Ertan Velimatti Alagöz
Writer, director and painter
"As an artist producing in different disciplines, stories have always been the focus of my art. I believe a work needs a story, a past that connects it to the world, in order to be born. For this reason, I got my inspiration and motivation from the stories I came across in my work. This search, which is indispensable for literature and cinema, has also shaped my attitude in plastic arts.
Child of a Turkish father and Finnish mother I grew up in different parts of world. This added color to both my life and my art. In my art I tried to combine Turkey's dynamics, temperature and variability and simplicity and minimalism of the Finland in a balanced place.
While telling my stories and creating my works, I try to focus on the power within the simplicty. I believe that how much I simplify it, the more artistic it will be. I want expressing that there are details in some works that are simple enough to say "I do this too or a child does it too".
Life is in constant motion. Nothing is just black or just white. My art is also affected by this. For example, when I tell the story of a serial killer, I realize that it is only the small details that distinguish him from discovering his becoming a famous genius. I allow the light and dark sides of my life to influence and direct my art."
He was born in 1981 in Stockholm, Sweden to a Finnish mother and a Turkish father. After completing his film education in Turkey, he started his professional career as an assistant director at Plato Film/Istanbul.
After that, he continued his career as Creative Director at Digiturk/S’nek Tv for four years. His first feature film, One After
Another, which he wrote and directed in 2009, premiered at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 2010. In 2011, he started his own film production company and shot many commercial films.
Ertan, who has also been interested in painting since childhood, held his first solo painting exhibition at Gallery Artist/Istanbul in 2012.
His second feature film, The Fish In Me, which he made in 2014, was screened at many film festivals in different corners of the world and won awards. In 2015, he completed a feature documentary titled Wish Factory. In December 2018, he wrote his first crime novel Prosecutor, which entered the “bestseller” list in Turkey. Between 2018-2020, he was the project director of Hamam Arts Hub Istanbul.
Ertan Velimatti Alagöz completed his new novel WAX at the end of 2020. He is currently working on the script for his new film and the series of paintings called Tinie. Ertan Velimatti is represented by Artopol Gallery İstanbul in Turkey.
Festivals, exhibitions and awards
One After Another, MOVIE, Writer-Director Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival 2010
Can Bogazdan Gelir, SOLO EXHIBITION Gallery Artist, Istanbul 2012
The Fish in Me, MOVIE, Writer-Director, 2014 Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, The film contest
- Best Actress award,
The Fish in Me, MOVIE, Writer-Director, London Film Festival In 2014
The Fish in Me, MOVIE, Writer-Director, Istanbul Film Festival 2015
S/AVCI NOVEL, January 2018 D&R Bestseller - PSYD Best First Crime Novel Award 2019
Hammam ARTS HUB, 2019 Group Exhibition
SINGULART collection and sales 2020
Art SAUNA ISTANBUL, 2021 Group Exhibition
Mat / SOLO EXHIBITION, ARTHUR & MILLER BODRUM, 2021