Unpredictable Earrings No.2-2

Polyurethane, epoxy, paint, steel.

40x40x20 mm

Working with polyurethane foam fascinated me from the very beginning. Its ability to expand, transform, and harden makes the material an active part of the creative process rather than simply a medium.
The material continuously changes form, and its final state cannot be fully predicted. This uncertainty reminds me of life itself, where transformation is inevitable and the outcomes of our experiences are often beyond our control.
Once carved, the foam reveals unexpected textures and contrasts. I embrace this structural ambiguity rather than trying to control it entirely, allowing the material’s spontaneous reactions and irregularities to influence the final form. In this balance between intention and chance, each earring develops its own unique character.

Artist Bio:
Hakan Aktug (b. 1986, Mersin, Turkiye) is a contemporary jewelry artist and researcher based in Istanbul. Coming from a family with a long-standing tradition in jewelry, he began his contemporary jewelry practice in 2010, following an internship at the studio of renowned Turkish jewelry artists Ela Cindoruk and Nazan Pak.
He holds degrees in Jewelry and Jewelry Design from Istanbul Aydin University and Mersin University. His work combines traditional and contemporary jewelry techniques with diverse materials, resulting in limited-edition pieces. His practice explores material experimentation and the relationship between contemporary jewelry and the body.
Since 2022, Aktug has been working as a Research Assistant in the Department of Jewelry and Jewelry Design at Altinbas University while pursuing his proficiency in art in Sculpture at Kocaeli University. His work has been presented in exhibitions and events in Turkiye and internationally.