Buket Savci

For Artspeak’s Artist Survey, our publishing director Atesh M. Gundogdu emailed some of his favorite artists few questions. He asked them about their exhibitions, their thoughts, and some quirkier personal questions. Here is Brooklyn-based artist Buket Savci who answered all our questions.

Atesh M. Gundogdu: To begin, can you describe your studio space?

Buket Savci: After almost 7 years having a studio space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn I have lost it at the end of 2019. Since then I am working at home in Bushwick. First I was sad losing my larger and beautiful space, but during the pandemic and lockdown I realized more how comfortable it is to have it at home. Plus I paint at night till morning most of the time, so no more 4-5 a.m. waits for the G train. My studio is a room in our loft apartment, which I share with my partner. In the studio I am surrounded with my paintings; some finished, some in progress, sketchbooks, materials, a desk, a crate turned into storage piece and some of the floaties I use in my work. As there is not much space in the studio room, all my books are in the bedroom except a few. There is a loft space over half of my studio. I feel lucky to have the high ceilings and whole apartment is bright and sun filled. We have an amazing view of Manhattan, after painting all night I go to bed watching the rising sun reflection over the skyscrapers. Plus the wonderful sunsets, which reminds me to be grateful each day for this space as the city keeps changing so fast. The studio is my sanctuary and play room, and of course it is my cat’s favorite room as well.

Not So Long Ago, 2020, oil on canvas, 44 x 54 inches

AMG: Why painting?

BS: I always wanted to be a painter. It has been always in me, even before elementary school. But then I was forced to separate from it. I grew up in Turkey, because of generations of financial hardship my parents never wanted me to become an artist or study art. I was supposed to become a doctor or an engineer. So I ended up studying architecture as I thought it is the closest thing to art. Then I worked 6 years as a landscape architect. I always thought and dreamt that if I can move to somewhere else, to another country maybe then, as I would start my life from zero, I can study art and become an artist. I had to wait for a long time. Finally I migrated to NYC in 2006, after a year applied to Pratt Institute for painting, graduated in 2010, and then had my MFA from New York Academy of Art in 2012. 

Because of this long awaited dream painting has been very special and challenging for me. I have not painted at all after elementary school, and wanted to learn everything about it. During those years I channeled my creative energy to other things like writing short stories, publishing punk/metal fanzines with friends. I used to write a lot. Now I just focus on painting. Because painting is my language. And I sacrificed a lot for just being able to paint again. While I paint my mind travels between memories, struggles, or random thoughts, fantasies and even imaginary conversations. Meanwhile my hand continues to work. Whenever I reach this kind of focus, it’s like meditation and after long hours of painting (I prefer painting late at night) when I go to bed, there is nothing comparable to that feeling of accomplishment.   

Lucky Witnesses, 2020, oil on canvas, 44 x 54 inches

AMG: What emotions are you channeling into your art?

BS: I come from a family of generations of immigrants, and being the first member in the Americas no doubt images of boats and inflatables immediately remind me of the trials and tribulations of immigrants and refugees. But I deliberately stay away from negative elements in my art. Having experienced my share of tragedies in life, and as someone with depressive tendencies, I think at least my paintings should express some joy or positivity. I use color, vivid color against the negativity and grayness of real life. Of course underneath the joyful colors and celebration there lies layers about longing for connection, equality and justice. 

I left everything; family, friends and immigrated because injustice, inequality, corruption, conservatism, everything became unbearable. Maybe it was an escape, migrating to the other side of the Atlantic. Might be the hope for more freedom. Or just to start over. While dealing with longing, and craving for emotional comfort my art has become about that place in time of forgetting everything beyond that emotional paradise. I started to ask myself what makes me keep going? What makes me happy? The answer always comes to love. Dealing with displacement and craving for connection as an immigrant woman, the notion of safety and trust that one feels with loved ones have been in the core of my work. In my previous series of work it was more personal. While yearning for the things I left behind it was about observing myself being in certain intimate moments, almost trying to reimagine how it was to be loved and felt safe. For these I was using my close friends who still lives in Istanbul. 

Then in time it evolved into reflecting on the universal emotional state. As I keep going back and forth between Turkey and U.S. especially two megapolis Istanbul and NYC, I have been observing the lonely crowds and need for attention everywhere. The constant drive for satisfaction and pleasure and the consumerism frenzy led me to include balloons in my work. Balloons have brought me to inflatables. As I started exploring how to define pure joy and happiness, inflatables become the perfect metaphors for the ephemerality of these rare and special moments that we can not hold forever. Unfortunately they pop up like a balloon soon and suddenly. These plastic absurd objects represent the false sense of security as well. 

Especially during constant global social and environmental crisis I keep questioning how to define freedom and happiness. And now when we need it the most we are told not to touch. Touching suddenly became the most scary and dangerous thing. The lonely crowds of the metropolises have become more strangers and lonelier than ever before. Through my art I want to create dialogue about the things that really matter; hope, love and togetherness.

And the World Went Away, 2020, oil on wood panel, 12 x 12 inches

AMG: What is the relationship in your work between meaning and aesthetics?

BS: Composition is very important for me, and I am confident in creating compelling compositions. When I stage the scenes for the paintings I choose the objects and light, but the poses are spontaneous. I like to give room for the surprise element, the way the figures interact and touch each other. I try to capture the emotions that can be told even with a tiny movement of a finger or a toe. Meaning usually comes afterwards, but again I know what I am looking for, even unconsciously so when I see it I recognize it. For example for a while I thought about the reasons why I have been attracted to balloons. The knowledge was already there, but it was almost like reminding it myself again. It all makes sense at the end. 

I always start my paintings with a pink background. It started as a random happy accident. Since then I love its vibrancy and the way it flickers your eye when I make the drawing with green on it. I also thought about this pink a lot. Then I remembered I had a bed cover when I was very little in that same pink I use. 

I have my intentions and ideas to express through painting, but at the same time I want the viewer connect with it through their own memories or experiences and reminded and or create their version of a story. The important part for me is to share the feeling of joy, positive vibes and remind (myself and everybody else) there is hope. 

Playing with point of view, including humor in the work, having fun choosing titles especially from lyrics are the things I enjoy. But color is everything, and when I was a student I was scared of color. Especially recently I see my paintings as color compositions. 

The Raft, 2019, oil on canvas, 35 x 50 inches

AMG: Which art exhibition was the most influential in your professional journey?

BS: Going backwards in memory lane I can say Vincent Desiderio’s solo exhibition at Marlborough Gallery in 2008. I was a junior year painting student at Pratt Institute at that time, especially his huge painting ‘Sleep’ blew my mind. Of course I had no idea that later during grad school I would study with him at New York Academy of Art. I think unconsciously that painting led me to painting entangled figures. Either that or Jean Delville’s ‘Treasures of Satan’ that I have seen in the ‘Symbolism’ book while I was at middle school. 

AMG: If you could live with only one piece of art what would it be?

BS: This is really very difficult to decide. Gustav Klimt’s ‘Danae’; because of that painting (again I saw in the ‘Symbolism’ book and was wondering what ‘Danae’ is) I got into Greek Mythology when I was at middle school. Immediately I have considered the question as visual arts, but I can’t live without music, or paint without music; so let’s limit it to visual arts.

AMG: What was the last book you have read? How would you described?

BS: ‘One Deadly Summer’ a novel by Sebastien Japrisot. A psychological crime/ suspense set in 60’s at South of France. It was a fun read especially at a time we can not travel. I love Japrisot’s novels, and his way of describing a story from different view points of characters. 

AMG: Any advice or lessons you’ve learned?

BS: If you really want something, do not afraid to take risks, and go after your passion. That is how I was able to give myself a second chance in life. I told myself whatever happens and as much as I struggle it will be a great experience and adventure. And it has been. Trust yourself and be honest with your art. Then when I had a terrible depression few years ago my psychiatrist kept telling me “focus on your art, your art will save you”. And it did; your art will save you, never give up. It is the journey that matters.

AMG: Questions I can’t answer?

BS: Are we going to save the earth? Is there going to be justice some day? Equality? Are we going to find serenity at all?