London

Ayşe Tanman

Ceramicist | Istanbul, Türkiye

Inspiration in dialogue with clay

Ayşe makes artistic forms of tableware
The making process allows her to develop a deep relationship with clay
She uses colour palettes that reflect nature's tones

Ayşe Tanman discovered ceramics in the form of panels on Istanbul’s historic buildings and bazaars during her childhood. She explored various artforms such as ballet, painting and Ottoman illumination, before returning ceramics, the root of her artistic inspiration. "I hold a deep respect for the material's nature," she says. Ayşe trained under ceramicist Ayten Turanlı and opened her ceramic studio in 2018, where she specialises in hand shaping and pinching techniques. Today, she creates tableware with timeless forms, influenced by nature’s abundance. “Clay has a memory. I talk to it, knead it and bake it: a process that allows for a bridge to form between my inner world and the material,” says Ayşe. “I see ceramics not only as a form but also as a carrier of emotion.”

Interview

How did you get into ceramics?: In the late 2000s, I closely witnessed the work of ceramicists working on a project and was amazed by their processes. Even though I was working in different disciplines at the time, including painting, ceramics caught my attention and I could not stop thinking about the craft.
What inspires your work?: Sometimes the material leads the way and the process progresses on its own, guided by the moisture of the mud and the weight of the form. The music I listen to also determines my path. Although my works tend to be simple and minimal, I do turn to dynamic and intense forms from time to time.
Does tradition play a role in your ceramics?: Ceramics are among the oldest crafts in human history, formed by the meeting of water, earth and fire. The practice dates back thousands of years. Even though the craft is traditional, each of my encounters with the material involves rethinking it, and creating a new language to deal with it.
What do you love most about your work?: I love witnessing the mysterious process of the moist and flexible structure of mud turning into a solid form. Every object bears a trace of my journey, as I touch it with my fingerprints and my soul. For me, ceramics is a process that is far from monotone: it always comes with the excitement of discovery.

Ayşe Tanman is a rising star: she began her career in 2018