Who is Umut Sönmez? (2002-Batman)Born in Batman in 2002, he completed his undergraduate studies in Painting and Art Education at Anadolu University in 2026. His work focuses on personal memory, geographical belonging, and social experiences. Drawing inspiration from childhood memories and the culture of Southeastern Anatolia, his work explores the relationship between individual and collective memory. Working with painting and experimental materials, the artist aims to reinterpret images from daily life through a conceptual approach.Artistic Perspective:My artistic production is based on my personal memory and daily life. I transfer objects from my childhood, street games, and cultural traces onto the canvas through lines, textures, and motifs.
One of my most important starting points is the uncalculated, sincere creative reflex that comes from being content with what one has. I focus on recreating objects and situations that were unattainable, incomplete, or unfinished in the past, through the constructive power of art, paint, and form. Whatever was unattainable back then finds its place today through an artistic act. In this process, instead of directly copying traditional visual elements, I reinterpret them with a contemporary plastic language. Using rhythm and linear layers, I aim to create a visual language that touches both my own story and the collective memory of the viewer, a language that is from within and from us.Awards:
2026 | Akbank 44th Contemporary Artists Award Competition, Elgiz Museum – Finalist Award | Istanbul
2026 | Galeri YavruKuş Ser's Open Call Painting Competition – Exhibition Award | Ankara
2026 | Art Break During Trial Exhibition-06, İGK & Karahan Law – Exhibition | Ankara
2026 | Future Artists Program, DenizBank III. IAAF İzmir Art Fair, – Exhibition | İzmir
2026 | Artcontact Istanbul 6th International Contemporary Art Fair, EMART Stand, Eurasia Show and Art Center – Exhibition | Istanbul
2026 | "La Traviata", İzmir Italian Friendship and Culture Association, Casa Italia İzmir – Exhibition | Izmir
2026 | Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival Art Selection, Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) Türk Telekom Opera Stage Foyer – Exhibition | Istanbul
2026 | Dream Melodies Painting Competition, Afyon Kocatepe University – Exhibition Award | Afyonkarahisar
2025 | Turkish Industrial Development Bank (TSKB) Painting Competition – Exhibition Award | Istanbul
2024 | Artist Residency Program, Utopia Workshops, Baksı Museum (Bazaart) – Artist Placement Program | Bayburt
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