Images as entropy-based realities: an Interview with Arcin Sagdic

Arcin Sagdic, a German image-maker based in Berlin, is at the forefront of a unique fusion between art and science. His photography, motion, and collaborative sound projects are steeped in scientific approaches, drawing inspiration from quantum physics and gravitational theories to illuminate introspective interpretations of his surroundings.

In his relentless pursuit of pushing the boundaries of the photographic medium, Arcin employs innovative techniques. He distorts tactile appliances to manipulate negatives, creating simulated atmospheric differences and parallel aesthetics/realities through the use of chemicals and ink colorings.

Good morning Arcin and welcome to Red Eye! How would you introduce yourself to our community?

I am a multi-disciplinary visual artist from Berlin, Germany. I use photography to convey a deep

inside imagination that cannot be explained in words.

In your work, images are heavily manipulated as if you were searching for something beyond them (maybe another image?). There’s no such thing as pure and untouched images, but a particularly material relationship with images is predominant in your research: what sparked your interest in image manipulation?

Since I was a child I imagined floating in aether - obviously a theory from the younger days of

astrophysics. This definition has been modified into dark matter. The idea of aether sparked

my interest at an early age when I caught that idea from a documentary. I started imagining that

second consciousness of a potential world within that spheric void. What I try to communicate is

that atmospheric shift by putting my film negatives into liquids where I create that entropy-based

reality from which multiple things may happen. The momentary documentation takes place on a

flat scanner which may take many hours before I reach the outcome that I want.

By integrating ideas from quantum physics and gravitational theories into your work, a scientific approach underpins your creative process. Was this integration a natural one? Was it there from the beginning of your practice?

I think most expression-based visual practices are rooted in natural and genuine interests or

beliefs. At the moment one starts any tool-based practice, it becomes a naked

communication of your very inner being or state of mind. It becomes hard to plan something - it

has to be instinctive.

You operate on photographs’ materiality through scanning, chemicals and ink-based colorings, thus opening up new anatomies for the subjects portrayed: are you reimagining the body or just looking at it from a different perspective than the one imposed on us every day?

I try to reimagine human anatomy by excluding some given absolute terms like gravity.

Mankind is fragile, not only from the anatomical point of view. We do have certain perceptions of

given physical realities which are variables to me which I simply exchange to then reimagine

multiple impacts on our being. Physically or psychologically.

The history of sciences is first and foremost a history of technologies and materials: did your interest in science bring you toward physical manipulation of the photographs’ materiality or was it the other way around?

I think that these things go hand in hand. I was simply a kid who liked science and throughout

the years I was discovering my undeniable urge to creative practices which made me become a

visual artist. I believe that any genuine visual artist will unintentionally show deep interests

which can be scientific or any other field-based.

What do you consider to be the greatest motivation behind your work?

I don’t believe that it’s a motivation, I would furthermore call it a necessity.

Any future projects you’re particularly excited about?

I have been working on a book project for the last 3 years. The book will be a collection of

images taken at multiple different deserted places where the impact of gravitational realities

and other planetary circumstances on a human individual is shown. How do we perceive our

environment and how does our perception change based on psychological and physical

realities? It’s a perspective shift that will be shown in a hardcover book in collaboration with

art director Charly Noon.

Interview by @base.materialism

Images courtesy of @arcinsagdic

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