Şule Bayrak Yildiz

Şule Bayrak Yildiz is a collage artist who has exhibited throughout Turkey. She describes her process as the following: “While traveling through cities step by step, I have accumulated a digital archive of thousands of images over many years. In the digital collage stage, I bring together pieces from different times in a single atmosphere through masking, tone-contrast balance, and surface merging”.

The works of Şule Bayrak Yildiz incorporate documentative travel collages which are a display of collected imagery items from her various travels. Using both analogue and digital techniques, she has created a synthesis of arthouse documentary which sociologically and conceptually ties collage to the essence of a location, specifically the busyness of urban environments. The viewer may notice the earth tones to the background of the work, along with some of the vintage imagery, the collective collage has a seemingly aged, vintage appearance to them. As a result, the background surface combined with the rugged imagery has the impression as if these were analogue collages and the artist has smeared soaked tea bags in order to achieve the intended effects in the works. 

Descriptively, we can define these collages to be similar to windows or portals, both metaphorically and literally. Besides resembling windows and portals in form, they are also symbolically representative of such elements through the incorporation of strategic objects, texts, and signs. These works seem like a vortex of iconography which use semiotics and various ‘clues’ to the configurations of urbanized structures. As a result, the works are often like a puzzle or a riddle to solve. If we investigate the collages, the audience will find more questions than answers. As the viewers journey through the mind of Şule Bayrak Yildiz, they will discover arrangements and presentations which express and represent a standard, much like a flag. These symbolic ‘banners’ represent the dichotomy between observation and interpretation of notable environments which have enthralled the artist on a personal level. 

Bilbao (pictured above) represents an unusual approach to Şule’s collage work in regard to the highly asymmetrical nature of the piece, suggesting organized chaos or energy, and the strategic tears of some of the imagery which makes the piece seem almost like an assemblage rather than a collage. The combination of patterns followed by the integration of warm and cool tones reflects work is complex visually and technically sophisticated.

Reaching new heights, Şule Bayrak Yildiz reflects how new media can alter the perception of collage. Her combinative techniques between analogue and digital processes leaves an impression of a clean presentation of what are remote pieces of reflection. Observations of various international urbanized cultures, usually of Europe, which connects the viewer to these locations through strategic iconography, structured symbolism, cryptic decoding messages through ominous texts, and a composition and layout communicating a presentation in contemporary design principles.