Defne Önen is a multidisciplinary artist exploring the intersection of craftsmanship, materiality, technology, and interactivity. Drawing on her background in lighting design and interactive technology, she creates objects and environments that evoke emotion, tell stories, and blur the boundaries between functional and sculptural forms.
 

Her experience in lighting design and production, as well as art fabrication and conservation in New York City, deeply informs her approach to ceramics, glass, and immersive environments. In these mediums, light, texture, and form become tools for sensory engagement, inviting viewers to connect with the work on a visceral level.
 

Onen’s ceramic and glass practice embraces spontaneity and imperfection, producing vessels that exist between the utilitarian and the sculptural. She is drawn to the way her study of materiality and craftsmanship becomes a choreography guided by intuition and collaboration with skilled artisans.
 

Currently based in Istanbul, she is developing a cohesive artistic language across disciplines, exploring how traditional craft and emerging technology can coexist. Through her work, she seeks to create pieces that feel both familiar and otherworldly, encouraging audiences to slow down, observe, and reconnect with the materials and environments around them.