words to create visual images and redefine the medium by blending them in while expressing my thoughts and emotions. Language is playing a very important role in my work and I like to challenge it as a form of drawing. All – whether text, image or form – operate democratically in my works, depending on the context.
S: You are using simple elements to convey complex topics. Is it harder to keep your work simple instead of pushing out an intense flow of information?
ES: In times when most of us are collectively faced with difficult situations, I believe that art can be a medium of escapism and hedonism. It is important for me to shine a light on injustice and to spread awareness about what is happening around the world, or just to evoke a feeling that is unspoken. I want my art to be accessible and approachable to the viewer. I aim to keep it as simple as possible by reducing the unnecessary.
Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
S: What is the process behind putting big topics into compressed simple graphics for everyone to understand?
ES: When I am working on a new piece, the idea behind it is already set. So when I start to work on that idea, depending on the context and the process of challenging the norms of text or images, I try not to forget what the initial main idea is. I don’t let any aesthetics or any methods seduce me in this case. Then the work stays honest to myself and as clear as possible for the viewer.
S: Your art aims to challenge habits of thinking. What is your collaboration with KPM trying to evoke?
ES: Collaborating with KPM is such an exciting and dear project to me. I’ve now been in Germany for over seven years and I call Berlin my home. So working with a very traditional German institution like this makes me happy. It gives me a sense of belonging, even if you are from a different cultural background. In my works, I like to play with words, so I turned the abbreviation of KPM from Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur into “Königinliche” Porzellan Manufaktur.
It touches upon the topic of what place women take on in the world, including the art world as well. Nowadays, women are changing the workforce, showing which impact it has for companies to have women in leadership roles, ultimately highlighting how important it is for our future generations of women to be represented in media.
Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
S: Which meaning does the material porcelain hold for you?
ES: I have worked with porcelain before as I love the material and the craft behind it. It’s fragile yet timeless. There lies a beautiful contradiction in the material and contradictions feel very familiar to me. As does the twist of using something traditional and turning it into a modern object, all of it resonates very well with my practice.
S: Your art seems to be an outlet for your feelings, almost like a form of therapy. What does it feel like to bring your art to the public eye for everyone to see and also push it to different platforms like the collaboration with KPM?
ES: The language of my artistic expression has always addressed the viewer at an eye level. By collaborating with KPM, I hope to reach as many people as possible and to create something that they can integrate into their daily lives. And I genuinely enjoy the thought of knowing that someone out there will run errands with my To-Go coffee cups. KPM has made it possible to make art accessible to a bigger crowd through their collaborations and I am happy and thankful to be part of it as an artist.
Image Courtesy of KPM and Esra Gülmen. Photography by Claude Gerber.
The limited edition Esra Gülmen x KPM x SLEEK To-Go cups will be available to buy from 11 am on Saturday 24th June for 24 hours only.