IMAGES AS ART WITH ONE'S FULL INTENTION
"I would like to introduce myself to people not as a commercial photographer but as an artist and share my new perspectives."
During my childhood, I was more interested in playing games than studying. Every day, I turned on my computer seeking a sense of achievement. One day, I discovered my computer was missing, and later learned that my mother removed it to regulate my behavior. Although I initially suffered from not being able to play games, I began to look for other interests. This led me to join a photography club in high school, where I taught myself about DSLR cameras and the history of photography. I found myself exploring real-life situations that were more free and enriched than the game world.
After discovering my passion for photography, I decided to pursue further studies at university to gain more professional knowledge and experience. However, things didn't go as planned. My mother observed the changes in me and believed that having various experiences was what I needed. She encouraged me to travel abroad and expand my views. I traveled to 13 European countries over 88 days, taking countless photos until the mount on my camera became bent.
I studied at a photo studio, especially to gain more techniques. In the photo studio, I learned the editing programme and deepened my understanding of lighting by working with colleagues who were full of passion for photos. When working with clients, I was eager to apply my skills to help their brands grow. Eventually, I landed a job as an in-house photographer for a fashion company. Collaborating with fashion designers, merchandisers, and graphic designers in other teams broadened my perspective. Despite my success, I felt unsatisfied. The dream of attending a university that I had 7 years ago still lingered within me, and moreover, I wanted to take a picture not for others but for myself.
To make images as art with my full intention, I looked back at myself, thinking about what I like, if I am interested in fashion, and what I am going to take a picture of. While contemplating myself, I found that I was intrigued by the visual elements in the harmony between nature and man-made objects. I was also drawn to surrealistic imagery and curious about media art and performance art. In the end, I decided to quit my stable job to pursue my artist career in earnest.
If people ask me about my practice or myself, I want to be able to answer them easily. That is why I think acknowledging the importance of the process in my practice is crucial. It is the main reason I want to study at the university. In such an educational environment, there are interactions among students with a passion for art and support from tutors for self-development. I want to maintain my passion for photography, which even makes me forget about hunger, for a long time. I would like to introduce myself to people not as a commercial photographer but as an artist and share my new perspectives. My goal is to make my ideas feasible and palpable based on the skills that I have attained from my working experiences and the knowledge that I will gain from the university.