Hello! First of all, could you start by introducing yourself? Can you give us a brief information about your name,
the type of your art and your various interests in the art world?

Hello, I am Umut Çiflik. I'm 24 years old and I exhibit my video art and artificial intelligence works under the pseudonym cast: a poet. I've been writing poems and lyrics since I was a kid, I also like looking at paintings.
 

When did you start making art? What was the first time you met art or what attracted you to it?

After trying my luck in different art disciplines, I discovered that what suits me best is to dance with words. Since my childhood, my inner feelings have been a burden for me. That's why I have been taking care to unload these excesses from an early age. 

My relationship with video art dates back to my teenage years. I wanted to make films like the French new wave directors who inspired me at that time. I created a space for myself by combining William S. Burroughs' cut-up technique with elements of French new wave cinema and mid-century surreal cinema.
 

What does art mean to you? How do you see the impact of art on people?

For me, art is a thing. Everything. Sometimes it's wolves eating a corpse, sometimes it's random words coming out of the mouth. I don't know the effect of art on people, but artists have started to make me allergic.
 

How long have you been active in NFT and how did you get started? Can you tell us a bit about creating and marketing your first NFT piece?

My NFT adventure started (March 2022) with the minting (I wish I hadn't) of Selçuk Erdem's Fluffy Polar Bear project, whose cartoons I have been reading with great pleasure since my childhood. After entering the market, I discovered the art side of the business and took on the web3 management of my friend, painter Özge Ata.

With my discovery of artificial intelligence, I created my own profile and started to mint my works on objkt.com. Through Özge's profile, I reached a very good sales figure in my first week - in my opinion.
 

What does it mean for you to use art as a social or political platform? How do you approach social or political issues through your art?

Art has been and still is used even as propaganda when necessary. Since one of the most important factors determining our living space is the decisions taken by corporate governments, it is understandable that people react to events through art.

I have many works that warn about the legalisation of cannabis in Turkey and the dangers posed by the illegitimate market. Since I construct the subject as an intricate structure, my approach to events is both social and individual.
 

Are there any artists or works that have influenced or inspired you the most in your career? Can you explain these influences and sources of inspiration?

Jean-Luc Godard's approach to cinema made me interested in video art. You can also see the influence of impressionist painters in many of the works I created through artificial intelligence.
 

What are your long-term goals as an artist? What do you want to achieve in your career?

I have designed Trip Art Gallery as a portable organisation. I aim to organise exhibitions in important capitals of the world with the works of artists who are not yet known.
 

Can you give us some hints about future projects or exhibitions? Can you share what the audience should expect in the future?

I don't like making promises.
 

How do you think the value and appreciation of NFT art will develop in the future? How do you assess the changes and trends in this field?

As people are more exposed to virtual-reality, the art of NFT will fall into place. The society, accustomed to having everything at its fingertips, has already started to consume art like stimulant pills! 
There are some NFT collectors who expect artists to be constantly active on social media. I think that artists who cannot make money from their work will not be able to continue this activity in the long run. Unfortunately, money is the biggest motivation.
 

Is there anything else you would like to share as a final farewell note?

Don't waste your money.