IN CONVERSATION WITH YAGMUR RUZGAR

INTERVIEW BY DAMLA BOZOGLU

In our series “In Conversation With” we talk with the young professionals of Istanbul and beyond. Up next, we had a little chat with the multidisciplinary creative Yagmur Ruzgar.

Most of us are familiar with Yagmur partly thanks to her installations in Istanbul, partly her Instagram but recently for their clothing rack, flow. She is now living in Berlin and working on projects under Paleworks, multidisciplinary studio and brand founded by Yagmur Ruzgar and Ozan Akkoyun.

How do you spend your time? What does your day to day to-do’s include?

For the past two years: A solid breakfast, checking/updating my schedule, working at least a few hours, going to school if there is class, getting prepared for my lecture series, Instagram, Paleworks, grocery shopping, either going out or early sleeping.

What can you tell me about your creative practice as it relates to working between different genres?

I’m not sure how it came to this point but I try to do a bit of everything that I’m capable of. Aiming to focus on a wide range from art to architecture, design to fashion—I find myself complaining about not having any time besides working, and yet I am highly satisfied with it. 

You work on multiple projects, do you have a favorite one? Why?

Paleworks and Urbanbacklog are the brands that I spend all my time on. So, they are the focal points. However, by the time I started giving my lecture “Seeking Unseen”, it became to be my favorite activity of the week. Thanks to that, I’m reading more in order to teach, I am sharing the pile of information that I have been collecting for years from different cities, and I get to receive feedback from the participants. We meet every week at the same time, bring food and drinks, express our thoughts and learn together. 

What is something people don’t know about you?

I find left-handed people very sexy.

In between projects, how do you fuel your creativity?

By doing nothing for a while—not even making the bed, washing the dishes, etc. Thank god the time in-between projects are usually quite short so I don’t turn into the guy at the music video “Lazy” from the 2000s.

What will the rest of this year be like for you?

Hopefully continue teaching. We plan to carry Paleworks Pop-up Shop to different cities, countries. And also open up a permanent one with an office space combined. Currently we are working on a project for the upcoming Venica Architecture Biennale that will spread to the first part of the year.

What is the weirdest thing in your fridge at your Berlin house?

The pomegranate syrup that I use just to make Kısır. 

• The best place I saw this year was... the underground shelter (where a party was held) in Weimar. 

• My favorite thing to have when I’m celebrating is… dry martini.

• When I feel tired in the morning I like to… eat.

• A good night-in looks like... an adult thing.

Yagmur also made us a playlist including her recent favorite songs, listen below.