Today we’d like to introduce you to Berfin Ataman.
Hi Berfin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Turkey. As a kid, I was always interested in art. My way of play meant making something. I also spent a lot of time in textile weaving and printing factories because my parents worked in textiles. I moved to Switzerland for High School. I started painting there. I also helped design the lights and paint the scenery for the theatre shows at the school. I went to the USC School of Dramatic Arts to study scenic and costume design. After finishing school, I started working as an assistant costume designer in film, tv, and commercials. After a while, I missed working with my hands. I went back to school. I got a post-baccalaureate degree from the School of the Arts Institute of Chicago. There I learned how to work with materials, specifically fabric and wood. I started making wearable art pieces, performances, and installations. After that, I came back to LA and started my own studio practice.
In 2018, I started my MFA at UCLA’s Design Media Arts department. I had great mentors there to guide me. I learned coding and how to work with electronics. Over two years, my practice changed a lot. I began integrating electronics and motors into my work. Recently, I have been working on different series of soft kinetic sculptures and installations. The sculptures move with the help of electronics. The pieces explore humans’ relationship to non-human objects and systems that they encounter and interrupt each day. I am interested in systems that make up and surround us, which concern interconnectivity, logic, memory, emotion, and interaction. I have shown my pieces in galleries and museums in the US, Turkey, and Korea. I have recently been awarded the Design Award for the “On The Street” category by the Architecture and Design Museum.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I had cancer when I was 17. I had to stop going to school for a bit to finish treatment, but I insisted on completing my art and math classes. Those were my favorite. I spent a lot of time painting in the art studio at school that year. The experience helped me understand what was important in life. It gave me the drive and the courage to go after what I wanted and do the things I enjoyed most. It was a significant influence for me to pursue art. I decided I had to have a job that I loved.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Although my work takes many different forms, recently, I have been working on mobile sculptures. All my pieces in the photos are real-life sculptures made with soft materials and move with the help of electronics. Through my work, I create artificial systems to examine the reciprocal relationships between systems, their interaction with each other, us (the humans), nature, and the non- humans. Every day we unknowingly interact with societal, cultural, technological, architectural, environmental, and other systems. Even though we may be indifferent to it, almost everything we come across during the day is designed to guide us. Sometimes, even our decisions are consequences of these systems because we rely on our instincts we have unconsciously inherited naturally or culturally. Although we are empowered by these systems at times, especially with the use of technology, I am interested in investigating and challenging our relationship with them. The pieces utilize electronics, mechanical systems, and visual elements in the sculpture’s design to demystify, question, and bring awareness to our relationships with these systems.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Believing in yourself, working hard, not giving up, or getting discouraged, is essential. All of this requires courage and patience.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.berfinataman.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berfinataman/?hl=en
Image Credits:
Photographer; Christopher James O’leary
