Smooth Surfaces and Wild Textures | Enis Malik Duran
Based in Turkey, Enis is one of the most refined artists we have ever met. The depth in his works and his unabashed love for poetry attracted us to his works. We had the opportunity to talk to him and explore his journey as an artist...
How did you start creating? What has your journey as an artist been so far?
In my career as an artist, I have built my production on non-transient phenomena. I try to convey the events I have witnessed, observed, and followed, or the concepts I think about, by creating a universal language. The common denominator of my work has been the concept of nature for a long time. I am building a structure that diversifies from this denominator, conducting research on my images from various sources, such as books and academic articles. In addition to my travels, my photographs and visual research are the sources of my images.
Can you share some of the stories that have been narrated through your works?
Since 2012, I have focused on the human effort to shape space through the phenomenon of war. I also had inquiries about the nature of humans at my solo exhibition Frontier in 2014.
One of the reasons why I concentrate on the concept of border is the effects on me of the events I got from the news during the war in neighboring Syria. Since I believe in poetry, I always try to convey what I want to express more implicitly and intuitively.
Why do you choose etching/printmaking as a form of art to express?
Since university, my artistic production has an attitude based on expression. My meeting with German expressionists led me to decals during my school years, and from there I studied printmaking.
Printed painting has a structure based on experimentation and enriched by chance. As you master the techniques over time, you can catch the image that comes to life in your mind.
What is your main process when creating art? Is it spiritual or figments of your imagination?
Those who know me say that my mind is very analytical. I can say that there are times when I stand in front of the canvas when this assumption is not valid. Even though I think I know what to do before I start painting, the emotion of the moment brings expression.
As an artist, what is it that you are trying to communicate with your viewers?
Very long articles can be written on this question. As mentioned above, I believe in being poetic. Poetry doesn't tell you anything, it feels like something; you can sense it. I focus on this in my production. Therefore, the experience that the audience will experience by standing against my works, the first effect of the painting is very important to me. Our age is taking on a very fast and increasingly rapid structure. Every day we consume millions of images, there must be times when we can stop and stare. I try to give this situation in my productions.
What's your dream as an artist?
Like any artist, I can dream big. But I believe in production. If you are honest with your production and continue, I think this is the most precious dream for an artist. And this process can make the artist reach his dream.
To view/acquire works by Enis, please write to sunaina@artisteculture.com