The interview with Defne Tesal

First, I heard about the American Turkish Society’s Moon and Stars project grants from my aunt. When I looked into it I learned about the summer residency programs of SVA and decided to apply for the scholarship.

 

I worked on several different pieces during my residency at SVA. They were mostly textile and fiber-based three-dimensional works. I explored new materials, and also started working on site-specific works.

 

The program opened up my mind. Working closely together with other artists helped me to share and discuss both my works and others. Getting intense critiques from several teachers and artists was very helpful for me to explore myself and my works. Being in New York City during this very concentrated period added a lot to my work. The diversity of people and lifestyles, the art scene, the young and energetic feeling, the grid system of buildings and streets, all of these pieces of life really influenced my work.

 

Since the program, I have been working on different projects. I work on site-specific installations, drawings, and weavings. I spend three months in an artist residency in Finland. I am in a new artist collective based in Istanbul, and lastly, I’m starting my master’s degree in Fine Arts in Netherlands this year.