Shore of Today
needlework on felt, transparency prints
25.5 x 36 cm
2019

Atakan made this book for the International Russian – Turkish Artist’s Book Project entitled “ Shores”. The artist poetically presented contemporary issues about Turkey’s shores, without being explicit, she referenced globalization, migration, and pollution of otherwise beautiful shores.


A Sea of Possibilities
5 Turkish translations
15 x 20 cm
2007

Five native Turkish speakers translated A Sea of Possibilities text from English into Turkish. Every translation was unique because each person’s knowledge, beliefs, and interpretations slightly differed


Sea of Possibilities
handwritten illustrated book
18 x 20 cm
2006

Interested in the relationship between text and image, Atakan made photographic images to complement the text.


Art as Dialogue
250 Copies of Numbered and Signed Artist Book
23 x 23 cm.
1998

Atakan decided that the world could be divided into two groups: those who say something that sounds like ‘tea’ and those who say something that sounds like ‘çay’. Understanding that visual images of the sounds for words varied according to the linguistic system used, without being systematic, she collected data to support her hypothesis.

At a time when the new technology of digital printing began to replace offset printing and compete with hand made artwork, she made this book with a graphic designer to juxtaposition digital images next to handmade work using handwritten data she had collected about words for tea.

A system for proving the authenticity of digital work had not yet been established; therefore, after publishing 250 unique copies, in the presence of a notary, Atakan destroyed all of the printing plates and included a copy of the notarization in each book.

All images on this site and their copyrights owned by Nancy Atakan unless otherwise stated. Images are not to be reprinted or reused without the expressed permission.