'Infinite Possibilities' By Rana Balkis - Raising Awareness of Climate Change Through Art
Rana Balkiş is an architect and painter based in Istanbul. Here we ask her a few questions about her new series “Infinite Possibilities” which has recently been accepted to exhibit at the USA’s first climate museum in NYC.
Q: How did you become passionate about raising awareness of climate change?
I am an architect and painter and I live in Istanbul, one of the oldest and most beautiful metropolises of our world inhabited by people as early as 3,000 BC, for over 5,000 years. Istanbul and its beauty have been depicted by European painters starting from the 18th century at the dawn of the industrial revolution, with the West beginning to take a greater interest in the East.
Society is now entering what is known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is fueled by coal and fossil fuels with adverse environmental effects. In this era not only are we able to transmit our ideas quickly around the world but the pollution from the energy that fuels digital technologies as well. This triggered an urge in me to find a new way, through my art, to raise awareness for climate change and environmental consciousness.
Q: Art and climate change – can it make a difference?
In my series titled “Infinite Possibilities” working in the style of “collage”, I intend my oil paintings to expand our curiosity and imagination so we better connect, understand and adapt to our technologically changing world by expanding our perception in the context of our stagnant values, behavior, and norms.
Q: Tell us a little more about your work?
I want my artwork to open people’s minds to new ideas that take into consideration the harmonious existence of all living beings and the man-made structures on earth.
The titles of my paintings are depictive of the messages I am trying to convey. For example, in my painting titled “Hope”, I paint a solarized future world that we can first dream and then create for the future generation.
In my individualistic style, through colors and forms, I am exploring human nature by building awareness between consumerism and a sustainable way of living for all beings. It's all connected, pollution is borderless and boundless. How we live our lives, in each country, is closely related to the state of our earth. Mass consumption has created a world that threatens essential sensitive ecological systems and our emotional, mental health state. But there's a lot of hope, we can make a difference – we can all contribute to change through our creativity and the choices we make.
‘’Impulsive cravings’’ Oil on canvas.
‘’Dürtüsel arzular’’ Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x126 cm. / 2018
‘’Climate change’’ Oil on canvas
‘’Küresel ısınma’’ / Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x126 cm. / 2018
‘’Entry to under World’’ Oil on canvas.
‘’Alt dünyaya giriş’’ / Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x126 / 2018
‘’Primal Passion’’ Oil on canvas
‘’İlksel tutku’’ / Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x126 cm. / 2019
‘’Moment of realisation’’ Oil on canvas.
‘’Şuurun geldiği an’’ / Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x90 cm. 2019
‘’Hope’’ Oil on canvas
‘’Umut’’ / Tuval üzerine yağlı boya / 90x90 cm. / 2019
