huzursuz bir optimist
Esra Gülmen stands before us with her story, which is evidence of the universal, integrative, and boundless nature of art. We begin the day in Esra’s studio in Berlin on a serene day that hints at spring… Displayed in different galleries and museums around the world, her works surround us as they address the shared human emotions in the simplest way. With these works where she lays bare her material and spiritual self, Esra underscores humanism. Actualising the Esra who hides somewhere within, breaking free from anxieties, and sometimes elevating her communication with the outside world to the highest level… Not from a grand or assertive state, what Esra does is to express herself with her usual effortlessness… That’s why her works resonate with completely different personalities and spread gradually. Now let’s rewind the story a little further…
When did you realize that art would be your profession?
ESRA: When I was a child, my parents thought that I would be a musical artist thanks to my singing at weddings before elementary school and the concerts in front of the blackboard at school… Competing in contests regularly after my elementary school teacher noticed my talent for painting…
Do you have a specific memory of that period?
ESRA: It says in my elementary school yearbook: “Esra will be a successful artist when she grows up.” I would like to thank my elementary school teacher, Murat Kaya, for believing in me and always supporting me.
I believe that art has always been a part of your life since elementary school but looked for its place until you found your safe space… Trust is one of the most important values in your life. How did this process evolve?
ESRA: I have trust issues; it was necessary for me to work in order to feel safe.
It was a strategic transition period in which you put your talents into use in the agency side of the creative industries, which also allowed a safer moving process to Germany.
ESRA: I wanted to create my own safe space and move forward in order to get my residency permit. But I had to leave that comfort zone behind and actualise myself.
I believe that duality can’t take up much space in your life.
ESRA: I had to be true to myself.
Is it harder to be Esra Gülmen or remain Esra?
ESRA: I often find it very difficult to live with myself. I haven’t allowed myself any option other than being myself though.
You are quite successful at remaining Esra.
ESRA: What keeps me dynamic here is being able to stay in the midst of change.
Can we interpret self-preservation as an individual victory?
ESRA: Please, let’s interpret it. But on the other hand, everybody wants approval and appreciation.
And you have carried the approval seeking Esra to many victories…Your works are displayed in two separate exhibitions at the Bonn Bundeskunstalle. This is the most recent update, I believe. Undoubtedly, the power to express universally recognized emotions in the simplest language lies behind the increasingly universal identity that your work gained. Can you also be this simplistic in your daily life?
ESRA: I am both simple and highly complicated.
Being clear is your strength and you are aware of it, but you prefer to show it rather than say it out loud.
ESRA: Actually I get confused a lot. I wish I could always be as clear as I am in my work. And it seems like my work is happier by itself. I’m not like that.
You are a good observer and a good narrator. I believe that the secret power in your art lies in your communication skills. Your journey to simplify Esra becomes an authentic artistic language.
ESRA: In my daily life, I’m someone who overanalyzes everything needlessly. But I mostly do this after I make a decision. I am quick and clear in making decisions, but then I play a thousand tricks on myself not to be happy with it, and in the end, I am never truly comfortable. Likewise in my work, I try to do my work by sidestepping this overthinking part, otherwise I can never accelerate. Yet, after the work is done, I often question and doubt myself too much.
And this leaves an open door for the next work, I think. You gain victories for the approval seeking Esra and take a step for the next triumph. To what extent does the element of the audience play a part here? How much space does social media take up in your journey?
ESRA: To reach a global audience with your work, you need to bypass traditional channels and establish a direct connection with the audience. The use of social media is quite effective for potential collaborations. However, this may not suit every artist’s practice. I don’t believe that there is a single right way, but in general, it is obvious that social media has positive benefits as long as it is used correctly. Especially for independent artists.
“It seems like my work is happier by itself. I’m not like that.”
-Esra Gülmen
The common opinion is that you have mastered the social media language quite well.
ESRA: Believe me that I’m actually having a very hard time. I see it as a part of my job and try to use it wisely. There are a lot of moments when I feel uncomfortable, posts and stories that I want to delete immediately, but it is important that the Esra in there presents a different persona.
How much space does Esra have on social media?
ESRA: I try to share her as little as possible. But it can’t be said that I’m very cautious. I’m impulsive.
You haven’t been working with a gallery in Turkey since last summer. What connects an independent artist to the industry? How do you express yourself, update and retain your audience?
ESRA: I am working with two galleries and several curators in Germany. My seesaw works are being exhibited in two separate exhibitions at Bonn Bundeskunstalle. One is opening this week and the other is at the end of the month. I will also have a workshop at the museum this week, I’m excited!
I will have an exhibition in the outdoor gallery of another museum in Cologne during this summer, again, about censorship issues but I’m still working on it. I will spend the winter of 2025 in Guadalajara, Mexico, where I will have a solo exhibition at Plataforma in the spring, and I’ll spend time there for a while for the preparation process. And looking at the near future, I will also have an exhibition at Marvy Atelier in July.
What kind of creation process does this transformation in your works that emerge from white canvas and turn into non-linear installations go through?
ESRA: You know, I studied interior architecture at the faculty of fine arts. But I stayed in the two-dimensional visual world for a while. It felt good. Then my works, which remained on the surface, began to grow in dimension and deepen conceptually. Now, it excites me to become a little more dimensional and to produce interactive works that involve the audience in it. I also love making field-specific works. When I look at my current works, I feel like I am harvesting the fruits of my education. One year of American literature education before fine arts, then a long-term advertising agency period, living in 4 different countries, the conservative environment I came from, immigration; and here I am in a period where all these experiences are blended with the integration process within myself.
So what does “winning” mean to you in this polyphony?
ESRA: The word ‘winning’ stresses me out for some reason. It expresses uneasiness to me, like it’s an overly competitive word. Of course, the state of winning is good but… As a result of long working hours and effort. In my opinion, being ‘The Winner’ has very little to do with winning.
How does this state of mind leave its mark on your productivity? Feeling that something is going well doesn’t bring the joy of victory, but rather comes with the anxiety of the next step. Esra Gülmen is more productive with all her anxieties but how does she overcome them?
ESRA: I can move on to the “so that means” part more quickly without clinging too much to the sadness brought by the feeling of loss. I am a troubled optimist.
Esra Gülmen is one of those who managed to be herself in all layers of life – cultural differences, geographical boundaries, or changing circumstances… Her fearless nature in creating spaces where she can express herself without hesitation. With her language that can transform her anxieties into a social voice and her feeling of triumph when she doesn’t give a second thought, for us, Esra has the ability to leave every situation in her wake as a winner. Our conversation that started in Berlin is now followed by New York, Istanbul and Izmir. Today, we talk about the cover design you see on the Izmir-Istanbul line; and once again we ask ourselves; how much a real winner can be involved in the winning process…
Interview by Duygu Bengi
Photographed by Maria Camilla Ruiz Lora
From Based Istanbul N°43 – The Winners Club Issue. “For us, winning is deciding to embark on a journey. Ask yourself aloud: If this is a race, who else but me can make the rules? Welcome to the winners club!” Buy your copy now!