SPEND A DAY WITH OUR DESIGNER: MEET CEREN GÜRKAN
As the hipicon family we spent the day with Ceren, creator of Maiizen, and discovered her’s and Maiizen’s story!
We spent an exciting day at the glass blowing atelier where Maiizen designs are produced and then sat down with Ceren for a chat.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you start designing handmade lightings?
I have been interested in every form of art since I can remember, especially to painting and sculpting. I have been painting and taking pictures since I was very little. Clay and glass entered my life when I started my Ceramics and Glass Design degree at Mimar Sinan University. I was after creating objects that are inspired by the nature and daily life, that are aesthetic as functional. I wanted these objects to be personalized and have sculpture like forms. After I finished school, I started to work at a glass factory. While I was designing big glass lighting projects there, I saw how magical it was to give shape to light and figured out glass was the main material to do this. I added natural materials as wood, rope, ceramics to glass and started working on my collection.
- Why Maiizen? Where do the name and the philosophy of the brand come from?
Maiizen was born in 2014. ‘’Mai’’ means blue, and we already know what ‘’zen’’ means. We combined the calming, trustworthy and romantic feel of the color blue with balance of zen and became Maiizen. Light is the source of life. It’s so powerful that it fuels us. In short, we need light. Maiizen meets this need by integrating light into objects that are inspired from the nature and everyday forms. Therefore, the outcome is designs that combine functionality and aesthetics, and express different feelings. Because of this, every design has a different story.
- Where do you get your inspiration?
The nature itself is the inspiration of Maiizen. Therefore the designs are timeless. Everyday life is also my inspiration, which makes the designs innovative and minimalist. Maiizen designs can feel contemporary or from different times. Of course, there is also the state of light (and its form) that stimulates emotions, the mind, and feeds the imagination; This is Maiizen's secret power. The formation of these different dimensions of lighting is very motivating for me to create new ideas and to design new products.
- What is your favorite thing about your job?
Because the authenticity of the materials I use from the nature is always different, every product is unique. And to see different states of light! I’m a person that gets bored easily, so I feed on change. My work gives me this possibility. I keep my work dynamic and it keeps me dynamic as well.
- What feeds your creativity?
Nature and daily life. Actually, everything I see around myself.
- Can you describe your style in 3 words?
Natural, minimalist, sculptural.
- Who inspires you?
James Mallord William Turner, Alberto Giacometti, Auguste Rodin, Wim Wenders, Cai Guo-Qiang.
- What is your motto?
Light is color.
- What are your 5 favorite items from hipicon?
Trigg SM Set2 Conc/Copp, Umbra