Nilhan Sesalan, who graduated from Istanbul Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Sculpture Department with a master’s degree, is an artist whose works can be found in collections, parks and museums around the world. We talked with Sesalan, who took part in the fourth Riyadh Sculpture Symposium, where artists from 20 different countries participated and produced 30 works, about his journey in the art of sculpture, his relationship with natural stone material, and his current works.
How did your sculpture journey begin?
In 1987, there was a gallery in Sultanahmet where we worked on weekends. At that time, a lot of tourists were coming, especially from Europe, and we were impressed by their interest and the owner of the gallery who said that we should go to the academy, and we took the exams. My sister and I were 17-18 years old. We wanted to try it. Before taking the exams, we examined all departments at Mimar Sinan University. The sculpture was something we didn’t know, we took a piece of mud and tried to shape it, it was very attractive and we started.
What inspires you in your work, can you make mention about your creation process?
It is indispensable for me to have direct contact with raw materials and to produce work by working with my hands. When I touch the material, I can feel direct access to everything that happens in me. My inspirations are the crucible of everything I realize, from my genetic codes to dreams and the water I drink. My thoughts choose their own materials, they want as much simplicity as possible when they turn into sculptures, when I carve off all the excess, only the essence remains. They look more like poetry than novels.
References such as historical, architectural, sociological, psychological, technological, and geographical are felt in my works. For this reason, it is somewhat related to memory. I have been sculpting for thirty-six years, of course, I made many stone sculptures in this process, but I cannot describe myself as a “stone sculptor” or “metal sculptor”. However, I know well the traditional and current techniques of countries such as Japan, China, India, South America, the Balkans, Georgia, and Egypt on stone and chipping. All substances are miraculous as they make my thoughts visible. For me, the sign of life is about being full of color, form, feelings, and thoughts.
How could you describe your relationship with the material?
My thoughts give clues about what materials will be in the process of persuading me. Sometimes, it may be copper, it may be stone, it may be digitally equipped, and maybe I may not know how to process it. I learn in a short time. My heart beats for the statue I want to make. In the end, the non-matter and the material unite.
What would you say about the character and potential of the materials you use?
I like to visit quarries; I was in northern Greece the previous summer. This region meets seventy percent of the country’s stone needs. Massive businesses. For about a month, I stayed in a boutique hotel where I could see the view of the stone quarries from my terrace. There was no dust, no noise. It was very nice. During my stay there, I made my “Map of Space-Greece” sculpture. Six months later, I made my outdoor sculpture called “Map of Cosmos-Turkey” in Büyük Çekmece. I dedicated these two sister statues to Türkiye and Greece, which border each other.
In 2016, I made “Stars Walking Alone in the Sky”. When I was making my sculptures, I didn’t even know their names. I was trying to keep up with my speed of thought, which is quite difficult when chipping stones. This process was accompanied by a poem I wrote. I can easily say that the character and potential of the materials I use are in direct proportion to my thoughts and existence, based on these examples of my work production process.
What kind of changes does the differentiation of the material cause in the production process?
Sometimes, I try to understand if the material has changed in ways that I didn’t foresee. Coincidences are also part of “everything” we are in. If my body accepts it, I continue, if not, I go back to the beginning.
What would you say about your current works that you are working on livingly?
I just finished my sculpture “Heartbeats”. Contemporary Istanbul will be exhibited at Krank Gallery. I want to make a large-scale stone version soon. In 2019 I made a small copper sculpture called “Reef”, now I am working on the stone version with a similar feel.
What was your motivation for the emergence of the idea of “Existence”? What would you say about the design process?
I can say that “Existence” resembles a tree rising on its roots and trunk. As the rectangular colossal elements stably cling to the earth’s surface, they rise and merge, becoming amorphous. Thus, while the past and the future melt in the same pot through the tree metaphor, the socio-cultural reflections of the future gain a physical dimension. “Existence”, which I created by sculpting Tuwaiq granite, includes the traditional and the contemporary in the same pot as an intellectual and sculptural technique. I made a version of this sculpture called “Existence/Morning”, which is planned to be placed in the city center of Riyadh, for the Musandam Open Air Sculpture Park in Oman. Thus, neighboring Saudi Arabia and Oman, they host two sister statues Turkey and Greece. When I analyze the larger whole, these four sculptures are all part of the “Map of the Void” series.
What is your reason for choosing granite in the production of “Existence”? What advantages and disadvantages do you think this material has in sculpture art?
I had never worked with granite, I learned it for “Existence”. My assistant was invited from Aswan, Egypt and we worked with perfect empathy. Its working principle is the same as for stone, only diamond cutters are slow as they become dull very quickly. It requires working with highly professional masks and equipment. Granite has established a strong bond with my “Existence” sculpture with its mass weight, density of texture, color, and resistance.
Which natural stones from which regions of our country do you prefer to work with?
When I look at my works so far, the stones that create a pattern with my thoughts are mostly Afyon and Muğla stones. However, I loved using Konya / Çumra andesite, Marmara Island, Bursa / Kemalpaşa, Akşehir black, and İzmir basalt.
Did you have any difficulties in obtaining resources during the production phase?
When it comes to the sculpture in question, it is always difficult to obtain funds. It could be any material I’m looking for or a very extreme stone. Fortunately, there is a sponsor company that supports me on stone. I would also like to thank all my friends in the Turkish stone industry for their support. From time to time, I find it difficult to transport and assemble my large sculptures. It’s like carrying a piano. Moving and placing sculptures requires expertise.
