Mountains, Trees, Rivers, Clouds, Waves

This installation of five unique works on paper marks the starting point of Esra Gülmen’s ongoing inquiry into the relationship between language, form, and perception. Each work presents a single word—mountains, trees, rivers, clouds, waves—written plainly on paper. Rather than depicting these natural elements, Gülmen confronts the viewer with their linguistic representations, inviting reflection on the ways we construct and recognize meaning.

Drawing on semiotic theory, particularly Ferdinand de Saussure’s distinction between the signifier and the signified, Gülmen reveals how language shapes our mental imagery—and perhaps how imagery can shape language in return. She playfully emphasizes this duality by using the first letter of each word in rhythmic repetition—ccccclouds, wwwwwaves—visually echoing the form of the thing described. The result blurs the boundary between seeing and reading, showing how the abstract sign can still conjure vivid, shared associations.

While this formation—five words, five works—stands as a complete installation titled Mountains, Trees, Rivers, Clouds, Waves (2021), the conceptual questions it raises have since evolved into a broader body of work. Gülmen continues to explore how collective consensus, linguistic structure, and visual culture interact in the ways we name and perceive the world.

Mountains, Trees, Rivers, Clouds, Waves, 2021
Acrylic on paper, framed
Each 145 x 110 cm (155 x 120 cm)
Unique