Good People of vitruta: Berk Kır

Berk, welcome to Good People! Let’s start with the classic question: Who is Berk Kır? How did it all begin, how is it progressing, and what is he doing?

Hi, thanks for having me! :) First and foremost, I consider myself a thinker, followed closely by photography. Then, the internet and art history come into play. Generally, I am an artist who produces photographic works. The starting point for this journey goes back to my high school years. I value the role of the photography club in my life and the perspective I discovered with the compact mini camera I had at that time. As for how it’s going, I’m preparing for my solo exhibition, which will open in January 2024. Meanwhile, I'm also working on shoots for Art Unlimited, where I serve as a photo editor, along with my personal collaborations.

When we bring together your roles as an art historian, photographer, and creator, we see a dynamic career with relatively different focuses. How do you maintain this balance?

The most stable aspect of this balance is its dynamic nature. I believe the pleasure derived from discovering the uniqueness of something is dominant here. I approach each of my works as someone who is also engaged in another task on the side. I love this multifaceted perspective and I strive to preserve it. I can say that I maintain this balance by nourishing and being nourished by these different roles.

While at Pera, I always find it meaningful to ask this question, especially when discussing photography: what inspires you the most? How does Istanbul influence your work?

I can draw inspiration from everything in life. For instance, I think about how to transform an empty plastic bottle lying on the street into something meaningful for myself. If I choose to empathize, suddenly the scale of the buildings around me, the human body, and many other things become larger-than-life. I can be swept away by the wind and become portable. My perception changes, and I transform. I am extremely curious about ontology. With this perspective, I walk through the city every day. I rethink every person, object, memory, or event I encounter, turning them into thoughts. Istanbul is a highly subjective space that I love, and it has a very high circulation in this regard. I can hardly imagine disconnecting from the city. What I mean is, the city doesn’t just influence my work; it constructs it.

When it comes to Istanbul and Beyoğlu, people around me seem to split into two camps: some have lost hope and feel despondent, while others are excited and optimistic about the future. Where do you stand in light of everything you've shared? And of course, why?

I am a person who exists with hope, excitement, and joy. Wherever I am, I see hope and bring it along. You can guess that I say this from a very personal place. I am someone who prefers to see realities urgently, and here I am. If we do a bit of archaeology, today’s realities are a layer added to an existing culture... We need to understand this historically to see where we should place it.

The first half of 2023 has passed. During this time, which exhibitions excited you the most? This includes exhibitions featuring your own work as well. :)

Hmm… Neriman Polat’s exhibition "Çatısız" at Zilberman Gallery, Serkan Özkaya’s "Gözegöz v3" at Galerist, and the exhibition "Bir Anlık Yokluk," curated by Ela Atakan at Galerist…

Can you share with us the places in Istanbul where you enjoy spending time the most? It could be a street, a bar, or a neighborhood. :)

Urban in Beyoğlu… Solera in Galatasaray, and 49 in Çukurcuma.

And the last question related to us. :) What are your top 3 favorite brands at vitruta?

T-brush, Lar Studio, Dickies.

For the products styled by Melis Güven and chosen by Berk Kır during the shoot, click here.