Can you please introduce yourself to our readers? 

Hello, I am Pia or P1A, 26 years old, based in the dynamic city of Istanbul! I’ve been involved in the art world since age 15, by choosing to study fine arts at an early age, following my passion for multi-disciplinary mediums. So, I studied stage and costume design with puppetry and continued with my studies in conceptual art! These years as a young, aspiring artist, I learned so much about combining different skill sets together. My film background taught me the production and ethics of working as a team, and my artistic side taught me how to be creative in many fields, ranging from sculpting to drawing to crafting, along with the research discipline I have for my curious soul!

Tell me about the piece you’re bringing to Miami with MakersPlace & Transient Labs.

Alphabet #1 is the very first physical work I’ve done in regards to the “Alphabet Project,” which took shape after 4 years of building a figurative understanding of my art forms. It’s the genesis of the series that is yet to come, and I believe this is one of the most significant cornerstones of my artistic journey.

Is there anything special about this piece in the context of your body of work?

Yes! This is the very first sculpture piece I’ve ever done with the style I crafted in this digital realm, with the conceptual structure of the whole Alphabet Project where, for the first time, it finds life in real-life form!

Can you share any specific rituals or practices that help you maintain your creative momentum?

Just like many artists, I also have some rituals like setting the room lights right, lighting candles, and as an ADHD person, I need something open and playing in the background, mostly a playlist or random TV shows that I don’t really pay attention to, so I can focus better on my drawing. Ha! In general, I take a lot of time to research inspiration photos, especially for the momentum of my figures, so I try to feed my mind before feeding my digital canvas.

How much planning or preliminary thought goes into each painting?

As a traditional artist schooled in the ethics of theatre and filmmaking, everything on my canvas has to represent certain conceptual approaches and elements in order for me to complete the storyline that I aim to share with the audience. So, my main work always starts before the painting, and each piece I create takes approximately, let’s say, 3 months; this can be split into 1 month of painting and 2 months of researching and studying.

How would you describe how your work is currently evolving? 

It’s very exciting. I am looking out for different mediums to experiment with, so this was a great chance in my journey to take a step forward. I aim to evolve in the physical realm while thriving in the digital realm. I just love the parallel dance between two worlds.

What do you hope people feel when they look at your art?

I want them to be free when they see my art – mind-wise – that’s my war against the conceptual borders that have been set for centuries. I wish for them to see a possibility for freedom of thoughts and symbols, which the audience can fill as they wish! An interactive dance, let’s say.

What role does physical art play in the broader web3 art ecosystem?

It’s a tough discussion when it comes to physical art and NFTs, which I really love. This kind of argument and ethical debate creates an environment for us to build. My humble opinion on this matter would be that an art piece…

Who or what else excites you in the art world (web3 or traditional) right now?

I have so many subjects that generally excite me about the shifting space of crypto art. The main thing I look forward to is seeing how decentralization will shape the web3 art world and how it could possibly be practiced!

The post Alphabet #1 — Q&A with P1A first appeared on MakersPlace Editorial.