Emrah Sonad

Talya Art and Design Studio

Multimedia sculptor

An ongoing exploration of materials for full expression

Emrah has worked with many materials including ceramics, wood, bronze and marble
His mother’s ceramic studio was the experimental playground for his creative path
He built an underwater sculpture garden from polyester in Antalya

Acting, set and costume design for the theatre and his own mother’s ceramic art were the active elements in Emrah Sonad’s path to becoming a sculptor. He clearly remembers the moment at which his own artistic journey began to unfold, as he worked with raku firing on ceramics. “This firing process, which is highly unpredictable in its final stage, greatly impressed me. Being completely involved in every stage of the work was immensely satisfying,” he recalls. In 2008, Emrah founded his own workshop, Talya Art, Sculpture and Design Studio, where he created his most notable project: Turkey's first deep-sea sculpture park, aiming to draw attention to underwater tourism in Antalya. In his recent works, Emrah has turned to metal, perfecting the application technique of this new material at the highest possible level to create unique artistic sculpture design. “I believe art should be designed not to overpower or obliterate the material itself, but to fully harness its potential,” he says.

Interview

Why did you become a metal sculptor?: I experience the unique joy of conveying my emotions and thoughts through forms I design, and overcoming technical challenges, before finally seeing, touching, and feeling the result in three dimensions. I can say that all these details influenced my decision to become a metal artist.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: I enjoy blending traditional cultural forms and aesthetic perceptions with contemporary materials. In doing so, I explore concepts that involve interactions among humans, history, nature, and the environment. In my recent works, I place special emphasis on the concept of industrial recycling.
How would you define what you do?: I find it deeply inspiring to reexamine my emotions and thoughts, philosophical concepts, societal narratives, cultural legends, and reshape them through the language of visual arts. Embarking on an inner journey to give them new form is a profoundly rewarding experience.
What do you love most about your craft?: In the face of the infinite depth of philosophical and cultural perspectives, I enjoy the pursuit of creative concepts that can satisfy me aesthetically and challenge me technically. I love the excitement of this quest and the exploration of materials. It is a great pleasure to ensure that concepts can effectively command materials through suitable techniques.

Emrah Sonad is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2008