3 questions for Hulya Yilmaz

The relocation of For you my love © (2003) by Hulya Yilmaz was festively celebrated at the new location on the Westerkade. BKOR asked the Rotterdam artist three questions about the sculpture, which stood at the entrance of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen for years. 

The sculpture does not seem to refer directly to reality, although you could see natural growth processes in the erratic, organic shapes. This makes it seem as if it came into existence on its own. Can you tell us something about how you created this work?
Nature is always the starting point in my work. The elements earth, water, air and wind are recurring topics. At the time I was asked for this assignment, I had been working with air for a while. In other words: shaping air. Air around us, between us and within us. Since I cannot get satisfaction from working towards reality, because I do not believe in objective reality. And knowing that everything is in reality with ourselves, I color it with the present. As I said: because of my great fascination with nature, I put elements in my work that you can always find in nature. So also at work For you my love ©. I don't want to pre-chew everything. The viewer has the freedom to see everything or not. You are, as it were, invited to look, walk around and fill in the blanks yourself.

This sculpture, intended for the entrance to Museum Boijmans, was your first assignment for an outdoor sculpture. By choosing bronze, the work differs in terms of material use from the rest of your oeuvre, which often consists of light materials such as polyester, tourniquet and rubber. How did these circumstances of the assignment influence the choices made in creating this work?
Polyester is only a small part of what I do or have done. I'm a material freak. I have also made sculptures of cement, iron and plaster, also in combination with other materials. I find it a challenge to work with all possible materials. Mainly doing things with it that deny the material a bit. I like to struggle, sometimes even moments of frustration and powerlessness... Looking for the limits of not being able to cope or just being able to cope. Indeed, I had never worked with bronze before. To create a work for a public space, it must be weather and vandalism resistant. And in my case: what if a school class of children climbed into work? Of course, that wasn't the intention, but it shouldn't be a problem if it did happen. And since I really wanted to make the original myself, one on one, bronze was the material for me at that time. At the time, I had gathered information with Rensco van Wees from Bronsgieterij Bogart about what was or was not possible, and what the minimum thickness should be to be able to cast bronze properly. Minimum material, maximum reach. I think the brick wall at the entrance of Museum Boijmans is beautiful. That's why I chose the dark patina of bronze, inspired by dark African images, so that the brick architecture would remain clearly visible.

You dedicated the work to your mother with the title For you my love. How do you view the personal background, which seems to play an increasingly important role in much contemporary art? Do you think it is relevant for the interpretation of art?
Your personal background always plays a role in everything you do. The question of whether you also want to make this visible in your work is up to the artist himself. In my opinion it is not important at all for the interpretation of art. It gives me extra motivation to make it. It's a way I approach life.

Visit the websitee from BKOR for more information about this artwork.