Interview: Gunsu Saraçoğlu for World Migratory Bird Day
About Gunsu Saracoglu
Gunsu Saraçoğlu is an artist, author, curator, editor, and TV producer who has participated in many important art projects. She is the founder of Piece of Art Agency and the editor-in-chief of the art portal Piece of Art News. She has conducted art interviews, written and edited art news, and produced the weekly “White Canvas” TV show. She is also the founder and the agency chairman of Mikado Digital Communication Agency. She paints and makes her digital art in her atelier/workshop in Istanbul.
What are you working on now?
I just completed my second art show in my series titled “Perfect Balance”. My mixed media digital art show depicts the unprecedented wildfires, and sea mucilage problem experienced in Turkey last year and their impact on birdlife.
Parallel to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), I hope to draw attention to climate change, which is warming our earth, fueling wildfires, and absent adherence to the Paris Agreement.
Climate change has an impact on biodiversity which is key to the stability of the ecosystems such as forests, rivers, grasslands and coral reefs, birds that we rely on for ecosystem services – food, arable land, clean air, and water. Losing species is the same as taking bricks out of the wall, one by one – eventually, the wall will collapse, and the ecosystem will die. To humanity, the collapse of ecosystems means the loss of fisheries, fertile land, and drinkable water.
Perfect Balance 2 by Gunsu Saracoglu
How has this year been so far, what worked well, and what didn’t move as quickly as you would have liked?
With the pandemic, as an artist I paused which gave me time to review all my work so far and then identify the topics and the medium that I wanted to pursue my art in the most unlimited and free way.
I took lessons to learn digital art and prepared digital art shows which I launched last month for World Migratory Bird Day on May 14th.
World Migratory Bird Day Art Show “Perfect Balance” by Gunsu Saracoglu
What do you hope to express in your “Perfect Balance” digital art show series?
In my “Perfect Balance” digital art exhibitions, I compiled the first examples of my mixed media digital artwork, which is a combination of using technology, photos, paint, and paintings I made over many years.
I believe that my mixed media digital artwork represents my efforts to adapt well to the current reality in the fields of technology and art and express my views on the topic of urbanization, climate change, and its impact on nature. I focused on birds since they migrate around the world and live collective lifestyles. Their survival is globally impacted by climate change.
What are your plans for the future?
I have always enjoyed working with different materials by studying and combining traditional painting materials. With the pandemic, I switched to digital art. This provides an important opportunity for me to reflect my ideas on the work and to convey what emerges from this to the large masses. I plan to develop more in the field of digital art and share my work with a wider audience.
How can people find out more about what you are working on?
They can view my work from my social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as from my ubiverse and talenthouse accounts.
Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA is a legal and finance executive with diversified experience dealing with highly complex issues in the field of international taxation and related matters within the banking, securities, Fintech, alternative and traditional investment funds. Her first of its kind legal analyses involving tax laws, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), blockchain technology, solar technology and the environment and have been published in journals, books and by the OECD. Her writings have been translated into 15 languages.
