We Want To Be Like Water - A Conversation With 97cm

97cm is a Berlin-based artist duo consisting of Illya Gubin and Mehmet Cevik, just like many creatives today the duo are constantly exploring various fields and disciplines as a means to express themselves and their vision.

Their unique language stretches from experimental furniture, sculptural artworks to pop-up installations and extends all the way through to a simple black sweater. 

Gubin and Cevik manage to create visuals and pieces that not only transmit their philosophy and message, however, more importantly, they also create art that has meaning, that is easy to enjoy, to watch and to see unfold at the same time. 

Art in all its forms for a long time has been chained to an exclusive clientele, an upper-class world and mindset. Over the last few decades, we have slowly seen this eroded away however we are far from knocking down the walls that the elite have put around the art world. A lot of complexities surround this but one of the simple issues that still stands is the usage of heavy language, used as the first port of call to protect art from being accessible for everyone. 

Just pick up and attempt to read any contemporary magazine that touches on art or to study any of the pieces of text that galleries publish when advertising their latest exhibition. The words and language that are touted are heavy, complicated and hard to understand. These words and attitudes exclude, they never invite. If these words ever actually mean something is another story but one thing for sure: They protect the upper art circles from allowing the rest of us the peace of mind and comfort that’s needed for us to know we are welcomed rather than frowned upon. 

This is where 97cm stands out, 97cm is inclusive, their language is strong and smart but still simple enough to understand whilst maintaining professional integrity. Their language is their aesthetic, their style and their vision. 97cm can allow themselves to be simply cool. They can allow themselves to release a hoodie, a needle and then double back again and dive deeper into conceptual art and Wabi-Sabi.

It doesn’t matter if you are into the deeper message behind the pieces or if you look for what lies between the lines, if you are deeply invested in the philosophies surrounding contemporary art or if you simply just like to watch, to feel or genuinely just like something with no reason why - you will understand and feel 97cm.

Time to talk with Illya and Mehmet.

Dear Illya, Dear Mehmet. Welcome back! There has been a lot happening since we last spoke, so let’s get straight into it! What changed for you since our last interview?

We learned a lot. Through and from each other. We made new connections and strengthened our relationship. We now have a much broader view of life. The last year has been very transforming, not only for us - it feels like there is something in the air - the whole world is in a collective state of change. It's great to be alive - it's great to witness these miracles. (Thank you for having us back.)

Let’s begin with “Juxtaposition” your take on the infamous Vitra side chair, designed by Charles Eames in 1948. Can you tell us more about the creation of those 18 chairs and the idea behind them?

We are very interested in living with art and with “Juxtaposition” we transformed the chair - an everyday object - into something that is both art and furniture. Into the shape of our conversation about things like gravity, mass production, craftsmanship, perfection and imperfection. The idea to see the world in a different way plays a crucial role in our work. Each chair is unique, we are very happy with the result and the huge interest from the audience. 

So is that potentially a field you want to explore with your studio in the future; the creation of your own furniture?

There is an infinite number of possibilities and living with art is a great way to express our vision. At 97cm we share a great passion for design classics and “Juxtaposition” is the beginning of many yet to come interpretations of masterpieces. 

Let's continue with Wiedergeburt (Rebirth), an exhibition that presented artworks that all seemed like they were once part of the machinery. What did you try to explore within this project?

The exhibition was created in response to an invitation from the city Frankfurt, Germany, to make „something“ out of a dead, useless place. All artworks were once not only a part of machinery but also used to be a part of the factory space in which we exhibited. 

“

We live in a time in which there is no more room to throw away.”

We wanted to make things out of existing things and give them a new meaning. What is an engine cover after it is no longer utilised? What is a dirty old space after its been used for decades and then abandoned? We created an experience that gives a possible answer to these fundamental questions that accompany us and lead us to deeper questions we explored in the following works. 

Last summer, you presented Conscious/Unconscious together with Jakob Hetzer, a fashion designer originally from Frankfurt now living in LA at BeingHunted. How did you both and Jakob get in touch, and what made you move to work together?

Life brought us together - one can interpret its own meaning behind it. It was a total coincidence when I, Mehmet, ran into Jakob almost a decade ago at the train station. We appreciate each other's work very much. We share the ability to strike deep in the emotional sphere. We all have a strong vision and learn a lot from each other. Our collaborative work is the result of transforming this energy into matter. It speaks for itself - it’s more than a friendship you know. We are connected. 

For some of the artworks, you used chemicals that change both the form and structure of the textiles. The concept suggested that you do not want to interfere anymore after the chemical process had started? What was the idea behind this chain reaction, and what does it say about human impact?

Nature has the ability to write itself and there is actually no need for humans – slow down and observe nature. For example, the sun rises and it sets. In the ocean, water endlessly washes over pebbles, births and deaths, tides, etc. have gone on for millions of years and these dynamics could continue without us. Do you have conscious control about everything that keeps you alive right now? Like food transforming into energy or the blood pumping through your veins? There is a higher intelligence within and around us that keeps us alive.

One part of this exhibition was calculated and the other wasn’t, at least not consciously. „Conscious“ explores these imaginative realms while „Unconscious“ is revealing the unimaginable and uncontrollable. A huge amount of life is outside of our conscious control. We have an image in mind, but the results surprise us. "Unconscious" is a way of blinding ourselves to let it be and get out of the way.  It's freeing yourself from all rational decision making that surrounds us in our so-called artificial „reality“ to become one with nature. We had that mindset and some ideas already some years before. So we experimented a lot with those chemicals to simulate these conclusions. We developed this method, which feels like meditation, to capture this moment of creation. So it felt right to work on a collaboration with Jakob.

Last summer, you decided to leave your residency in Frankfurt to move to Berlin. Was there something in Berlin you weren’t able to accomplish in Frankfurt? What did change after moving to Berlin for you?

Frankfurt is our origin and Berlin is our current home. We love both cities. Each of them has a unique flow. We see ourselves on a journey. On a journey of learning, of meeting new people, building bridges and sharing this experience. There is a great poem from Lao Tzu about the Journey of Water - we want to be like water. We are thinking about continuing our journey and maybe leaving Berlin for some period of time.

How do you perceive Berlin’s art scene? Or maybe the German contemporary art scene in general. What do you enjoy?

Berlin is very special. Everyone is and can be different but simultaneously we are all the same. There is a collective understanding that we don't have to agree on everything but come together as one civilization and work shoulder by shoulder to keep this energy.We want to act locally but think globally.

“

It feels like everything is possible in Berlin.”

We are immensely grateful to the people here. We are lucky enough to be surrounded by great artists who remind us how important friendship and special life is.

You showed your latest work "Profil" in Frankfurt during the Frankfurt Art Experience, an event similar to the Gallery Weekend in Berlin. The work consists of several pieces of white, hanging cloth that seems soft but actually are very stiff - like an optical illusion. Can you tell us about the process of the work and the initial idea behind it?

“Profil “can’t really be explained, but only experienced.

We see it as a mirror which reacts to our energy, reflects it back to us and opens up a possibility to reveal the secret life of our minds: we see cloth, a medium that is connected to our body, softly hanging from the ceiling, but if we come closer we realize the illusion our subliminal self has created and how our brain puts familiar things into patterns. At that moment we look simultaneously outside and inside: through the eye of the perception and the perception of the self which consists of memories and experiences.

View fullsize

For us, every moment is unique and we believe that nothing stays the same. The information we receive through our perceptual organs from the world around us is never the same from one moment to the next, which means you have endless possibilities to make new experiences. With this project, we learned that everything is always just exactly as it is and we should suspend all judgment. Our social environment — as our political, cultural, and even geographical environment — is but a reflection of ourselves.

View fullsize

"Profil" is a way that leads towards new experiences and unknown worlds.

If we are aware, these moments create a space that gives us an opportunity to heal, break free from our limitations and become pure and present again. It's an opportunity to rewrite our own truth. This is our most universal, timeless work yet.

Both your inspiration and your work shifts between design and art. What does design mean to you and equally what meaning does art have?

There are probably many great definitions of the difference between art and design available in books and google. For us, we want to be free. Free from categories, titles, and systems within our work putting elements in an enigmatic way together, breaking logical connections between things and giving birth to new. Creating these deep revelations is also a part of Nietzsche's and Schopenhauer's philosophy.

We live on a side of the world where we try to rationalize things, to make sense of it. We believe art tells us something else. If we pay attention and allow ourselves to open up, art can reveal things about ourselves and thus about humanity. Art creates a space for itself and for us to be anything. Actually, this is our approach and we want to create a context in contemporary art with and for our community.

Most of your works are followed by a merchandise release. This is a rather unusual strategy. Could you summarize the importance of the synergy of your art and the merchandise?

We live in a world of things - things that are labelled, interpreted and suggested to you by today's media. Our brain constantly processes these internal and external stimuli even without us being aware of their existence. In some way, we rush from one thing to another, running after desires we ourselves and the industry created – to which we are sometimes even unaware. These desires guide our thoughts, behaviours, personalities and whole beings.

The objects and facts of our world are simple shapes and phases which last long enough in one particular form for us to consider them as real and valuable but too often they lack fundamental identity. How many things produced by today's fast-fashion industry will be valuable and unique and stand out in the future? 

When we make things, we hold the tireless standard set by our belief to focus on the necessary and the intrinsic. Because the moment you focus on the intrinsic, you understand what’s relevant, and you can see clearly. Each product we do is thought out to the smallest detail, discussed, reflected and then created. We ask ourselves if and why a product has to be created and what it means to us. Our approach to the products is similar to our artworks - to create something timeless, charged with a deeper meaning.

You just launched your new Shop and your new symbol - The Needle, what is it about?

Talking about timelessness: while working on our new shop, we were looking for a universal object that best represents our vision - like our atelier's name „97cm“ does. Something that speaks the language of 97cm and simultaneously tells the story of how we both met, in what we believe, and what we imagine. Something that pioneers this concept of offering exclusive products that all share a deeper meaning.

So to give you a little insight: our individual interest in fabric brought us both (Illya Mehmet) together and created a dialogue through which 97cm came into existence. We believe in a positive spirit, in oneness and in the endless possibility of things. With our work, we imagine to dig into the depth of the surface, into a deeper layer of existence and to share these experiences.Needle

Our first wearable object, the 97cm Needle, is a symbol of this entire 97cm philosophy that connects our past, present, and future. Creativity is about making connections. The needle metaphorically represents the connection between our origin, holding the two pieces of fabric together (each fabric is a symbol for Illya and Mehmet) and thus creates a connection between matter and non-matter. The combination of curves and straight lines remind us of the right proportion in life, to focus on positive spirit, friendship, and unity. With a needle you enter the surface and dive into the unknown, relying on your intuition and experience literally a breakthrough every time you penetrate the fabric. Our Needle is something we wanted to create, that we could share with friends and others, something portable – like a physical mantra, that accompanies everyone's journey with this 97cm spirit. It's not only a tool, it's a part of our story. 

You started to concentrate on Wabi-Sabi, a philosophy from Japan that explores the beauty in the natural imperfection. How would you describe its influence on your daily life and work and when did it catch your attention?

Probably from a very young age but we weren’t familiar with the term Wabi-Sabi. Some things can’t be explained in words, but can only be experienced - one-of-a-kind moments that can’t be reproduced since every moment is unique.

We like the concept of Wabi-Sabi, it gives the right energy and it gives a good reflection on things we hold on to. For us, it's a great moral code to follow for peace, to focus on the simple things and on the intrinsic. Through that, we are looking for the timeless. We are also very grateful that our people who follow us experience our work and open their hearts and minds to this way of living. In addition to our individual beliefs, the Wabi-Sabi universe is a very interesting perception, that expands the view on our work and lives.

Talking about a young age, when did you first realize that you wanted to be artists? We know that Illya has worked in the fashion industry for a couple of years. So when did that transformation happen? We are searching for a trigger point.

Illya: I never thought to articulate myself through art. I was a happy kid living in Ukraine, being in the streets 9 hours a day - fighting, climbing everything and being annoying to elder kids but I always felt special. I always thought that no-one could be me, that only I could see what I can see. I believe fashion gave me the taste and the capability to feel aesthetics. Ukrainian streets gave me the sharpness, always being in the here and now. Photography and my love for numerology provided the attention to very small details and deeper thoughts. The whole way to this moment, everything makes sense. I’m glad I can still be me and be able to create energy.

Mehmet: Right. Looking back, everything makes sense. There is no control. You have got to trust and all will go it’s way, inshallah. As a child, I always said I wanted to be an inventor. The parents of my childhood friends are witnesses of my fruitful imagination and fantasy (laughing).

We live in a time of speed where you are hypnotized through media and pressured to make decisions at every second from a very early age without even knowing yourself. Suddenly, before you know it, you find yourself in a world of automatism, program, pattern, contradictions and lies. Experiencing this black and white side of life but knowing my origin, trusting my inner truth and working on my iman is what guided me throughout the years. Whether through stories as a child, pictures on Instagram, conversations with friends or currently sculptures, I have always felt the urge to share my journey and inner truth with others. 

Somewhere I read that every traveller is on a journey towards the light and every new discovery is a step forward. 97cm is like a definition for walking through a dark space while Illya and I are the only ones who can perceive this beam of light that is invisible to the rest. My hope is to follow this light, open the door and give more people insights into this other realm.

Thank you for your time and thoughts 97cm

Text by 
Juri Marian Gross, Adrian Bianco & Stephen Donald