Wikipedia

Sinem Banna

Sinem Banna (/bɑːnə/; born 1968) is a Turkish-American artist currently living and working in both San Francisco, California,[1] and her home town of Istanbul, Turkey[2] and exhibits internationally.[3][4][5]

Sinem Banna
Banna with a collection of images from her Fear Series, 1990
Born1968 (age 55–56)
Istanbul, Turkey
NationalityTurkish American
Education
Known forSculpture, Installation art, Conceptual art
Websitesinembanna.com

Banna works in several disciplines, mainly sculpture and assemblage/collage, site specific installations, and murals.[1][6][7] Her work often consists of three-dimensional compositions.[8][9] A number of her works incorporate objects such as toy parts, tea glasses, and coffee beans so as to capture cultural signs and symbols in her work.[3][10] She works frequently with Plexiglas constructions as well as light boxes.[3]

Biography

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In 1989, Sinem Banna received her BFA in Ceramics and Glass at Mimar Sinan University[11] in Istanbul, Turkey.[12][8] She continued her training in France—first at the Villa Arson in Nice, and then at Sorbonne University in Paris.[3][12][4] Banna then moved to the United States where she received her MFA in sculpture at the San Francisco Art Institute in California in 1994.[4][3][12] In 1997, Banna was granted US citizenship through the First Preference EB-1 Visa for Extraordinary Ability in the arts— with the USCIS sourcing a Pulitzer, Oscar, and Olympic Medal, under examples of eligibility criteria.[3][8]

Career

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Overview

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Sinem Banna had her first solo exhibition in 1995 in Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey. Since then, Banna has showed her work throughout Europe and the United States.[12][13] Exhibitions include those in the US cities of San Francisco, New York, New Mexico, and Los Angeles.

 
Banna's "Shadows at Noon" at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Artiade "Olympics of Visual Art" grant recipient.

Internationally, Banna's exhibitions include the European cities of Istanbul, Nice, Copenhagen, Elsinore, and the 2004 Athens Olympics[3] where Banna was selected as a cultural ambassador of art for the United States and Turkey.[13][14] Upon this, Banna showed her work "Shadows at Noon" [15] at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and received a grant under The Artiade "Olympics of Visual Art".[16][17]

Sinem Banna has been reported by US and international media--[18][19] including the New York Times, CNN Turkey, the San Francisco Examiner, SF Weekly, and newspaper distributors in Europe including Cumhuriyet, Milliyet, and Sabah.[20][18] In addition to printed publications, Banna's lectures, talks, and interviews have appeared on news channels and public radio stations.[21][22][23][24]

Selected public works and site-specific installations

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1994

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Sinem Banna, "Street Almanac", "San Francisco Talks with Different Voices" - outdoor site-specific installation located in front of the San Francisco Library in San Francisco, California.

Banna was awarded a Grant under the Lef Foundation for her work the "Almanac Project", "San Francisco talks with different voices".[25][26] This outdoor site-specific installation was located in front of the San Francisco Library in Civic Center, San Francisco, California.[27] The work, a metal almanac with a seven-foot tall page, invited viewers and the public to put down their thoughts, in writing, on the artwork—thus constructing one large book of the voices of the San Francisco Community.[25]

2006

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Banna was awarded a residency grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation[28][9] The work, entitled "HEAR ME", is a permanent sculpture located in San Mateo Central Park, and was installed in 2009. The wood and metal bench surrounds a red maple tree and incorporates visual art and text from children in various educational programs in San Mateo County, aimed at children with autism, emotional challenges, and other special needs.[29][28] The children who helped design the bench included students from the Wings Learning Center for autistic children, and the Edgewood Center for Children and Families, which serves emotionally abused or disturbed children.[30][31] Banna also affixed 40 small silver bells to the bottom of the bench, which rang with any light breeze.[28] The sculpture bench is five feet in diameter, and contains a circular seat consisting of 29 panels radiating outward; on which are imprinted children's words, phrases, and drawings. A smaller upper metal ring is placed four and a half feet high, hanging from which are the silver bells.[29][32]

2009–2012

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In conjunction with several different schools in the San Mateo Community and SMFC in California, Banna created several murals and site specific installations.[12]

Of these include the following:[33][34][7][25][35][29][36][37][38]

  • "Always Hope"; site specific mural at the entrance of the dance studio at the Horrall School in San Mateo.
  • "Opening Doors"; outdoor site specific community project consisting of works throughout art history recreated on 24 vintage doors by children, grades K-5, under the supervision and direction of artist in residence Sinem Banna. Located at the courtyard of the Horrall School, San Mateo.
  • "Say Hi"; site specific mural located at Horrall School, San Mateo under the educational and interactive project.
  • "Peace and Love"; collaborative site specific mural at Baywood Elementary School, San Mateo.
  • "Say Hi II"; interactive mural study as community event located in Baywood Elementary School, San Mateo.
  • "B.With"; site specific mural, assemblage of mixed media with tiles, located in Borel Middle School, San Mateo. Dedicated to the memory of sixth grade student, Miranda, who died due to leukemia in 2010. Consists of eighty-seven 4x4 tiles with the Class of 2012 8th graders each making their own tile, in addition to eighty to a hundred 4x4 tiles of Miranda's own art work, digitally imposed on the tile. Three five-foot penguins patterned after the penguins above Miranda's bed after her Make a Wish Foundation, Room Make Over. The dedication by Tammie Bosley, mother of Miranda, said "I keep reminding myself to take deep breathes; it is simply beautiful in so many ways. Every time I visit it, I find something new. It certainly has a life of its own,". Installation June 2012; Dedication August 2012.

2013

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Banna was invited by the San Mateo Downtown Association for project "Meter Garden",[39] consisting of parking meters for public art.[40][29]

The project stations seven painted, decommissioned parking meters in the heart of downtown.[40][41][32] The San Mateo Department of Public Works facilitated the project as well as its public display on East Third Avenue in San Mateo, California.[40][29]

Professional activities

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In 2005, Banna accepted a seat on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo City Arts Committee.[41][9] In this same year she began work as curator[42] of solo and group exhibitions throughout the US.[43][44][45] Banna has worked as a lecturer as well as an educator for over 10 years at several different universities and educational institutions.[38][7][4][13] Banna held several juror positions, and founded ‘Art Box' in 2006.[46][47][48]

For over five years, Banna worked as an editor and as the United States representative for Art in Turkey magazine and Milliyet art magazine of Istanbul.[49][46]

Awards and honors

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Award Title Location Year
Golden Turk Awards Nominated United States 2013
San Mateo Foster City School District Residency Grant San Mateo, CA 2008-2011
City of San Mateo Arts Committee Project Grant San Mateo, CA 2009
Peninsula (Silicon Valley) Community Foundation Residency Grant San Mateo, CA 2006
Turkish Municipal Olympics Athens Project Grant Athens, Greece 2004
Istanbul Dibay Kimya Project Grant Istanbul, Turkey 2004
Elusive Mind, The Brain and Stamp First Prize Copenhagen, Denmark 1997
The LEF Foundation Project Grant San Francisco 1994
Secessions Gallery Project Grant San Francisco 1993
San Francisco Art Institute Grant San Francisco 1992

References

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  1. ^ a b "Volume 12 Issue 39 - Golden Turks in US". Issuu. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ^ Elkatip, Demet (1 June 1997). "Sinem Banna Eyüboğlu: beynin özünden yansıyanlar". Milleyet Sanat.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Sculptor Sinem Banna". www.turkishculture.org. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "On Sinem Banna". landfillart.org. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  5. ^ Laukes, Cindi (1997). "Elusive Mind". Year of the Brain (HjerneAret): 2, 6, 14 – via The University of Arizona, Tuscan.
  6. ^ p. 23 (24 March 2002). ""Saydamhane"ye buyrun: Amerika'da yaşayan Sinem Banna Eyüboğlu, Türkiye'de açtığı ikinci sergisi "Saydamhane"de güncel sanatı geleneksel öğelerle buluşturdu". İstanbul: Radikal Gazetesi.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b c "Hillsdale Kids Fighting Poverty create Mural with Artist Sinem Banna". East Bay Times. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Banna'nın sergisine büyük ilgi, 'Banna's Exhibit Gets Great Attention'". CNN Türk (in Turkish). Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Banna on Permanent Installation in Central Park". East Bay Times. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Sinem Banna Public Artwork,Caltrain Station San Mateo". East Bay Times. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Alumni US | Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts (1970-2013)". alumnius.net. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Banna, Sinem; San Francisco Artist". www.peninsulaartinstitute.org. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "SABAH - 07/09/2004 - Sanat Olimpiyatı'na Türk imzasını attı". arsiv.sabah.com.tr. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  14. ^ "ARTiade Athen - Olympiade der Bildenden Kunst 2004". kunstaspekte.de (in German). Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Roland Fuhrmann » ARTIADE – Olympiade der bildenden Kunst, Athen". rolandfuhrmann.de (in German). Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Intro". ARTIADE - Olympics of Art. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  17. ^ Renate Westhoff (14 July 2007), ARTIADE 2004 - Olympics of Visual Art - Part 06, retrieved 13 January 2018, minute 03.34
  18. ^ a b CUM /1543 C.1. "Shadow at Noon (öğlende gölge)". Cumhuriyet.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Eugene Weekly : On Sinem Banna". eugeneweekly.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Sinem Banna | Peninsula Art Institute". www.peninsulaartinstitute.org. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  21. ^ "Sinem Banna". eastbaytimes.com. 2006.
  22. ^ ""Saydamhane" Sergisi". Cumhuriyet EYÜ S/3 C.1.
  23. ^ Sengul, Pinar (August 2004). ""Görsel Sanatlar Olimpiyatı"nda ülkemizi heykel dalında temsil edecek olan sanatçı Sinem Banna Eyüboğlu". Sabah: 3 – via İstanbul: Sabah Gaz., Günaydın Eki, 6 Ağustos 2004.
  24. ^ "Sinem Banna". eugeneweekly.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  25. ^ a b c "sinem-banna". sinem-banna. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  26. ^ Foundation, LEF. "LEF Foundation > Home". www.lef-foundation.org. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  27. ^ "Artists File". SFPL. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  28. ^ a b c "Damaged San Mateo sculpture needs funding for repairs". East Bay Times. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Art Gallery | City Arts of San Mateo | A Resource for visual arts, performing arts and literary arts in San Mateo, CA (650) 522-7522". www.cityartsofsanmateo.org. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  30. ^ "Edgewood Center for Children and Families - Home". Edgewood Center for Children and Families. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  31. ^ "San Mateo Public art". National Coalition Against Censorship. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  32. ^ a b "The Wayback Machine has not archived that URL". [dead link]
  33. ^ "Borel Middle School - Miranda M. Bosley Arts and Music Fund". borel.smfcsd.net. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Opening Doors Through Art -The ARTcart at Horrall Elementary School – Art is Moving". artismoving.org. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  35. ^ "Search Results for sinem banna". librarycatalog.bilkent.edu.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  36. ^ "SABAH Newspaper - Sinem Banna Eyüboğlu kimdir?". arsiv.sabah.com.tr. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  37. ^ "San Mateo Foster City School District Announces 2011 Art Exhibition" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  38. ^ a b Staff, Heather Murtagh Daily Journal. "Students recreate masterpieces on doors". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  39. ^ "Hanasaurusrex Meter Monster Sighting // San Mateo Meter Garden". www.hanasaurusrex.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  40. ^ a b c "San Mateo Creating Parking Meters For Public Art". San Mateo, CA Patch. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  41. ^ a b "Art Gallery | City Arts of San Mateo | A Resource for visual arts, performing arts and literary arts in San Mateo, CA (650) 522-7522". www.cityartsofsanmateo.org. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  42. ^ Harrison, Helen A. (17 December 2000). "ART REVIEWS; Human Stories Revealed Through Collage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  43. ^ "Oil paintings by Peter Hamilton featured at Twin Pines Art Center". East Bay Times. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  44. ^ "Bonny Zanardi: What's happening in the arts community". East Bay Times. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  45. ^ "Large-scale look at Mendocino coast in Trubow exhibit". East Bay Times. 16 November 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  46. ^ a b Elkatip, Demet (June 1997). "Sinem Banna Eyüboğlu: beynin özünden yansıyanlar". Milliyet Sanat. MAKALE /11923 C.1: 38–39 – via Istanbul: Milliyet Sanat #411.
  47. ^ "Taksim Sanat Galerisi'nde Sinem Banna sergisi". Istanbul: Turkiye de Sanat #17: 77. January 1995 – via Sanat-Aktualite.
  48. ^ "Arts Directory, World Art Sites - Banna, Sinem". www.artsmoz.org. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  49. ^ "Plastik Sanatlar Dergisi". Turkiye de Sanat: 11, 76–79. February 1995 – via Yaysat.
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