Sinem Banna

Born in 1968 Istanbul, currently lives in San Francisco.

Education

San Francisco Art Institute MFA, Fine Arts, Sculpture and Ceramics Department. 1994
Arson Academy, Nice, France. Artist in Residence. Ceramics-Sculpture Department. 1990
Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul, Turkey BFA, Fine Arts, Ceramics and Glass Department. 1989

Selected Exhibitions

2002
"One-Person Exhibition", "Saydamhane", Kemal Sunal Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey.

2001
"Pacific Rim Sculptors Group 2001", San Francisco.

2000

"Direct Directions", Nese Alpan Gallery, Roslyn, New York.
"California Small Works", Sonoma Museum of Visual Art, Santa Rosa.
"Faces of Woman", New Mexico Highlands University.

1998

"Love, Hate and the Absence of Either", Museum of Arts Downtown Los Angeles.

1997

"The Brain and Self", Vor Frui Plads &L/O Skolen. Copenhagen and Elsinore, Denmark.

1995

"One Person Exhibition", Taksim Center for the Arts.

1994

"New Trends 7th Istanbul Art Festival", Mimar Sinan University. Istanbul, Turkey.

1993

"Objects", Intersection for the Arts. San Francisco.

"On Route", Outdoor Sculpture/Site-Specofic Sculpturer. San Francisco Main Library. San Francisco.

"Annual Show", Pro Arts. Oakland, California.

"Spring Show", McBean Gallery. San Francisco, California.

1992

"Fall Selection", Academy of Art College. San Francisco, California.

"Spring Show 92", McBean Gallery. San Francisco, California.

1990

"New Media", Broward Community College. Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

"Ceramics", Villa Arson, Nice, France.

1989

"New Gen in Art 89", Osman Hamdi Gallery. Istanbul, Turkey.

"The Sculpture Show", Women Association Yildiz Palace. Istanbul, Turkey.

Awards and Grants

1997 • "First Prize Award", The Brain & Self Exhibit, Denmark.

1993 • "Project Grant" The Lef Foundation, San Francisco.

• "Project Grant", Seccesion Gallery, San Francisco.

1992 • "Education Grant", San Francisco Art Institute.

Bibliography

• Helen A. Harrison, "Different Directions", The New York Times 12, 17, 2000

• Gül Erçetin, "Everything is an Art". Review, Cumhuriyet 6/24, 1997.

• Demet Elkatip, "Reflections from Self". Review, Milliyet. 7/1, 1997

• Asu Maro, “To See Each Object” Review, Cumhuriyet. 1/ 24, 1995.

• Refik Durbas, "When a Color Rescued". Review, Yeniyüzyil.12/31, 1994

• Susan Kuchinskas, "Busing with 19 Polk" Review, San Francisco Examiner. 8/18, 1993.

• Roberta Friedman,"19 Polk Line".Review,Bay Area Reporters. 8/26, 1993.

• The Sun Reporter, "Installations Reflect Diverse Communities Along Bus Line". Review,8/11, 1993.

Public Speaking Engagements

• Interview. "CNN/International", Istanbul, Turkey. March 2002.

• Interview. Television, Channel D "Applause" Serap Aksoy, Istanbul, Turkey. March 2002

• Interview. "NTV, Istanbul, Turkey. March 2002.

• News. Television, Channel D "Applause" Serap Aksoy, Istanbul, Turkey. July 1997.

• News. Television, Channel D "Applause" Serap Aksoy, Istanbul, Turkey. July 1997.

• News. Television, TRT INT "Through the Night" Sevgi Kartari, Turkey. August 1997.

• Interview. Television, TRT 2 "Living Art" Seynan Levent, Istanbul, Turkey. February 1995.

• Interview. Television, TRT1 "Good Morning Turkey". Nese Bilginer, Turkey. January 1995.

• Interview. Radio, TRT-FM "Inside the Night". Hilal Ertan, Turkey. January, 1995.

• Interview. Radio, AM 702. "Radio News "Bilal Arik, Istanbul, Turkey. December 1994.

...thinking by the body of the people yet speaking out as a single voice....(search for the self)
...liberating the fear, Seeking for the light not for the darkness (spirituality),
...permitting thoughts to dance peacefully with the wind of waves (releasing the memory/past),
This is the journey...the journey of being...

creating art is just a simple part of this journey like breathing Unconsciously...like living out loud...like expressing being...being who we are...

Museum of Arts Downtown Los Angeles, USA
Sonoma Museum of Visual Arts, USA
Vor Frui Plads, Denmark
San Francisco Main Library, Site-Specific Sculpture, USA
Pro Arts, USA
New Gen in Art, Turkey

Kemal Sunal Gallery, Istanbul/Turkey
Taksin Center for the Arts, Istanbul/Turkey

First Prize Award, Brain and Self Exhibit, Denmark
Project Grant, Lef Foundation, USA