Good People of vitruta: Lal Pekin

Lal, welcome to Good People! Let’s start with the classic question: who is Lal Pekin? How did it all begin, and what is your journey like?

Thank you for having me! I’m someone who grows my ceramic design brand, Sou Forms, in my studio, while also working as an editor for a few excellent local food and beverage brands. I’m a researcher, enjoy experimental play, and have a deep love for nature. I have an entrepreneurial spirit. While studying Business Administration at Koç University and for about six or seven years after graduation, I worked in marketing, press, customer relations, and project management for various startups and corporate companies.

After those intense years, I settled in Bodrum and decided to engage in the long-desired process of creating three-dimensional objects using clay, a medium I’ve always had a strong connection with. Now, I become the happiest person when I have clay in my hands. :)

We’re on the last day of the exhibition, and time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday we were starting the preparation process! How has your first solo exhibition gone? What reactions have you received, and how have they influenced you? When you think back to our first studio visit and the entire process, what comes to mind?

Time really does fly… I need to be disciplined to keep up. At times, I have to close my eyes and ears to all the environmental data I encounter daily. Although we planned the exhibition in the fall, my work on both the exhibition and the Sou X Vitruta collection began at the end of winter! But it turned out beautifully. I think we’ve added some color to our lives with spring.

I believe my first personal exhibition, Lal Pekin’s Atelier & Pop-Up Showroom, was well-received by visitors. I noted the feedback I received in my mind and in my notebook. Encountering more people than I expected and seeing shares on social media is always a good feeling. The display of clays, pigments, and glasses, along with the ‘play dough corner’ behind it, also attracted interest. When I could talk with visitors, the questions they asked about my studio tests motivated me for my future projects and collections.

During this process, vitruta Space served as both a studio and exhibition space for you. We can say it was a meeting point for different aspects of ceramics. This relates to how passionately you approach your work. Let’s start by asking how this passion began; how did you embark on your ceramic journey?

I come from an artistic family and grew up in studios. I received training from esteemed artists like Yıldız Kenter, Orhan Taylan, and Mahir Güven. During my high school years in the USA, I studied ceramics and learned to use the wheel for a year and a half.

Nine years have passed since then, and when the pandemic hit, I found the opportunity to dedicate more time to ceramics in Bodrum. What interests me isn’t the final product but the journey of the clay itself. The structure, grog, and texture of the clay fascinate me. Each type of clay behaves differently, creating formlessness, and the clay completes its journey by transforming into a unique design. Being part of that process, observing it, sometimes participating in it, and patiently firing it—all of this is passion for me.

The origin of this passion is a more artistic side. However, Sou Forms eventually came to life; how did you decide to create a brand that is recognized and featured in stores we love?

Although I have a goal and success-oriented mindset, I can say that my sense of satisfaction comes not from the desired outcome but from the ongoing process. With this commitment and belief in the “process,” I decided to establish the Sou Forms brand as soon as I began working with clay, sharing both my design processes and completed works with friends and followers on my Instagram page. I prefer to use my Instagram as a visual diary, and I have managed it this way since day one.

Sou Forms, which produces artistic and functional ceramic pieces that can change according to my mood and the colors and entities surrounding me, has found its place in many physical and online design stores, like vitruta and the Atatürk Cultural Center Design Store, since its establishment in 2020, and has been supported by people whose tastes I value.

What inspired you to create the vitruta X Sou Forms collection? We really loved this beautiful collection that features our names! :)

This winter, I had a series of travels. Discovering the art history of Georgia and the former Soviet Union, along with the sands of the Al-Khaimah Desert, served as great sources of inspiration. As soon as I returned, I started working on our collection. The exhibition was also an extension of the collection, and the pieces became even more beautiful as they intertwined.

In the vitruta X Sou Forms collection, which combines functional ceramics with artistic forms and features multi-functional works, you’ll find galaxies, clouds, sand, and corals. Each piece is uniquely special because it’s made using hand-shaping techniques.

Personally, one of the things I enjoyed most about your exhibition was how you blended your works with those of your friends. How did you decide to include the works of Hilal Can and Rastarules?

Yes, we created a delightful space with Hilal and Efe. It’s wonderful that this has resonated with you and the audience. I’ve known Hilal for about a year, and we got to know each other better during our joint exhibition called “Unearthing” last February. I noticed Efe’s works at a friend’s house, had the chance to examine them closely, and then met him.

I wanted to use vitruta Space like a living showroom, displaying art alongside functional design. Since I use different materials like glass, mirror, metal, and oxides in my studio, I thought, why not include paintings? The idea of incorporating Efe’s and Hilal’s works came from this.

Efe’s works, which he created using acrylic and tosca on satellite antennas and cedar trees, came from Kaş.

Hilal, who enjoys working with found materials alongside painting, visited my studio and suggested transforming some of my discarded ceramic pieces into something new in her practice. Thus, she turned the subjects she explores into new pieces. In fact, this motivation helped her finish a few projects she had been struggling to complete for a long time.

This way, we created a rich exhibition space in both process and content.

Let’s return to Beyoğlu, where both your studio and the exhibition took place. I know you have a special relationship with Beyoğlu. How would you describe it? What do you like to do and where do you like to go in Beyoğlu?

Ah, Beyoğlu—truly a love-hate relationship. I was born here, in the old German Hospital on Sıraselviler, now Kent University. My aunt had a bar called Kulis in Atlas Passage from the ’80s to the early ’90s. My mother graduated from Mimar Sinan University, so this was also our neighborhood. My babyhood was spent in the building that now houses Minimüzikhol and Bilsak (Science and Art Institution). Of course, I don’t remember those times. :)

My childhood and high school years were spent in different neighborhoods and countries. I returned here during university. You can usually find me around Çukurcuma, Cihangir, or near my studio at Galataport-Kabataş.

However, I occasionally escape from these areas. I realized that I haven’t stayed in the same city or country for more than two years over the last ten years. It’s been a year and a half since I returned to Istanbul. New places are opening, but many are also closing… Beyoğlu is my neighborhood. There’s so much history in every corner. But I think it’s time for me to go back to nature and quieter places.

The last question is about us. :) What are your top three favorite brands at vitruta?

I can’t erase Knitology from my mind, I absolutely loved it. My dear friend Çiğdem’s PACAL jewelry is truly elegant—I'm eagerly awaiting her new colors! Additionally, I’ve been following American Vintage since it opened, a brand I frequently used during my time in the USA. If we can squeeze in a fourth, I’d mention Rains for boots!

For the products selected and used in the photoshoot by Lal Pekin, styled by Melis Güven, click here.