Ecem Dilan Köse, Digital Artist
Although the concept of NTF causes excitement because of its breakthrough and complexity, we are not fully aware of its limitless. We talked to Ecem Dilan Köse, who has accomplished different and inspiring works, about NFT and digital art, as we are passing through a historical period.
Do you think that we have a good grasp of the NFT concept?
I think not only in terms of a country but globally there hasn’t a good grasp of the NFT notion. Most of the people think NFT as an image that can be made by field of art or a collection. However NFT is a method of block chain technology. That is why before explaining the notion of NFT (non fungible token), we have to mention block chain technology. To sum it up, lock chain technology is a distributed recording system. We can make the understanding easier by thinking the game blocks that we played in our childhood. Just like the blocks that children put on top of each other, the system records all the new information gradually. In this system the records do not gather in one center. Because the blocks are open, all the players can trust that there is no cheat. When we think art and NFT all together, the artwork is like a block like I told about. Since we can see all the registration information of this block and trust that this information cannot be changed, it is a good system in terms of protecting works of art, making their belonging and uniqueness reliable and archiving.
How would you position yourself in Turkey in terms of digital art?
I see myself as a conceptual artist who uses digital tools. For me, artist uses the tools and the materials of its time. I use technology as in tools. That is why I appreciate technology and I get excited using every new tool that has been out. All of my outputs are actually efforts to seek the answer to a question for 12 years. “What is the essence of life?” I see art as a search for answer of my existential questions. I connect the answers I find or the right questions and directions I come across with my art. This is completely a career of art that evolved subconsciously. The reason that I stay loyal to my own search and follow technology closely makes me original not just in Turkey but in the world.
Are we going through historical days in the name of digital art?
I believe everything that is being done for digital art is historical. Every work that is being done is “new”. Every brick that put on top of each other builds something. Something that it built is not just a beneficial effort for digital art but also for art in general. All these efforts will shape history. Now the use of a new technology has opened another window. With each passing day, this change will create the form of the things that are built. However, I would like to say that these are good times for the acceptance of digital art. It is of great importance for people to see this area and to direct their attention to this side.
Can going to the gallery and coming face to face with an artwork evoke the same feelings as looking at an image on a computer screen?
The experience is powerful as long as all the senses are involved. When you go to a gallery, you are also affected by the atmosphere of the gallery. The senses addressed by a carefully selected and carefully presented work to be shown to you will of course be multidirectional. This is about strengthened sensations as well as the physical world. However our reception patterns, which we see in proper concentration and direct our perception, are also powerful. For now although our experience remains visual or auditorial, when our technological adoptions evolve the power of art experience will scale up. For example, virtual reality technology gives you an immersive experience. In this experience it is often impossible to be reckless. It is almost physical to be able to walk around with the sounds you hear as if they are right in your mind with the awesome visuals designed for you all around. It even gives you a spatial feeling most of the time and you can’t say you’re not there.
Can you describe your own 2021?
Like the previous years, 2021 was about working hard and search. The only difference was because of the pandemic, there wasn’t any social distraction that can be appealing, that is why it was a very productive year. As people’s adaptation to the digital world has increased, I started to feel that I am a little more understandable in my own art. As the people who understood me increased, I was able to find the opportunity to talk to people I could talk to on topics that I was interested in. I was at home, but I became independent of the place. This actually liberated me and I had the opportunity to open up to the world. I think that I turned into an advantage of the difficulties that 2021 has brought.
What was the job that you felt proud of this year?
Although I talked about the positive situations I got from isolation in the previous question, there were also things that I missed. Festivals and concerts were my biggest hobby, I missed them a lot. I think as a result of this longing, the audiovisual performance named as Human and placed in Sonar Festival, was the craziest experience for me. As someone who had danced and gone to concerts for years, the past suddenly appeared unplanned in that performance. My alter ego actually made the performance :) That is why the result was surprising for me. Ecem that was in there and Ecem who experienced it, was with people. This performance, called Human, was a story of digital transformation and was about the relationship/transformation of the physical world- digital world. Just like 2021 :) I don’t know if I should be proud but it turned into a performance where I was so in the moment during production and some doors were opened in my mind. I learned a lot from that performance. That’s why everything I do from now on will be based on what I’ve learned. Now I know the receiver and performer relationship very well.
How would you define being authentic?
I think being authentic means being honest to yourself. It is inevitable to be authentic if a person offers courage, ambition and honesty. If you have the courage to reveal who you are and your troubles with all your nakedness, if you do it with all your determination, I think you will be original. At least, when you walk away or deal with other concerns nothing will be left but you and why you are producing. Every person is unique, if you are there your work will also be unique.
Is there a work that you said “I wish I had thought of it”?
Many, many, many. This is why I love the variety of art. Most of the time I pray that I see a work of art that I would say “I wish I had done it.” Because it means that the artwork that I saw had touched my soul, my mind. Every work of Moonassi arouses a feeling of this.
What do you expect from 2022?
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