Erna Ucar — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

May 5

May 5 Erna Ucar

Biography

Erna Ucar was born in Ankara in 1979 and graduated from the Graphic Design School, Fine Arts Faculty of Hacettepe University in 2001. She lived in Moscow between 2004-2014 and while there became deeply fascinated with Russian Fine Arts.Spending years living in Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and Malaysia, experiencing life and light in different geographies and climates, has had a great impact on her life and her art. Her paintings focus on different physical aspects of each location she visits. Erna works with colours that do not need to be in perfect harmony and uses silhouettes that remind us of her background in graphic design.
She uses lattice on cotton paper with acrylic ink and pen thinner than 1mm. Subject matter aside, the main commonality of Erna’s pieces is her attention to detail and the dreamlike quality of all her paintings, whether figurative, abstract, or landscape.

What first prompted you to think of becoming an artist?

I have been talented at art since primary school years, when I won prizes in a couple of competitions. During preparations to the university, I targeted art schools. Entering the Faculty of Fine Arts in Turkey, made a concrete step towards the world of art.

What kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?

First years after university, I have worked as a graphic designer for many years, which somehow created a base for my artworks. For the last four years, i have been experiencing all different materials i found, like a science person in a laboratory running after new discoveries, i have been trying to use these different materials like ink, acrylic, watercolors, papers with different weights and textures, graphitel, sand, pastes, linen, etc. together in different arrangements. With these experiences I have been trying to achieve individual and inventive textures which has never been experienced before. I can define myself as a versatile artist with a desire to experience different materials.

What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?

In the first seconds, I hope a viewer needs to come closer to my artwork, to realize the elaboration in details and textures. To me it is a rewarding feeling to see a viewer surprised with delicacy in details.

Can you explain the process of creating your work?

It starts with an idea on which I continue studying and planning material to use, scale, texture. This process is more painful and difficult than making the artwork. The artwork takes shape in my head, from start to end, obsessively concentrated in the idea, feeding and reviving it within my head. Later, making process is calmer and more quiet, which requires a physical effort but, much easier to cope with. I usually do not need traditional research, sketching preparation methods, commonly used.

What is your favourite part of the creative process?

My favorite part is when the artwork is finished and ready for varnishing. I sometimes might need to restrain myself with adding another layer, tone, details. Sometimes I need to wait for months to convince myself that some artworks are finished.

Can you give us an insight into current projects and inspiration, or what we can look forward to from you in the near future?

I have been living in different countries, geographies and climates like Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and recently in Malaysia and now, preparing myself to move to another for a refreshing start. Late 2021 and 2022 are going to be a period, open to new experiences and horizons, contributing to a reset, purifying process for my mind.

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ernaucar/