Tuğberk Selçuk Parks It at “Paby’s Garage”
Every road comes with its own question. Answers? Maybe not. But thank god for the questions. So, if we were to take a turn onto the street of dualities—who would we want for company? In the driver’s seat: Tuğberk Selçuk. Riding shotgun: GLEM Studio, founded by Sanem Vardar and Simge Selçuk. The destination? Paby’s Garage. A silhouette meets us inside—one that’s as heartfelt as an arabesque melody, as raw as street slang, as familiar as a classic motif, and as daring as a modern gesture. Sometimes Paby hides in a pattern, sometimes lingers at the edge of a form. Other times, it’s just there, in spirit. Watching quietly.
At Paby’s Garage, Sanem and Simge’s delicate touch enters a dialogue with Tuğberk’s heavy metal works. One draws out the finesse within the pieces, while the other runs wild in the corners of the garage. This is a space suspended between tradition and the ultra-modern. And here we are, glasses of wine in hand, diving into everything unfolding in the blue-and-white lines.
YANKI How have you been lately? What wakes you up in the mornings?
TUĞBERK It’s the nights that wake me up in the mornings.
They once asked black, “Why aren’t you in the rainbow?” And black said: “Because every night belongs to me.”
YANKI How did we end up at Paby’s Garage? What kind of place is this?
TUĞBERK Just like in the movies.
YANKI Where does Paby stand in this story? Was it part of your life before, or did it come to be with this project?
TUĞBERK Paby is my childhood hero. The story’s a long one, but here’s the short version: When I was a baby, I had this toy by my bedside. I’ve been drawing rabbits since I was a kid—but I had no memory of that toy. Around the age of 25 or 26, my mom was showing me old photo albums, and we came across that toy. The whole family was stunned. I think a photo would explain it better than words. Actually, the very first drawing I made of it has been hanging at Asmalı Cavit for almost ten years now.
And as for the name—it comes from “Playboy.” Take out the letters L, Y, and O, and what you’re left with is Paby.
“They once asked black, “Why aren’t you in the rainbow?” And black said: “Because every night belongs to me.’”
YANKI We’re in a co-creative universe that’s polyphonic—bringing together unexpected sounds. Tell us about how this project came to life.
TUĞBERK Paby called—we followed.
YANKI A body made of industrial metal and traditional İznik tiles, layered with American references on Anatolian ground. Is Paby’s Garage building a language of tension born from these encounters?
TUĞBERK Make America Great Again. #elonmusk
YANKI There’s also a stance against sharp lines in Paby’s Garage. Do you think being rebellious is the artist’s duty?
TUĞBERK I’m not rebellious because I’m an artist. Maybe I was an artist because I was rebellious.
YANKI We see a wide range of references—from Anatolian culture to pop culture, the street, the past, and Gen Z. How do you shape your inspiration? Is it an intuitive flow?
TUĞBERK GLEM Studio inspired me. With what they’ve done—and what they’re yet to do… It was actually my first real encounter with tiles, and while I was pitching them ideas, I somehow found myself in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
YANKI Are you closer to dreams or reality?
TUĞBERK Ronaldo or Messi?
YANKI There’s also the story of how Playboy inspired Paby’s name. Is this a new era of Tuğberk or just an alter ego?
TUĞBERK You might wanna ask ChatGPT that.
YANKI Do you think one has to step outside of themselves to find new versions of who they are?
TUĞBERK I never really managed to return to myself in the first place.
YANKI There seems to be an emotional contrast between you and GLEM Studio. They’re calm and elegant—you seem to feed off chaos. How would you define this encounter? Did it feel like home, or somewhere completely different?
TUĞBERK Well, one of the founders of GLEM Studio, Simge Selçuk, happens to be my wife—so, yeah, it definitely felt like home. But to be fair, she and Sanem İkili are doing beautiful things together… Who knows, maybe they’ll take me to space next.
– “People aren’t that used to reality—and all I want is to be real. The more real I am each day, the happier I get.”
YANKI Is art a sanctuary for you—or a battlefield?
TUĞBERK Aminefield.
YANKI Do you care about what people think of you?
TUĞBERK Well, they are people, after all.
These days, I only care about the opinions of my close friends and family. I’m neither easy nor hard to understand. People aren’t that used to reality—and all I want is to be real. The more real I am each day, the happier I get.
As you can tell, I’m not really tight with social media either. I just wish people had clean hearts and crispy exteriors.
The works take the spotlight, the cars stay in the background. The garage is open—and so is the door. Paby’s Garage is on view at ARS Motors until June 22. What’s next? Let the road decide.
Artworks by Tuğberk Selçuk x GLEM Studio