Caglar Kimyoncu

Unfixed was a creative research project involving ten Australian and UK disabled artists investigating the intersection between arts, disability and technology.

Artists spent two weeks exploring the notions of the ‘fixed’ and ‘unfixed’ body through the lens of art and creative technology during their first residency in Adelaide (November 2015), and then a week developing and prototyping new project ideas at the Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol (September 2016).

UK-based audio-visual and Unfixed artist Caglar Kimyoncu spoke to Access2Arts’ Jody Holdback about his about his work and a need for diversity among arts makers.

Caglar’s participation in the arts world is twofold. While he is an audio-visual artist himself, He also has developed his own company to support other audio-visual artists.

When it comes to inspiration for his art Caglar is a naturally curious person and takes from people and situations around him. Regardless if it is discrimination, access or just a person who has a disability in general he is inspired by them in one way or another.

While audio-visual is Caglar’s choice of art he extensively collaborates with other artists. Therefore, depending on what their format is, is very much dependent on the format that Caglar uses or what his role may be in that art. Caglar says “I don’t believe in the hierarchy within a creative system or creative environment”. Caglar continues, “If I need to sweep the floor and that’s what is needed for that creative process, that’s fine – I don’t question that”. His work method is not to produce scripts but to research his idea. Then go into a studio with a group of actors and improvise, finding their characters and the story together.

This always produces creativity of an honest nature that he enjoys.

During the residency Caglar felt that his limits were pushed, but in a positive way. As he does not operate in big groups often, in fact he tries to avoid them, he felt challenged in his human interaction. As to the nature of the environment Caglar was not able to avoid other people. However, he felt he was able to use it to understand himself while interacting with large groups. As well as understand the group dynamic. Caglar says “I was challenged socially, ethically, artistically… technically”.

Even though Caglar found the group experience positive, when he was asked “In the future would you be more receptive to bigger groups” he answered “no” without hesitation.

Caglar is a firm believer in that we need to see more diversity of art from artists who have a disability within the Unfixed residency. As part of the Unfixed residency, he was looking forward to being exposed to a different culture of art instead of just elements of that art and artists.

As Caglar also plays a role as a facilitator in his practice he was challenged not to take this role while in a large group of artists. He often had to check himself and start thinking as an artist instead of a support for others.

He is so dedicated to audio-visual arts he has his own company, FilmPro. The aim of his company is to support and assist other artists who have a disability to produce audio-visual art to increase its quality, so they may submit it at the Disability Film Festival, which Caglar also established.

While Caglar admits that it was a big challenge for him to be a part of Unfixed, it has motivated him to push the artists to find their comfort zones and push them out of it. So they may find new levels of creativity.

Unfixed was produced by The Australian Network for Art & Technology (ANAT), Access2Arts (AUS), Unlimited (UK) and Watershed (UK).

The project was supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts and the South Australian Government through the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability program delivered by Arts SA.