Başak Çolak (b.1994, Ankara)

Başak Çolak is a contemporary artist who lives in Bodrum, Turkey.  She tries to deconstruct life through personal experiences and emphasizes the importance of connection between inner and outer nature. Her works depict elements from nature as well as including autobiographical and dreamy-like storytelling. As an observer, she says, outer nature (or the surroundings) affects individuals on different levels and vice versa. By keeping notes and sketches on such moods, she is looking for some answers. Her main questions are about existence, nature and ecology. Philosophy and literature play important part in her complex thinking.                 

She likes to explore with various materials and techniques. For painting she prefers oil paints on paper, canvas or different surfaces. However, recently she has been experimenting with found and natural materials (roots, trees, branches etc.). Installations, sculptures, photography and videos are often seen in her projects, as well. 

Çolak has a BA in English Language and Literature from Hacettepe University which contributed to her creative and analytic thinking. In 2020, after various jobs and projects, she decided to study painting at MSKU Bodrum Faculty of Fine Arts and graduated with first honors. She has recently started MFA program and she continuous working in there.