In this thought-provoking interview, artist Ulgen Semerci reflects on the profound influence of psychoanalysis, ecology, and the relationship between the self and the environment on her artistic practice. Drawing from theorists like Melanie Klein, Carl Jung, and John Bowlby, she incorporates deep psychological insights into her installations, while her collaborative works with Burcu Yagciogu address urgent ecological themes with innovative material choices. Semerci’s art invites open-ended narratives, encouraging viewers to project their own experiences, creating a sacred, untouchable connection that transforms each encounter into a raw, authentic moment.
1
How does your interest in psychoanalysis influence the way you approach your artistic practice?
Psychoanalysis has been a groundwork for my practice. In certain cases it provided me with tools to understand my own work to a deeper level and develop research. In others it helped shed a light into my process and make critical decisions. In my installation “I’ll be Your Mirror” where I covered a large wall of a gallery with ceramic breasts and noses, Melanie Klein’s texts helped find my way when I was working in a more intuitive way. In “Love is a Hierarchy” where I explored attachment and phantasy, I benefited from reading Bowlby and Winnicott. Currently I am exploring fragments and shadow self. Among others, such as Ursula LeGuin and Italo Calvino, I revisited Carl Jung as a springboard.
2
Your works often explore themes of ecology and the relationships between the self and the environment. How do you see these connections reflected in the materials and techniques you choose for your art?
I have been working on collaborative projects with Burcu Yagcioglu for over a decade. Together we’ve made installations revolving around the climate crisis. In our two-person exhibition In Fog; we used a fog machine that filled the gallery space with fog every twenty minutes. The fog reduced the visibility, erasing the floor and the works of art creating an uncanny overtone. In another installation centered around sea level rise, we covered the floors of the exhibition space with a material used in horticulture which has a high ratio for reflecting light. We used this material to obtain a simulation of flooding in the space. More recently, for the launch of our book Fire Walk, we made a sculpture using ashes. The choice of materials has been an integral part of the conception and execution of our projects.
3
Do your open-ended narratives invite viewers to project their own experiences and feelings into your landscapes?
“In my work I strive to reach a state. It’s hard to define that state, that’s why art doesn’t work with formulas.“
Ulgen Semerci
