In this month’s installment of Small Talk, we picked the masterful brain of Turkish jeweler Sevan Biçakçi about how his cultural background inspires his work. Step into his world of elaborate design and rich influences in the full interview at the link below.
So much of your work is deep-seated in the inspiration of your Turkish culture. What are some major points of reference or themes that are reflected in your designs?
Architecture, painting, mosaics, poetry, mythology, Sufism, basically the entire cultural heritage that goes back to the first civilizations in Anatolia.
How do you continue to draw from the history of your homeland with a fresh perspective?
Just like the way Anatolia became a melting pot of civilizations over the course of at least the last 3,000 years, I like to mix themes, ornaments, talismanic figures, architectural elements, etc. that come from the many different cultures that have existed in this part of the world. This approach allows me to create a fantasy world with unique jewelry creations that can best be described as culturally mutant.
One of the most outstanding characteristics of your pieces is their intricacy. Are there traditional techniques that you have maintained in the construction of your pieces?
We are always striving to take traditional techniques to new levels. That could be a one-sentence description of my atelier.
Are there any advancements or evolutions of the brand that you'd like to share with us? Where do you see it going?
Given the focus on time-consuming techniques with a lot of trial and error, the pace of my studio can be compared to that of a tortoise. We'll continue to move forward piece by piece and see what we can learn at each step.
