Ceren Su is a Digital Artist living in Istanbul. In her art, she explores the role of technology between people and culture. Art has been with her her entire life. Ceren holds a Bachelor’s in fine arts and painting, and she is currently finishing a Master’s in plastic arts and painting. She finds her inspiration from people like Donna Haraway, Ursula Leguin, Jan Švankmajer and Isaac Asimov or by discovering contemporary or old works of art.
NFT Granny: “Dear Ceren – thank you so much for taking your precious time.Your style is very special
and for me as a Granny: unique. How would you describe your own personal style to a
blind person?”
Ceren Su: I work on different mediums, such as painting, computer-based visualization, sound and video. I try to blur the boundary between art forms and disciplines such as cybernetics and robotics through speculative fiction, storytelling and collage. In this way, I explore the role of technology between people and culture. In this context, my CGI works include human-machine hybrid cyborgs, robots and dysfunctional-looking devices.
How did you first become interested in art, and how did you get started with it yourself?
Ceren Su: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, even before I learned to speak. I took drawing lessons in high school and went to the painting department of the university of fine arts.
Could you tell us more about the story of your work “Generating Companion”?
Ceren Su: The general theme I wanted to convey in the “Artificial tendencies” series was to explore the relationship between humans and technology through speculative fiction in many ways, from the social impact of robotics and artificial intelligence to the philosophical implications of the rise of digital consciousness.
I usually focus on making an ordinary scene look unreal or absurd. The work “Generating companion” contains fiction about producing an artificial human. The person on stage isolates himself from the outside and creates his faithful companion inside a metal sphere.
Open on Foundation.app
Which of your artworks are you most proud of?
Ceren Su: One of the artworks I am most proud of is “Internal Reflection”. While producing this work, I used light as a dynamic element in a way I have never used before. At the same time, I discovered that I could make my work more subjective by incorporating the videos I took from daily life into my art practice.
Open on Superrare.com
Is there an artist you would like to work with? Like a collaboration?
Ceren Su: There are a few series I’m working on right now. I would like to take part in collaborative works when they reach a certain maturity and as much as I can find the opportunity. Most recently, we made a piece called “Dreams of Escape” with dear Jao Salazar. It was very exciting for me that this piece created something brand new, even though it included both Jao’s and my style. I find this experience instructive and joyous. It creates a communication ground with the artists who have been followed fondly for a long time, and also because the art we produce by turning to ourselves is permeable. Also, I would love to work one day with; Diewiththemostlikes, Claudia Braileanu, D3mo Disuelto, Parsa Mostaghim, and Cibelle Cavalli Bastos.
We are curious 🙂 Would you be willing to share any plans of upcoming projects?
Ceren Su: I just finalized and submitted my thesis. So I will be back to my artwork full-time. My current plans are to continue my “Artificial tendencies” collection and produce my book project, which I have been working on for a while with AI visualization and text.
Who or what are your biggest influences or sources of inspiration?
Ceren Su: Donna Haraway, Ursula Leguin, Jan Švankmajer and Isaac Asimov are people I’ve been inspired by over and over at some point in my life. Apart from that, I always like to discover contemporary or old works that I do not know.
How do you enjoy the NFT Art you have collected? Do you have a way to display it for example at home?
Ceren Su: It makes me happy to discover new meanings in each piece I add to the collection, in their side-by-side arrangement. From time to time, I create a cruising ritual by looking from the oldest to the newest from my computer.
What is the most disturbing thing when it comes to NFTs and cryptoart in your opinion?
Ceren Su: Scammers and fast utility expectations.
We would really like to know, where do you see the NFT Art scene in the future?
Ceren Su: I hope the NFT art scene will expand and grow in the future. However, while this growth takes place, I would like to imagine that a structure that succeeds to be more egalitarian, where diversity is preserved, will emerge.
Which tools do you use to create your art?
Ceren Su: I transferred the textures I made as oil paintings to 3d software. Recently, I started to edit the models that I physically made from clay in 3d software programs and add them to my works. I use Cinema 4d and Blender from 3d software programs. Moreover, I often use tools such as Ai visualizers, Premiere, Photoshop, Abelton, and modular synthesizers.
What does a typical day for you look like, and what do you like to do when you’re not busy with NFT Art?
Ceren Su: I’m constantly creating something: NFT or other things. When I’m tired, I watch movies or sit with my cat and listen to music.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Ceren Su: It’s not really advice, but there is a line that I like to hear from the poet Nazım Hikmet:
An almighty river has been flowing ever since the human hand drew the first bison in the first cave.
Is there something aside from art or NFTs you collect?
Ceren Su: Collecting things digitally allows me to eliminate the domination of objects that occupy space. That’s why I often go to vintage shops and scan the objects there in 3D.
What do you feel the moment a project you’ve created dropped?
Ceren Su: I have fear mixed with excitement. In fact, this process is very effective for everyone and allows you to face your own work more.
- Full Name: Ceren Su Çelik
- Date of Birth: 1993
- Current hometown: Istanbul
- Languages she speaks: Turkish, English
- What did you want to be when you were a child: Painter, architect, refuse collector
- Education: (BA)Fine arts, painting, (MA) Plastic arts and painting
- First Job: Barmaid
