Interview: Melis Gursel
Luca Curci talks with Melis Gursel during CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2021 – 8TH EDITION, at THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space.

“I get my inspiration from a tiny radar lives in my brain that anything can inspire me for my acrylic, oil painting, watercolor, or chalk pastel art work on different media. Mostly I close my eyes and imagine colors. One of my biggest passion is to give color codes to everyone around me because I strongly believe that soul is dyed with the color of its own thoughts.”

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Melis Gursel – Art is an implacable need to express my deepest thoughts and feelings with an imaginary distortion of space in relation to time  whereby people or objects of one period can be moved to another like a ‘time wrap’.We do not have much control on what happens in life but with art you can turn a piece of paper or canvas into anything you imagine.

LC – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
MG – My name is Melis Gursel, I was born in 1983, in Turkey. With an engineering background, I am a multi-cultural abstract artist who has been passionate about painting since childhood. I had professional fine art masters from my father’s side of the family. That is why I could say that I have known the smell of ‘paint’ since I was a little kid. I was born and raised in Turkey, lived in Italy and in the United States for years. As an abstract artist living abroad and having friends almost from all over the world gained me different interpersonal skills such as ” sensitivity to one’s own and other cultures”, ” ability to take positive criticism” , “time management & diverse design” and “semantic awareness” which I guess all shaped my “abstract art”. 

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
MG – Artists play an important role in shaping today’s society. People with creativity have responsibilities; thoughtful critique is essential to our environmental, political, economic and problems all over the world. It is a challenge being an artist nowadays because pushing people to engage thoughtfully with all these problems to be mitigated and make steps toward social progress.

LC – Did your style change over the years? In which way?
MG – Surely it has changed over the years. I used to paint more realistic when I was younger. Then my art has become more an escape from reality.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this festival? How did it inspire you?
MG – I liked the concept of the festival since it was embracing all artists from different cultures and disciplines. Festival was inspirational  in the sense of blending all critiques and views from different countries.

LC – In which way the artwork presented in our exhibition is connected with the festival’s theme?
MG – My artworks that were represented at the festival were made with a state of mind ‘spirit is free, does not have any limits’, which I think truly connected with the theme.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
MG – Definitely I believe that ITSLIQUID GROUP is a great platform by connecting artists, designers and architectures with an effective communication methodology.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
MG – Yes, absolutely I enjoyed being a part of the festival.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
MG – ITSLIQUID GROUP is a dedicated platform that creates a free space for all different types of international art events, by successfully managing various exhibitions with all respect of the language of world art.