Statement
With my practice I try to create moments of deep concentration and an intensified time experience. I work with different materials and techniques for their tactile aspects and meditative potentials. I make reductive and repetitive compositions of forms, shapes and gestures. The methods are usually labor-intensive, hand crafted and patience related. Drawing, installation, embroidery, video, performance and book are forms of working in which I try to open up a realm for contemplation and stillness.
CV
Defne Tesal (1985) born in Istanbul, Turkey.
Currently living and working in Turkey and the Netherlands.
Education
2019 MA in Fine Arts, Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, Netherlands
2010 BA in Stage and Costume Design, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul, Turkey
2007 Erasmus exchange at Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara, Dept. of Scenography, Italy
2004 Secondary School, Üsküdar American Academy, Istanbul, Turkey
Artist residencies
2019 Lahde, Artist in Community program, 2 months, Ii, Finland
2016 KulttuuriKauppila Art Center AIR program, 3 months, Ii, Finland
2015 SVA Summer Residency, 1 month, New York City, USA
Scholarships
2017 Holland Scholarship, Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, The Netherlands
2015 Moon and Starts Scholarship for SVA Summer Residency Program from American Turkish Society, New York City, USA
2007 Erasmus Scholarship for bachelor in scenography education in Academia di Belle Arti di Carrara, Italy
Awards
2016 Istanbul Rotary Art Competition Award, Jury: Ayşe Umur, Başak Şenova, Can Elgiz, Gülsün Karamustafa, Işın Önol, Özalp Birol and Şerif Kaynar
2012 Ifsak Short Film Festival, Best Animation Award
2010 Yıldız Short Film Festival, Digital Film Academy Award
Artist collective
2016-ongoing HAH artist collective - founding member, Istanbul, Turkey
(current members: Ahu Akgün, Gizem Karakaş, Ayça Telgeren, Defne Tesal, Murat Yıldız)
Workshops given
2019 “1h 34’ 07’’ workshop for fine arts bachelor students of St. Joost Art Academy. In collaboration with Ying Liu and Murat Yıldız.
Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, Netherlands
2018 "Absolute Rhythm, Indefinite Repetition" workshop for fine arts bachelor students of St. Joost Art Academy. In collaboration with Nicola Kirkaldy. Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
2016 “Random Creation Project” workshop for high school students of Ii Upper Secondary School, International Art Course program. In collaboration with Murat Yıldız. Ii, Finland
Exhibitions
2019 “Jong Talent” group exhibition, Den Bosch, Netherlands
2019 “Post Compost” graduation exhibition, Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, Netherlands
2019 16. Istanbul Biennial, Public program – participation as HAH collective
2019 "Atış Serbest 5" group exhibition, Tophane-i Amire, Istanbul, Turkey
2018 "Moment of Trust" group exhibition. Project of Tenthaus Artist Collective (Oslo) Club Solo, Breda, The Netherlands
2018 "What Do We Dance For?", group exhibition at Gallery Nectar, Tbilisi, Georgia
2018 “There is another possibility: about open space and artist collectives” exhibition at Kasa Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey, participated as HAH collective
2018 “Sketch State” group exhibition at Gallery 5, Istanbul, Turkey
2017 “Maybe, we will benefit from our neighbour’s good fortune” exhibition curated by Işıl Eğrikavuk at Halka Art Project, Istanbul, Turkey, participated as HAH collective
2017 “Vesile” exhibition by HAH collective members together with guest artists Etem Sahin, Selim Birsel and Lara Ogel at HAHmekan, Istanbul, Turkey
2016 “Interval”, Gallery Zilberman, Solo exhibition at Project Space, Istanbul, Turkey
2016 “Keeping The Trace” Duo exhibition with Murat Yıldız, KulttuuriKauppila Art Center, Finland
2016 “Collective Memory (the past and future is ours)” group exhibition curated by Anna Bauer and Benjamin Lee Sperry, New York City, USA and Glasgow, Scotland
2016 Istanbul Rotary Art Competition – finalists group exhibition, curated by Başak Şenova at Elgiz Museum, Istanbul, Turkey
2015 “Cocoon”, Gallery-5, Solo exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey
2015 SVA Summer Residency Open Studio Exhibition, New York City, USA
2014 “Silent Flow”, Domaine de Forges, Solo exhibition, Forges les Eaux, France
2014 “Interception”, International Textile Artists Group Exhibition, Gallery 5, Istanbul, Turkey
2013 “Window Seat”, Gallery Artist Çukurcuma, Solo Exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey
Selected performances and projects
2019-ongoing “Dream News” publication series, in collaboration with Murat Yıldız.
2018-ongoing “Hah Hikaye” interactive online story writing project continuing on
2018 “Momentum” performance, in collaboration with Ying Liu. Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St. Joost, Den Bosch, NL
2018 "Meeting" interactive installation/exhibition. Master Institute of Visual Cultures, AKV St. Joost, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
2018-9 “Admit One” series of collaborative projects with Alireza Abbasy, Elena Chemerska, Annemée Dik, Raffaella Huizinga, Donglai Meng, Simon Oosterhuis, Dorien Scheltens, Angela Vidić, Murat Yıldız.
2018 “Transition” video screening program / Eye Research Lab, Eye Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2018 "HAHcalendar" project, in collaboration with HAH members and artists Sena Başöz, Lara Ogel, Romina Meriç, Sevgi Aka, Uzay Kere, Beste Topuz, Onur Ceritoğlu. Published by Art Unlimited, Istanbul, Turkey
2017 “HAHasks” recording performance as part of MÇPS recording studio created by Can Altay and Saz Arkadaslari, produced by Amira Arzik at 5533, Istanbul, Turkey, participated as HAH
2017 “We Remember, after Joe Brainard and Georges Perec” performance by Gizem Karakaş together with HAH collective, at HAHmekan, Istanbul, Turkey
2017 Performer in “Transcending the Senses”, a performance by Dila Yumurtaci, participating in Self-service Art Performance Days and Mamut Art Project, Istanbul, Turkey
2011 “Hain Kurt” (Traitor Wolf), a short stop-motion animation film, 13’52’’, in collaboration with Murat Yıldız, Istanbul, Turkey. Screenings at Ifsak 32. Film Festival, National Short Film and Documentary Competition, Experimental Category, Finalist (2012), Akbank 8. Short Film Festival, Short Animation Category (2012), Malatya 2. International Film Festival, National Short Film Competition, Finalist (2011), International 48. Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Special Screening (2011), Istanbul 7. Animation Festival, Short Film Competition, Finalist (2011)
2010 “Bir Masal” (A Tale), a short stop-motion animation film, 4’31’’, Istanbul, Turkey
Screenings at If İstanbul 10. International Independent Film Festival (2011), National 1.Smyrna Short Film Festival, Finalist (2010), Yıldız 7. Short Film Festival, Animation Category, Finalist (2010), Flying Broom 13. International Film Festival, Wonderland Category (2010), Istanbul 6. Animation Festival, Competition (2010)
Recent relevant experiences
2017-2019 Organization of Rijksacademie Lecture Series, Club Solo, Breda, The Netherlands
2018 Assistance to artist Keiko Sato for her solo exhibition “SOLO 16 Keiko Sato” at Club Solo, Breda, The Netherlands
Publications
2020 “words 2016”, “words 2017”, “words 2018”, “words 2019”, artist book series, self-publication
2020 “Dream News / Hayal Gazetesı” issue 2, Turkey, self published. In collaboration with Murat Yıldız
2019 “Dream News / Unelma Uutiset” issue 1, Finland, published by Lähde! In collaboration with Murat Yıldız
2019 "Distractions turning into Landscapes", self-publication
2018 “Essay on time Flow”, “Words from 2016”, artist book, self-publication
2018 HAHcalendar, calendar publication of HAH collective, Art Unlimited publication
2017 HAH “Vesile” exhibition catalogue, HAH publication
Training
2019 50 hours Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training with David Swenson, Arhanta Yoga Ashram, NL
2018 200 hours Hatha Yoga Teacher Training, Arhanta Yoga Ashram, The Netherlands
2017 Zen Meditation introduction course, Zen.nl, Den Bosch, The Netherlands