Sculptor Ilker Yardimci

Contests
• 2013 Qingdao Horticultural Expo/2014 International Sculpture contest – China.
• 2013 Nanjing Youth Olympics International Sculpture contest – China.
• 2013 Pingtan International Urban Sculpture Contest – China.
• 2010 Shijiazhuang International Urban Sculpture Contest – China.
• 2010 Izmir Kordon Rotary Club Sculpture Contest- Mansion IZMIR – Turkey.
• 2008 29.Beijing Olympic Park Sculpture Design “100 Olympic Sculpture” – China.
• 2007 HSBC Bank Sculpture Contest – Turkey.
• 2007 Turgut Pura Sculpture Contest Izmir Metropolitan Municipality- Turkey.
• 2006 Beijing Olympic Park Sculpture Design – China.
• 2005 Turgut Pura Sculpture Contest Izmir Metropolitan Municipality- Turkey.

Prizes
• 2nd Award. Qingdao Horticultural Expo 2013/2014 International Sculpture contest – China, 2013.
• Honour Award. Nanjing Youth Olympics International Sculpture contest 2013 – China, 2013.
• Success Award. Pingtan International Urban Sculpture Contest 2013 – China.
• Excellent Award. Shijiazhuang International Urban Sculpture Contest 2010 – China.
• Success award. HSBC Bank Sculpture Contest 2007 – Turkey.
• 1st Award. 25° Turgut Pura Sculpture Contest Izmir Metropolitan Municipality 2007 – Turkey.
• Nomination award (2 Projects). 29° Beijing Olympic Park Sculpture Design 2006 – China.
• 1st Award. 23° Turgut Pura Sculpture Contest Izmir Metropolitan Municipality 2005 – Turkey.

Technique
Direct shaping.

Message of the project
The sculpture consists of metal plaques, welded and screwed to each other. Size: 160X50X50 cm (without base). The proposal is to show an abstraction of a human figure.

Interview to Ilker Yardimci

• What’s the place that you live like?
I am living in a small city which name is Duzce since 2 years. There is no traffic and crowd like big cities. It’s mean I have more time for my family and my sculptures. And also very near to Istanbul (2 hours by car) which is the biggest city of Turkey. It is also my advantage for my gallery and exhibition connections as well.
• Can you share with us a happy memory from your childhood?
First thing I remember night plays with other children. I remember that we have strong neighbourliness and strong relations each other. In summer nights after dinner all children were playing in gardens till late night. It was a full of secrets for us. In night, the world shows different face to us unlike daytime. I think now, those days first time I felt the sense of reality. It was strange and also it was a precious times for me.
• When did your love for sculptures begun?
When I was a child I was carving small figurines with plaster of paris. In addition that my mother carried coloured pencils and papers in her handbag for me. when we visited our neighbours or etc Especially I was drawing their carpet motifs.
• What does art mean in your life?
Art is the unique and strongest communication instrument of the world. People needs people. Especially there is no words saying someone for some situations for example love or hate. So one needs another language. I mean art. Actually if we look carefully this situations generally “talking” is unnecessary for life. Dance, music, painting, sculpting I am thinking about old times people of Africa, India I mean special cultures lived real lives with full of art… I am searching this kind of senses in my life.
• Do you have any other profession besides sculpting?
I am an academic. I am working Duzce University Faculty of Design and Art, Head of Sculpture department. I am giving courses for departments for example basic design, Art, Sculpture etc. I have some instruments like acoustical-classical-bass- jazz guitars, some local wind and string instruments like oud-baglama, actually I am trying to collect them as I can.
• A model artist that you admire – fine artist, filmmaker, writer, philosopher
There is a lot of but if I can try to select among them, Durer, Bosch as painter for past times, Ilhan Koman, Anish Kapoor, Anthony Gormley as sculptors; N.B. Ceylan, David Lynch as filmmaker, Dostoyevsky, Gogol, Elias Canetti, Paul Auster as writer; Jean Baudrillard as philosopher….
• A world famous work of art that you admire
There is also a lot of bur “Cloud Gate/Anish Capoor” from Chicago/Millennium Park is my favorite.
• A book or author you recommend
Elias Canetti, “Die Blendung”.
• Which historical or political event do you think most affected your country’s present?
Ottomans totally affected Anatolia which is center of Empire, Middleeast, Asia, Africa and Europe during past 700 years. Republic of Turkish were built on this heritage on 1923… about important dates 1453 conquest of Istanbul, changed the world history deeply.
• Do you practice any religion?
Art.

• Can you share with us a traditional recipe from your country?
Anatolia is an interesting place, Mediterranean kitchen, Jewish/Armenian/Greek, Turkish/kurdish, and Arabic kitchen, one can find in a street all this tastes. but I especially likes Mediterranean tastes. Fish grills etc, squid salad, I would like to share special one.
Sea bass in burrid in salt is one of my favorite. For two person; A medium size sea bass(750 gr), put inside hole of fish full of sliced onion, trash lemon, sliced carrot, parsley, little olive, several daphne leafs (for better aroma) and salt enough, mix then together than put it on a plate (it has to be special plate oven), also we need enough salt (for full cover of the fish). In a different pot, grated carrot/onion and lemon juice should mix together with salt. Then full cover the fish with this blend. Expand the blend over the plate approximately 5mm thickness, then put the fish over . Then fish must bu full cover with this blending. Fish has to be covered with this blending nearly 1 cm for better taste. Than 180- 200 C and 30 minute is enough for cooking. Salt getting hard with heat. You can broke it kindly and get the tasteful fish. Bon appetite….
• What is the status or importance of art in your country?
What is the role of the artist in your society?
Turkish art has strong roots, it comes from middle Asia, Anatolia, middle east and also very strong connections with Europe. This means advantage and misadvantage same time. Turkey has a strong cinema market. Since 15 years especially in Istanbul there is a lot of new galleries were opened. There is a international art fairs and biennials getting stronger and recognize international arena.
• Have you already been to South America and Argentina?
What are your expectations for the City of Resistencia and its Biennial?
I have been in North America/New York, South America/Argentina will be first time. As I know South America has a great history. I am so excited about this journey. I am familiar Argentina music especially I am a fan of Astor Piazzolla. actually 2010 World cup I support Argentina football team against Germany at quarter final. During my visit I hope that I would have a chance for visiting MALBA for better understanding Latin American Modern Art in Buenos Aires. I am going to go to Resistencia with land route I hope that it will be a great chance for me for seeing inside of Argentina and meeting new people. There is a big distance our cultures however with your efforts I can share my art in Argentina. I am sharing biennial information and images in Turkey with my people. They are very excited and waiting news from biennial. I believe in that this biennial will affect a lot of persons views directly in a better way. I am very happy about this connections cheerful feelings in spite of long distance.
• What the slogan “Hommo Novus” makes you think about? Can you tell us something about the work of art you are going to make?
Whole world, We are living in a very strange times. Actually every morning I am asking myself that what is going on in Earth. So I have to change my ideas and narrations properly with simply way. I need new clear views and hopes every day. Because with this way I can change something around me. So it may lead to better changes for other people. I am trying to understand.
“HOMMO NOVUS” is a strong title. it is so meaningful for me. I am making sliced forms since 3 years. And screwing plates together for final shape. My forms generally consists basic math forms and shapes for examples spheres, ellipses, cubes… I use them because they has strong codes between us and all universe. After any abstraction/simplification of amorf shapes one can reach simple things like pebbles in the seaside.
We have to simplified things, we just need justice for food, justice for shelters, justice for works and this world enough for everyone. However things goes different we are all parts of this global pollutions. In my opinion there is a big curtain around people’s mind so they can’t see realities about current system. So “HOMMO NOVUS” is a simple idea. Sense of simple, sometimes selected true parts among the ideas rebuild itselves. And build an universal identity.