Imagine with Alibe Penn

You exist as much as you dream! Alibe Penn is a very talented and enthusiastic young artist who has found a colourful space within her own dream.

We see Alibe Penn as a colourful representation of pop culture, fashion, music, and everyday people…

To be honest my collages have a very close relation with my personal life. For example I was listening to the last song of Florence and the Machine “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” and automatically I needed to re-create the feelings that she expresses with her music. Sometimes what another artist likes or feels – I am able to reflect within my work. In the case of Florence, it was wonderful because her manager contacted me, having bought the collage that I had created for her.

You were trained in the fine arts?

I think all of us were artists when we were children. In my case, I can say that I became an artist when I was seven years old. My first collage was an island made from pasta… I’ve continued making the same works that I had created when I was a child. I need to express my emotions and my passion through creativity.. so I studied advertising and public relations in university and last month I began my master’s degree in graphic design. I am very interested in the relation between advertising and art.

As a young artist, what would you like to achieve with your work?

About my future goals…I’m a dreamer with a lot of dreams. I can say that one of them will be the cover of a magazine, maybe for Based Istanbul or for an album cover.

You find inspiration where?

I am a person that cannot imagine life without music. When I listen to a song I start to imagine how the video would be, including the choreography. I love to dance. Sometimes I can do ballet in my living room whilst listening to classical music or other times I can be the crazy, dancing in the middle of the pub to ‘I wanna dance with somebody.’ Where I find inspiration? The answer is ‘life.’ We are living in a world of many inspirations: nature, people, animals, architecture, travel, movies, music…and also as Salvador Dali said, “when I dream I’m also creating.”

Artists that you admire? Artists you would like to collaborate with?

I admire every artist in the world. My favourite artists are Picasso, Dali and Warhol. Which artist I would like to collaborate with? I must say that I do not have any preferences, but maybe someone who is into the fashion world such as the British photographer Kavin Davies, or the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Something else about Ms Penn?

Aside from collage art I like to paint and I like graphic design, but my creativity does not have limits. Sometimes when I am in the train, I come across a person who inspires me and I immediately imagine a movie with this person. So if any director is interested to create a movie collaborating with a collage artist, here I am.