Art enthusiasts are all surely aware that technology has been having a great effect on the arts. It provides artists with many great opportunities and increases the number of techniques at their disposal, which leads to the creation of exciting new pieces.
While art and technology have evolved and developed together, exercising a huge influence on one another throughout their complex but significant history, resurrecting ancient and traditional crafts within the context of contemporary arts has become a popular phenomenon. We can see many examples of such artistic methods across the art market and in museums and galleries today.
Artist and designer Fırat Neziroğlu is among the artists that blend traditional and contemporary arts in their work. Neziroğlu not only presents traditional weaving works and drawing techniques through a special and original interpretation that he developed, but also brings his artwork into the growing non-fungible token (NFT) industry.
Turning traditional weaving forms, one of the oldest known arts in Anatolia, into a unique contemporary weaving technique, he draws great attention thanks to his patented weaving style. Weaving is traditionally done on a vertical loom and consists of two strings of thread systems: The first involves threads arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the loom and the second involves the threads passing horizontally between the first threads. Neziroğlu's patented personal weaving technique allows leaving gaps on the woven surface. Thanks to the knot combinations he discovered, he was able to present the most realistic technique applications ever used in the field of weaving. In addition, he provided weaving with its most modern look with the fishing line material he pioneered the use of.
In his work, Neziroğlu reflects on aspects of real-life stories he has witnessed in his daily life. He not only uses colors, tones and forms but also various traditional Anatolian weaving techniques and local fibers. In addition to the unique weaving technique, the artist also produces felt sculptures benefiting from his textile technique information. In order to reach perfection in sculpture, he shapes his sculptures like a second skin with wool instead of using rigid and heavy materials like marble. He has recently exhibited weaving performances accompanied by music on stage, a first in Turkey.
In the Middle East Contemporary Art auction of Sotheby's, which was held in London in 2011 for the first time, seven works by Neziroğlu were sold over the course of five years. Starting from 2012, his works also found a place among the pieces of Christie's and even on the cover page of the auction house’s catalog. In 2015 one of his artworks was exhibited within the scope of the A.PART festival held in France. In the same year, he had a chance to showcase his work, a combination of video and weaving, in Oslo under the auspices of the Norway Royal Embassy. In 2015, Contemporary Istanbul also announced its launch with the works by Neziroğlu. He took up an invitation to Thailand in order to weave a special cloth for the Queen of Thailand for her birthday celebration in 2016.
Since 2021, Neziroğlu has presented his artwork as NFTs as well. In Contemporary Istanbul last year, the artist turned NFT virtual ownership into a tactile, real work with his piece titled “Futuristic Prince.” A collection of the artist’s works can be found on Rarible.
The artist recently participated in Artweeks@Akaretler with his works exhibited in the section of Anna Laudel Gallery. Entering the exhibition, you are greeted by carpets welcoming you into a tradition of art and revealing the evolution and self-referential nature of Neziroğlu’s creative process. His carpet portraits are a celebration of intense color.
Visitors take a journey through history while Neziroğlu transforms his strong design codes into a portrait with "Our eyes stare at each other," "Eyes Closed” and “Liberating the fishing line.”
