Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Adnan Arnautlija
Recently we received news that a young creative from Turkey is touring the world, doing his pilgrimage for creativity, during which he will live, work and collect inspiration in 25 different countries. We wanted to hear more about this interesting voyage so we found Hüseyin Artuk in Serbia, currently working for Saatchi&Saatchi. Hüseyin Artuk finished trade high school and worked as an accountant for 2 years, but figures obviously couldn’t satiate his creative appetites. He decided he wanted to change his life and become a designer, although he knew nothing about drawing. He enrolled in visual communication studies at the Yaşar University, and after finishing worked at several advertising agencies and as a freelancer in Turkey. Still, the itch for change pushed him forward, so another redefining of self was on its way. Now he works and lives in different countries and different agencies, enriching his worldview in his 1DREAM1WORLD project.
Media Marketing: According to your blog, idea for your journey came to you in a dream. Could you tell us a bit more about that?
Huseyin Artuk: I was thinking about doing something enjoyable in my life. I needed an escape because I was very bored. Every day was the same: go to job, in the same city, the same people, the same bus, the same road, passing the same trees etc. It was all… ordinary. I knew my entire day before it would start and I hated it. I was feeling like a robot. I heard something about traveling designers and I thought I could do this, but I didn’t have enough courage to start the adventure. One day, a vision came to me in a dream. I was traveling abroad, and working. I was so happy. In the dream I was talking to people about my illustration projects and I woke up extremely happy. Everything was clear. That’s when I decided! I went to work and resigned on the spot.
Media Marketing: Is there any particular reason why these 25 countries, other than not needing a visa for them?
Huseyin Artuk: These 25 countries have no visa requirements for me. They are cheap and easy to live in. I’m a bit lazy and I don’t like paper-work.
Media Marketing: In the beginning you had some problems with your trip. Did it shake your resolve to gather inspiration in 25 countries?
Huseyin Artuk: Never! I’m extremely motivated. Nothing can stop me!
Media Marketing: For how many and which agencies have you worked for so far on your trip? What are your experiences in finding jobs in foreign countries?
Huseyin Artuk: It was a bit hard to find the first job, but I knew that and I was prepared for it. I started with Russia because I was in Russia in my dream. I bought a ticket to Russia and 2 days later the plane crisis began between Russia and Turkey. I had sent 150-200 e-mails to Russia – nobody replied.
I had to change my destination. I sent e-mails to 3 different countries, and finally I received a response from Tabasco, Kiev, Ukraine. My dream had started!
It’s easy now. I can now choose jobs. For example I found two jobs in Moldova, three jobs in Serbia. In total I have worked in six different agencies. They are Tabasco (Kiev, Ukraine, 2 months), Papa Print (Chisinau ,Moldova, 1,5 days), Publicis (Chisinau, Moldova, 1 month), Leo Burnett (Minsk, Belarus, 1 month), Leo Burnett (Belgrade, Serbia, 1 month), Saatchi&Saatchi (Belgrade, Serbia, 1 month and counting).
25 countries, 25 postcards – In every country Huseyin will do a special postcard
Media Marketing: How is your stay in Serbia going so far? Will you try to visit other countries in the Adriatic region?
Huseyin Artuk: Everything is okay, I’m working in good agencies, living in a good place, I rented a flat and I’m living alone for the first time after six months of living in hostels and in someone’s homes as a guest. Serbia is similar to Turkey. I feel like at home. I missed some of the foods, and now I can get them in Serbia. Belgrade is like a small Istanbul.
I want to visit and work in Bosnia and Macedonia. I sent e-mails to agencies in these countries two months ago, but I haven’t received any response yet. If I find a job there of course I will go.
Media Marketing: The best and the worst experience of your journey so far?
Huseyin Artuk: Best experience is my journey as a whole. As for the worst, I had two of those. I went to Lviv, Ukraine, by plane at the start of my project. Police asked me: “where is your return ticket, where is your hotel reservation?” I wasn’t ready for these questions because it was a visa-free country. As a result I was deported. I went home the same day on the same plane. I was sick. It was a terrible start! Second try I did my hotel and ticket reservations, and returned to Lviv. This time they said welcome to Ukraine…
The second bad experience was in Belarus. I had some financial and bureaucratic problems in Belarus. I earned $200, and I paid $270 to the authorities (as a registration fine, because I was a day late for some paperwork about this and health insurance, etc). I was unhappy in Belarus, so I started counting days there. Three days to go. Two. The last day! Finally I was going to Serbia. It was finished. I went to the airport all happy and cheery. I had a ticket Minsk – Moscow – Belgrade. I went to the airport check-in desk. Woman working there asked me: “Where is your Russian visa?” What? I’m a transit passenger, I don’t need a visa! “There is no border between Belarus and Russia! This is a domestic flight! So you can’t fly!” It was awful, and it was officially my last day in Belarus. I had to get out of Belarus. I had no money for another ticket, so I went to the bus station and I bought a ticket to Kiev, Ukraine. After that I went to Lviv by train, then to Istanbul by plane, and then to Belgrade. The story is a bit long, but you can check my blog to read the entire horror story.
Media Marketing: Part of your dream was also to do a series of 25 illustrations of women on your journeys. Have you found some of your muses already?
Huseyin Artuk: Yes I found one in every country. Work is going okay, but the illustrations aren’t finished yet. It’s all still just in a sketch form. I want to finish them at the end of my project – in 3 years. I will get better in painting by then, and I will have more experience about drawing and women. Now I just give my feelings and some colors to the illustrations.
25 countries. 25 women – Part of his project are illustrations of women in each of the countries he visits
Media Marketing: As a ‘pilgrim for creativity’, is there any message you would send to other creatives, especially younger ones?
Huseyin Artuk: It’s fantastic. I’m developing every day, and I can feel it! We are creatives, and creatives need to see different sides of the world. Diversity is our nutrient. Eat it!
As I said, I had a dream… And now, I find myself sometimes suddenly remembering that I’m living my dream, and I smile naively. I wish I could explain the feeling. Maybe you should also follow your dream…
