This interview forms part of a series of features on artists who participated in our ‘Together for Our Planet’ initiative. The ‘Together for Our Planet’ exhibition and publication is a collaboration between Occhi Arts and Entertainment and Phoenix FTA Limited, a UK-based sustainability strategy consultancy. Inspired by the UK Creative Earth Competition, Occhi Arts and Entertainment, and Phoenix FTA Limited invited artists from around the world to creatively engage with key topics of concern at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. The initiative provided artists with a renewed opportunity to visually express their views to world leaders and community stakeholders by producing 2D artwork.
Emel Cevikcan is a Fine Arts graduate of Marmara University. Observing the details of everyday surroundings, Emel finds endless ideas from nature. Working with watercolor has always been her preference because it flows from the brush and is never the same application. The presented artwork is a 35 x 50 cm-sized watercolor titled ‘The Sadness After The Tsunami’. We had the pleasure to discuss her practice, the exhibition entry, and current projects.
Emel, thank you for agreeing to keep up with Occhi. Congratulations on your successful career as a visual artist. How did you get acquainted with art?
I embraced art in elementary school. I decided to become a painter while in class and in this sense I have developed myself over the years. Changes in nature, the strengths, and weaknesses of humankind, I have always been impressed by the fact that people create a whole with nature, with different influences, and I have given more space to such topics in my work over time.
What was the emotional impetus for you to become an artist?
My driving force is the mysteries in small details. The amazing colors and forms of nature have always been influenced by known or unknown magical movements in nature.
What encouraged you to participate in ‘Cop26: Together for Our Planet exhibition?’
Yes, the sense of reaching more people supported my interests in this exhibition. I hope that I will achieve my goal a little more with this exhibition in this sense.
Please tell us more about your exhibition entry ‘The Sadness After The Tsunami’ and how did you feel during the creative process?
Despite all the advanced technologies in the face of the incredible amazing power of nature, I was very intrigued by how much humanity is sometimes incapable of preventing even more human losses and environmental disasters, and I wanted to touch on this topic.
How will your participation in the ‘Together for our Planet’ influence your creative practice?
It seems very possible that our world will drift towards more disasters if the misuses are not prevented. How many natural disasters have left human beings helpless? Through my study, I am drawing attention to this issue and emphasizing it when I can.
Which projects are you working on currently?
I am currently working on social migration and the problems caused by such environmental concerns.
For further information on the artist and the COP26: Together For Our Planet exhibition, visit the Occhi Contemporary Art website
(Image Migration and Hunger 35cm x 50cm, courtesy of Emel Cevikcan)
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