I like to combine my experience of living in a city with absurd fundamentals of daily life dynamics in the prints I create. I value works that capture the essence of orientalism, the structure of living. I draw inspiration from the idea of remembrance and the way I see and analyze them, specifically patterns from Turkish culture. The idea of displacement and diaspora in Istanbul plays a big role in my art practice.I use printmaking as my main medium as the act of creating a pattern onto a block surface is meditative for me. Making multiples is essential to printmaking and the way images can expand in directions in controlled continuity fascinates me. Most of the imagery originates from the number “3” and each pattern is generated from lines of intuition. Creating these works encouraged me to explore how printmaking is affected by technological influences and a combination of interdisciplinary media. The introduction of the laser cutter eliminates the surprise factor in printmaking. All the effort of carving can only be visualized in one’s head until it is printed. I moved away from two-dimensional flat surface prints into sculptural and modular works. The initial process of designing the image involved digital drawings and illustrations. This interaction of mediums manipulates the image from analog to digital and vice versa, while retaining the integrity of the painter and tactile quality of printmaking.The steps in creation include; Arriving at a spark which could be a symbol, a shape, an irregular area, or just a concept. This is inspired by Turkish culture and the streets of Istanbul. I then explore the interactions between lines, colors, and most importantly: layers.The next steps include brainstorming a pattern that emerges from these interactions.Most of these patterns are inspired by the Turkish Iznik tiles and the binary system of computing in the digital realm. This game of pattern-making results in each section alternatively colored or plain, thereby alluding to the patterns of zeros and ones.Another important aspect of my work is the collaboration involved- not just with traditional and modern forms of art, but also with other artists who inspire me.

Another work that was translated between analog and digital. I wanted to keep the painterly quality of the markers in texture, but have the precise nature of digital perfection. I used colors that worked with the pattern that was formed. As in all my works, I did not know what the pattern would look like until it was complete. The digital manipulation allows the work to be multiplied and resized into desired form, which completely alters the pattern itself.

Untitled by Melih Meric

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Melih Meric