The crises in today’s world are like a storm, hitting us from all sides and testing the resilience of humanity. Economic uncertainty, climate change, wars, rapid changes caused by technological transformation, and the disconnect in our social relationships are challenging us emotionally and physically. Constant vigilance leads us to create small but powerful solutions for ourselves. It also reminds us of the importance of values such as hope and solidarity.
Maybe we’re at a crossroads right now. What do you think? We are all caught up in the pressure of the speed of the modern world and find ourselves in the stage of life unprepared, even before we memorize our roles, and we are in a hurry to get through this process in different ways.
In these times when we have to move on with solidarity and motivation; quality time with family and close friends, personal routines, going out in nature, sports, meditation, etc. are the first solutions that come to mind for most of us.
For the sensitive souls of ArtT Modern Miami, I wanted to start this month’s article with inner resistance and experience tips from the world of art and culture. I asked my friends and acquaintances to contribute to my article. I told them about the content of my article, which has become a project. I convinced them to share their time, energy, and life tips with us. I would like to thank my friends and acquaintances who contributed to my article. I am glad to have you.
We have divided my new article, which you can also consider as inspiring life prescriptions from unique people, artists, designers, and creative minds in difficult times, into sections like a series. I leave you with the first of the series with the first participants. Enjoy!
I asked everyone a common question and got different, similar, extraordinary, sane, and honest answers. We hope answers will inspire our readers who have lost their way, fallen into despair, lost their life motivation, and their surroundings. We will be happy to make a small contribution to remind them, they are not alone.
Actress / Cinema – Series – Theater
Kamil Çakır: Dear Ece… as children of the same city, we started living in Istanbul at the same time and I have known you for years. I know how you manage your career, how you are a person with principles, and how you like to protect your boundaries. You were always very beautiful. Your career has been shaped over the years and you have come to this day. First of all, how are you?
Ece Uslu: How am I? This is actually a question that we can write very long sentences on nowadays. In the past, we used to say “I’m fine”, unfortunately not anymore. Because most of the time we don’t even know the answer. How am I? Am I good or not, am I happy or unhappy?
Kamil Çakır: How does this affect your mood and your work?
Ece Uslu: We are going through very difficult times in the world. We are “trying to be good” in our own lives and this is just an effort. I try not to let it affect my work. Of course, it’s not possible, but when I’m working, I usually try not to get caught up in the outside world. I have a job that requires a lot of concentration. Morale and motivation affect our performance a lot.
Kamil Çakır: How do you cope with this challenging world order we live in and all that is going on? Is there a formula or a method that you apply in this process?
Ece Uslu: I have discovered little ways to cope with this challenging world order and what is going on in my world. Unfortunately, it is not possible to influence and try to heal all the things that are happening all over the world. As an individual, I try to lend a hand to someone as much as I can. I try to support people around me who need help as much as possible. I love painting. Art has a healing power. It helps me to stay calm and relax. I cannot
I am very sensitive about animals. Especially in recent years, the injustices against animals have bothered me a lot. I try to help stray, sick, animals in need of care as much as I can. I help some of them to be adopted. Even my daughter Mia, who joined my family, is one of them. Actually, I was planning to have her treated and adopt her, but we loved each other so much that I didn’t want to leave her. Now she comes to the set with me every day, we take walks together, and her traumas are slowly getting better. I believe that the world would be a much better place if everyone supported people and animals in their immediate surroundings who need help. I take a step toward this every day.
Designer – Men’s Fashion Brand
Kamil Çakır: Dear Emre… you are a talented, young designer with a line and a serious direction in men’s fashion. We came together for a project thanks to a mutual friend of ours and we never lost touch again. How happy we are. I follow your achievements with pride.
I’m not asking how are you, I know you’re fine. I’ve asked the same questions to everyone. I’d like to ask you too: How do you cope with this challenging world order we live in and all that’s going on? Is there a formula or a method that you apply in this process?
Emre Erdemoglu: Indeed, the crises in today’s world affect us deeply both individually and socially. In the face of constantly changing dynamics, everyone needs to develop a coping method for themselves.
There are some basic methods that I apply in this process: News, social media, and the constant bombardment of information can sometimes increase anxiety. Therefore, I consciously choose my news sources and try to stay away from technology at certain times of the day.
I love connecting with nature, it’s a great meditation. I find that spending as much time in nature as possible relaxes me. Even short walks help me to recover mentally and emotionally. I try to understand and accept negative emotions instead of fighting them. Writing in a journal or taking little notes to myself helps me to analyze my emotions. Having meaningful conversations with my close circle, spending time together, and supporting each other positively affects my mood. Making real connections with people helps me to get away from individual worries.
My fashion house is not only a workspace for me, but also a special place where I rest my soul and feel the safest. Drawing, playing with fabrics, producing, and designing is a process that connects me more closely to life and allows me to express my inner world. Each line, each stitch is actually a reflection of my feelings and thoughts. It is a space where I take refuge from the chaos of the outside world and build my reality. This is also a place where I rediscover myself every time. As I get lost among the fabrics, I actually find myself. Maybe that’s why I feel the greatest peace here. This is also reflected in my production process. Each of my designs carries passion and labor inside me. And perhaps the best part is that I can make others feel this passion…
I finished dealing with myself at a very young age, so I concentrated on my work. Producing and inspiring are feelings that give me a lot of satisfaction. Whenever I’m in trouble, I leave worldly matters aside and hug myself. I start writing new stories.
Artist – Sculptor
Instagram: daynur
Kamil Çakır: Gunnur, Gunnur, Gunnur, Gunnur…. talented, beautiful, successful, very, very old friend of mine. We had good times. Years have passed. But we are still together. As a die-hard follower, I know how you are, what you do, your work, your family, your hustle and bustle. I want to ask you like everyone else. How do you cope with this challenging world order and all that is going on? Is there a formula or a method that you apply in this process? Can you share it with ArtT Modern Miami readers?
Gunnur Ozsoy: I think about what I can do to cope with the challenging world order and the difficulties I face, and of course, I do what I have to do. Although I don’t approve of many situations, I accept the things that I cannot change. Although I have a desire to think positively, trying to grasp what is really going on, to see and feel things as they are, helps me to gain flexibility and resilience in the face of difficulties. This can become easier over time.
Of course, I feel very lucky because when I enter my studio and start sculpting, I experience a meditative process. What I care most about in my art practice is the meditative state I experience while producing and I think this process purifies me. Also, as you mentioned, I think that we should continue on the path of solidarity and motivation. Because I won the monument sculpture competition opened by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and was able to build the first abstract monument in Turkey in Izmir in 2018 and named it “Democracy and Solidarity Monument”. Afterward, I realized this in the messages I received from people I never knew who saw these sculptures of mine in the public space. My sculptures had become a friend in people’s lives and made them feel the meaning of living together. It made me very happy that I was able to make solidarity spontaneous and a part of life, not in a didactic style.
Finally, I would like to bring a humble little suggestion to the readers: If we fill our consciences not with value judgments, but with value knowledge, that is, if we feed them with ethical knowledge, we will automatically become hopeful.
Eren Yorulmazer
Architect – Designer
Instagram: erenyorulmazer
Kamil Çakır: Eren. We met years ago, but everything seems like yesterday. Even though time is cruel for most people, you are one of my friends who doesn’t show your age and whom I call ageless. I feel very lucky to have a friend as talented and creative as you. I think you are in a different place with your modesty, successful international projects, and your unique style. How are you Eren? How does your mood affect your work?
Eren Yorulmazer: Asking how I am is like asking how I feel…Today’s conditions have created a situation like before the pandemic and after the pandemic. Either we will adapt and stay within the system, or we will stay outside the system, or we will feel the necessity to create a new dimension within our borders. In my work, I am trying to complete this transition by entering a period of design that is more integrated with art.
There is a tempo in me, but life also has a tempo that changes every moment… Every day is like a new beginning, every moment is like a new opportunity or an end. I am someone who is always chasing that creativity, evaluating and transforming every moment, and therefore reborn every day. This can sometimes tire me a lot… I will leave work and traces for the future, that is for sure. But even though I revise my team frequently and create an up-to-date team, the laziness of the new generation and the easy financial gain offered by technology cannot balance my working discipline.
But there is one fact: Special people somehow always exist. Periodic retreats are necessary. But the real value always shines through somehow.
Kamil Çakır: So how do you cope with this challenging world order and all that is going on? Is there a formula or a method that you can apply to this process that you can share with the readers of ArtT Modern Miami?
Eren Yorulmazer: I try to stay away from the chaos and confusion of life by prioritizing my work. I can’t say I have a single method, but I act on a few basic principles. First of all, I see technology as my biggest ally. Technology is now a decisive force in every aspect of life. I think about how I can integrate all of these into my work. The future will be for the innovative ones. Another point I attach importance to is human relations, of course, my communication with my team. Understanding them and looking at the world from their perspective is very effective in carrying my business into the future. When I work with young people, I not only teach them something, but I also come across many new ideas that inspire me while trying to understand what they think.
Another important issue for me is to reset the ego. Unless you put your ego aside, you cannot develop, you cannot cope with life. What is changing in the world, how are people transforming, what are the new expectations? I am closely interested in these. By updating my work and private life, I keep up with life and the dynamics of chaos. My constant openness to innovation feeds both my work and my soul. Apart from these, I need to be more inquisitive and to constantly feed myself. The world has become a place where not only technical knowledge but also cultural, sociological, and psychological knowledge is important. When designing, I consider not only aesthetic concerns but also people’s lifestyles, expectations, and moods.
And of course, balance… The pace of life sometimes makes us run very fast, but in order not to get lost in the busy pace of work, I devote a lot of time to myself and Eren. I attach great importance to human relations, experiencing new cultural backgrounds, hours alone with myself, and sports… To summarize, I believe that to survive in this fast-flowing river is to be reborn and I am reborn daily!
… will continue!
See you next month in part 2 of this series with my new guests, new survival recipes, and soul-soothing formulas, the sensitive souls of ArtT Modern Miami!
Who will be next month? Let it be a surprise if you want. What do you say?
Kamil Cakir
Artist – Designer
Instagram: kamilcakirstudio
