Cüneyt Aksoy: "I envision the production process as a place I want to reach within myself."

   *This interview, conducted by Eylül Aşkın, was first published in Turkish on 05.12.2022 on the online art platform sosyeteart.com. https://sosyeteart.com/index.php/2022/12/05/cuneyt-aksoy-uretim-surecini-kendi-icimde-ulasmak-istedigim-bir-yermis-gibi-dusunuyorum/

Today's guest is the painter Cüneyt Aksoy.

When did you discover your interest in art? Did your family have an influence on this inclination?

In my childhood, while wandering through the corridors of the academy where my father worked in the engraving workshop, I saw a piece of paper with artwork on it that had fallen from a student's locker. I took it and painted something similar at home. At that moment, I felt that this would continue, and I had to enter that school. That's when it all began.

You graduated from Mimar Sinan University's Department of Stage, Image, Decor, and Costume Design. After graduating in 1995, you have been combining design and painting for a decade. Could you tell us about the projects you worked on in the field of design during this period?

I participated as a guest student in the "Basic Art and Design" classes at Adnan Çoker's workshop at MSU. After opening my first exhibition at Akbank in the final year of school, I worked as an assistant designer in the theater. During this period, I created the set design for the play "Tiyatrocu," directed by Işıl Kasapoğlu and starring Gülriz Sururi. I collaborated with Ruben Alterio to realize Turkey's first moving window display outside Akmerkez. I also designed street decorations for Nişantaşı Festival in collaboration with Didem Çapa.

Your first exhibition took place in 1995 at Akbank Sanat Gallery shortly after your graduation. Being a recent graduate, what critiques and feedback did you receive? How did you feel?

In fact, this exhibition was a moment where a young artist's dream came true. This was beautifully expressed by Sezer Tansuğ in her article titled "Support for a Young Effort." The experience of your first exhibition is indescribable; people are observing your paintings there. Initially, feedback wasn't crucial for me; the essence was to experience those emotions at that moment.

In 2005, you decided to bid farewell to design and fully focus on painting. What was the main motivation behind this decision? What considerations did you evaluate when making such a radical choice?

I realized what allowed me to express myself, and I didn't want to add another pursuit next to it. By deciding to focus on my paintings, I initiated the process of spending time in the studio. It's a form of resistance because you have something to say, and you're following that path. In this way, I embarked on a long and challenging journey.

You mentioned, "The painting is more about the process than the final image," and you described the production process as "meditative." Could you elaborate on this? What kind of mindset do you enter during the creative process, and what do you feel? What inspires you?

As mentioned earlier, it's a process, and I defined this journey as meditative because I consider it as reaching a place within myself. Creating one's own work is an inner journey—a method of self-discovery and expression. I usually draw inspiration from nature, defining it as a living space that we inhabit but don't truly own.

Which painters have influenced your style? Do you have interests in other art forms besides painting?

In the beginning, Paul Cezanne, Georg Baselitz, Alattin Aksoy, then Richard Serra, Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke, Yoko Ono, and Tapies.

Beyond painting, I also create videos. For my latest exhibition "Terra Genesis," I shot two videos in Hastings, England; I used only one in this exhibition, and the other will be part of a future exhibition still in preparation.

Often, you use your hands instead of a brush, and your style stands out with a mix of different materials like handmade papers, pieces of wood, plastic, etc. Are these choices aimed at creating a more authentic work? How would you define your own style?

My works are more about the process during creation than the final image. I enjoy the journey between the medium and natural materials used in production, and this process is what I love. The result comes after this process, and you eagerly anticipate it. But defining the concept of your work at the beginning and progressing in that direction is even more satisfying! Moments of stillness amidst the chaotic pace of everyday life, the hustle and bustle where one loses oneself, and the details initially unnoticed become the fundamental starting points for my works.

You often draw your subjects from everyday life, concealing details in your works that may go unnoticed at first glance. What significance do these small details, akin to a puzzle that the viewer must attempt to unravel and find happiness in deciphering, hold for you? Do you have a specific message you aim to convey with your art? Or do you harbor any concerns about delivering a particular message?

When the viewer discovers those small details, it means you have accurately conveyed your message, and it indicates that you've touched someone in your creative process. In today's world, these days are full of concerns about conveying messages, and it should be so, pushing people around the globe to act together during these challenging times! My recent exhibition "Terra Genesis" explores the chaotic nature of the self, the hegemonic situation one tries to establish between nature and life, and the disruption of certain balances in altering many entities in the universe and on Earth. The transformation of living spaces, the variability of life, the beginning of the planet deemed habitable becoming petrified by human hands – these aspects question the temporality of the destructive process, leading to the exploration of new living spaces and forms in the face of human destruction. The exhibition posed ethical questions. I will present the same exhibition in the upcoming season in the UK.

Currently, you live in both London and Istanbul, continuing your work in both cities. Could you share your experiences from the exhibitions you've participated in and the responses you've received, considering both your presence in London and your participation in the Miami project? Based on the feedback you've received in the triangle of Turkey, the UK, and the USA, what can you say about cultural differences in the perception of art?

I maintain my studios in Margate, UK, and Tophane, Istanbul. Both places have aspects that nurture me. I had an exhibition at Limbo Studios in London, and next year, I'll have another solo exhibition at the gallery in Miami. My works were showcased solo both there and at Contemporary Istanbul, and we also organized a group exhibition. Culturally, we may be different people, but we share a common language in the modern and innovative art discourse, allowing us to communicate about art. The transitions between these countries always provide a continuous flow, which is essential for an artist.

What are you currently working on? Can we expect a new exhibition or surprise in the upcoming year? What are your goals for the future?

I'm currently working on two exhibition projects. One is the final presentation of Terra Genesis in Margate, where the first part took place at Adahan in Istanbul. The second part will be exhibited in the place where the works were created, completing the concept of everything returning to its origin.

The other exhibition will be in Istanbul, presenting a newly developed concept to art enthusiasts.

If I were to ask about your happiest and most painful moments?

Let's keep that to myself! Memories usually exist somewhere between the non-existent past and the not yet existing future.

Where can our readers follow you on social media?

They can follow me on www.cuneytaksoy.com and on my Instagram account: cun.aksoy.