Today we’d like to introduce you to Işık Kaya & Thomas Georg Blank. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Işık was born in Turkey and Thomas in Germany. Although our families come from very different countries, we both share a similar experience of growing up close to American military bases. This did not have an immediate effect on who we are, however, it did significantly contribute to both of us being exposed to displays of the US military power and consumerist culture from a very young age. Işık remembers hearing US military jets taking off from İncirlik Airbase and flying over her childhood home during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and Thomas used to play in music bands with American military personnel. While growing up, these things were somewhat ordinary experiences, but in retrospect, the presence of the US military in our home countries is something that we question and investigate as part of our artistic practice. Not the military presence itself, but the system it stands for and the neoliberal policies and infrastructures it spreads. Long before we were living in the US, the US was living in our neighborhoods and heads – for better or worse. And on a less abstract level, it contributed to us learning the language, and studying in the US where we met, which eventually led us here to Los Angeles.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
We encountered a number of challenges when we made the decision to relocate to the United States. Both of us had already established careers in our respective home countries, so starting over in a foreign land was an arduous task. Our familiar support systems were no longer available, and we had to navigate complex visa requirements, paperwork, language barriers, and cultural differences on a daily basis. Doing all of that during a pandemic did not make things any easier. We constantly work on our portfolio, submit applications, share our artwork, and make new connections within the local and global art community.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are visual artists working primarily with lens-based media. We explore the ways in which humans shape and inhabit the world, therefore, our projects often focus on traces of economic infrastructures and how neoliberal politics determine the ways we live. Our approach is deeply rooted in documentary practices. However, by pushing the boundaries of how reality can be depicted, we try to transcend the domain of representation and create completely independent, often hyperreal visual worlds. As a result, the boundaries between reality and fiction in our work become blurred. Most of our projects are shot at night, which accentuates the uncanny atmosphere of man-made landscapes. Developing this kind of distinct yet accessible visual language is something that we are constantly working on. Working together helps because there are two pairs of eyes to understand what is happening visually. And we certainly did come to where we are right now professionally because we united our practices. We amplify our individual strengths and compensate for our weaknesses. And it is also just so much more fun and rewarding to be out with the camera at night when we are together.
How do you think about happiness?
As we spend a considerable amount of time outdoors with our camera, we simply enjoy the moments we get to spend at home with our cat and plants.
Contact Info:
- Website: kayablank.com
- Instagram: @kaya.blank
Image Credits
Işık Kaya & Thomas Georg Blank
