BURCU Ö. KARABEY /ARTIST STATEMENT

Clay -a material that has the capacity to reflect the realities and dualities of life- is both natural and meaningful; it can be permanent and temporary at the same time. It has always been in relation with the past -both as in general history and personal history- and it can be personified.

In my practices, I try to reflect and transform my own sensations of life, like a visual diary with an expressionist approach. The main theme in my last works was the marine life. I was inspired by the lyric aspects and cruel realities of marine life. With their durable yet easily untie-able nature, sailor’s knots symbolize the sea life, purification and the act of migration and provides possibilities of a balance between mind and emotions. Organic materials (natural materials) that are gathered from both land and sea, which contribute to earth’s natural cycles, were used to convey different meanings in different forms. I am also interested in creative process; process is also transformed in my works.  

She was born in Ankara in 1975. She graduated from Hacettepe Uni., Fac. Of Fine Arts, Dept. Of Ceramics in 1996 and started to work as a Res. Assist. at the same department in 1997. In 1999 she finished her M.a. thesis. She finished her PhD in Art Degree in March 2004.  Since 2018, she is working as a Proffesor at Muğla Sıtkı University Bodrum Faculty of Fine Arts. She opened her first solo exhibition in 2003 and her works had been exhibited in: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, K.K.T.C, India, USA, China, İtaly, Belgium, Egypt, Crotia, Austria, Germany, Spain, Korea. Karabey, whose works are included in special collections, has won five national award, two mentions and one International Honour Medal from Russia and two international award and one honorable diploma from Crotia. In 2008, she was honoured by the *”Laudable Artsist” Prize given by Ankara Art Foundation.. Her works are published in publications such as: “Ceramic Arts&Perception”, “500 Raku”, “100 Hundred Tile and Ceramic Artists Of İstanbul”. Since June 2012, she has been working in Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Bodrum Fine Arts Faculty Ceramic Department as the head of the department and also since 2013 she has been working as vice dean