Surreal Reality: Yılmaz Şen
It has been so long since there was something exciting in the creative world. And here comes Yılmaz Şen for the save.
He is a person with excitement within his work. There are signifant moments in people’s life that changed their point of view Yılmaz Şen tells his way of life through the movement of his imagery. For him authenticity is being used as a tool to amplify the visual impact for his viewer and combine it with something unexpected. We had an inspiring conversation with Yılmaz Şen, here he is playing with the perception of reality and creating the surreal around the globe.
How did you start playing around with imagery?
Yılmaz Şen: I have started in early ages with drawing cartoon characters and comics. That has been the start. As my grades got worse and worse at school image creation started to become something more and more significant in my life. Later this led me to have image creating and design a carrier of choice for me.
To me, reality is highly subjective since it’s based on our perception.
You had a very traditional education background, studying at Mimar Sinan Fine Art University. What was the turning point for you to enter a world with not so many rules?
Yılmaz Şen: The turning point was a tough period in my life. I had a bad break up with my partner back in time and I was unhappy with my studies. This made me search for something that I can feel passionate about in life. I always wanted to make animations so I started teaching myself 2D and 3D animation through online tutorials. Over time my passion that took over other things I already had on my plate and I started making animations professionally.
How do you define “real”?
Yılmaz Şen: To me, reality is highly subjective since it’s based on our perception. Depending on our mental state “real” can vary extremely from one person to another. So for me “real” is the combination of our senses and our personal interpretation of it.
What is the ironic relationship between authenticity and original for you?
Yılmaz Şen: Nowadays in my artistic creation process, I get to play with the balance between these two. My personal preference is to maintain some level of authenticity and combine it with something unexpected and “original”. Therefore authenticity is being used as a tool to amplify the visual impact for the viewer.
Nicolas Ghesquiere, creative director of LV once said “It is my job to wow, to be brave, to shake it up” What is the reason behind your idea to shape up the world with your creative work?
Yılmaz Şen: I can’t tell that I’m that much in to shaping up the world or something like that. I’m easily getting bored of things in my personal life. So my motivation is mostly about not to be bored with what I do. So I’m trying to do something that I personally feel excited about. Do something I haven’t done and I haven’t seen. That is what moves me.
Do you foresee a time where digital takes over the reality?
Yılmaz Şen: Very much. I think we are on the way to that direction. As we get better with creating appealing VR and AR experiences and improve the technologies behind it eventually it will be a very popular medium. I totally see that as digital taking over reality.
So for me “real” is the combination of our senses and our personal interpretation of it.
You struct the world and made everyone talk about you by your recent project for Balenciaga. How did this partnership started?
Yılmaz Şen: They first approached me with my previous tests and sketches I did over the last 1-2 years. They asked I would be interested in doing something with a similar taste. So I pitched around 3 ideas and we moved on with one.
Technology has been incorporated in our daily life. Your take on the new Balenciaga campaign shows how reality can be twisted into a digital environment. What is the variety of real for you?
Yılmaz Şen: I see unlimited varieties, so I guess I don’t have a very clear answer to that. Also because that is already what I’m trying to explore with my work.
With the rise of computer-generated crossovers in the fashion industry right now such as Lil Miguela, what do you think on the development of image through the world?
Yılmaz Şen: I think there is always an interest towards what is new and unexplored. Nowadays that direction is CG images. As an artist using CG images this is of course exciting for me.
I find it valuable because of the fact that it’s a digestible project for many people. It is helping people get used to something they were not used to.
How does it feel to break all the rules out there and create something unique with such a powerful brand by your side?
Yılmaz Şen: First of all; I haven’t done something in this scale before to a brand this big. So this brings so many emotions. Mostly I feel happy and also a bit lucky. They trusted me and believed in the project. At the end I had a great feedback from them and I am also satisfied with the result. All that is hard to achieve.
Your work is generally acknowledges something that has no connection within the reality and turns it into something abstract and ironic. How would you define what you do to somebody who never heard about digital art?
Yılmaz Şen: I would say that I play with the perception of reality and create surreal videos. This is something I would say to someone who haven’t heard about digital art. And they probably still wouldn’t understand anything from this. I tried this many times. They’ll have to see it.
You live in Copenhagen, can you tell us how is a day like in the life of Yilmaz Sen?
Yılmaz Şen: Well, my recent routine goes a bit like this; I start the day with a lemon tea and porridge that I share with my wife. I hop on my bike an go to my studio. Check my calendar and go through to do’s of the day. There’s almost always between 5-30 min of fresh music discovery every day. Rye bread at lunch. After the end of the work day I head back home to have dinner with my wife. Then just rest. That’s what my day looks like.
Which city inspires you with its night life?
Yılmaz Şen: I love raves. So my answer is Berlin.