INTERVIEW
Introducing Gizem Vural
A huge welcome to New York based illustrator Gizem Vural, who joins the Grand Matter family as we launch our new US office!
Having found her love for illustration after initially studying graphic design, Gizem has developed a unique style of intricate hand drawn abstract compositions over the years, that explore shapes and layers, taking inspiration from nature, music & sound, architecture and story telling. She has worked with many big publications and brands, including The New Yorker, Apple, The Guardian and Bloomberg, and most recently collaborated with art and music discovery platform Vinyl Moon.
As well as her commercial work, Gizem makes a point to carve out time to create self-initiated work, including abstract drawings on paper that she exhibits, and exploring story telling through a series of one-page comics that play with composition and the comic strip format.
To introduce their way of working, we spoke with Gizem about her journey into illustration, what feeds her creative practice as well as her favourite spots to spend time in New York City!
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I like the feeling of pencil gliding over the paper. When I create gradient colouring, I love to see the texture of the paper, and so the choice of paper is very important to me.
– Gizem Vural
How would you describe your work in one sentence?
I like to take ideas and break them into pure graphical language.
What are your main influences or inspirations as an artist?
I find inspiration in Geometric Abstraction and Suprematism in art, as well as the Bauhaus movement, Brutalism in architecture, and Mid-century modern graphic design.
Can you sum up your journey to where you are now as an artist?
Ever since I got into a graphic design course in 2006, I always had a dream of becoming an illustrator. When I left the university and moved to New York to pursue my dream I fell in love with editorial illustration. With illustration, when you solve a problem, instead of using design tools, you draw. This has inspired me a lot to be where I am now.
Your work has incredible detail and finesse, can you tell us more about how you go about creating your pieces?
I like the feeling of pencil gliding over the paper. When I create gradient colouring, I love to see the texture of the paper, and so the choice of paper is very important to me. I always sketch the ideas first on paper and then take them onto the iPad to draw with a pencil brush that will give the same pencil texture.
Instead of looking for perfect shapes, I enjoy imperfect and organic forms drawn by hand. I find the perfect composition by playing around with layers and shapes, which is very important to me. In the end, I love adding little details with lines here and there to complete my work, and then the final piece is either finished on paper or digitally depending on the project.
What do you like to explore with your personal work?
For me it is about looking inward and finding the perfect form in composition and layering. It is like a conversation between me and myself. I am inspired by nature and the sounds found in nature a lot. I like to carry it into my work.
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When I draw my comics, I want them to look like a piece of artwork on their own, not just to be read.
– Gizem Vural
We love the clever compositions in your comics. What made you start creating these?
I love reading comics but I'm not so good at creating a long story to tell in a comic style, so instead I wanted to create short comics, only one page long, and focusing on things like nature, time, sound, and more abstract things to be told in comic format.
And when I draw the comics I want them to look like a piece of artwork on their own, not just to be read, so that's how I started a side project of creating them.
Do you have any bucket list projects or dream collaborations?
I'd love to design fashion pieces with Nike, Adidas and illustrate scarves with Hermès, and also I want to draw on some Vans shoes. Collaborating with these brands would be an amazing experience!
And finally, what’s your favourite place to visit or spend time in New York?
If I want to enjoy a quiet day I like to stay on Roosevelt Island and take a walk, it's full of nature and birds and you can listen to the small waves of the water whenever a ferry comes and goes. If I'm in the mood for exploring I love going to museums, MOMA, Guggenheim or Whitney. My secret favorite place is Tomi Jazz, where I can sip some good drinks and listen to live jazz at night.
About Gizem Vural
Gizem lives and work in New York. Her colourful compositions play with geometric abstraction and hand drawn shapes, taking inspiration from nature, sound and architecture. Clients include The New Yorker, The New York Times, Apple and Bloomberg and many more.
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