Sena Karatas Ozturk
Fox Hill Tower
*FINALIST*
I am a professional artist and art educator from Turkey. My artistic theme consists of heritage buildings, such as towers and castles, which reflect social facts from the time they were built to the current day by watching over the land and people. In every major city, a tower was built: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, the Tower of Pisa in Pisa, and the Galata Tower in Istanbul. Galata Tower, one of the most famous historical towers of İstanbul, has witnessed many historical periods. It has served different functions in the service of many civilizations. Although this tower has served Istanbul for centuries as a fortress, prison, and fire tower, watching its land glamorously, the people cannot protect its historical texture. For example, when governments do not have enough budget to renovate historic structures, they sometimes leave them to their own devices, and this neglect often ends with a fire disaster or debris in many countries. After the catastrophe, suddenly, there are new investment projects in these areas, such as luxurious restaurants and hotels. All this change brings a single question to mind, is all this a coincidence? We also face many challenges dealing with historical structures, such as wrong or unusual restoration processes, unnatural colors or materials, and a lack of awareness of heritage buildings.
I deform the historical towers like simple objects and worthless toys by considering them as conceptual aspects to emphasize this insensitive attitude toward our historical heritage. While I transfer my sketches to the canvas as an abstract expressionist, my primary medium is oil or acrylic paint. Sometimes colors appear deeper and more luminous in my paintings depending on my artistic mood.
“Fox Hill Tower” is the last piece of the tower collection. It symbolizes American history and reflects the people's stories in 1878. Like towers in many countries, Fox Hill Tower in Vernon, Connecticut, was used as a watchtower for years and served many societies. Afterward, it became private property and was closed to public use. Then the tower was destroyed by neglect and blizzard. After the First World War, the tower was rebuilt again, and the owner of the land donated this tower to the people of the city. The tower continues to symbolize the history of that city and America with all its magnificence.