The Action Figure. The Studios.
This website is now a personal view into who I am and what I make, hmmm and maybe more. For guitars + please go to actionfigurestudios.com or actionfigureguitars.com. Thanks!
I am Mehmet Dogu (also known as Mem) - a curious person by nature (in all respects).
Mostly I'm curious about things and how they work and sometimes why they don't. That's the designer side - to find solutions to problems or to make things better.
I am a passionate maker. I love the research, the trials and failures and successes the collaborations, the friendships and the journey. I evaluate all of my work and strive to make the next one better or to take another step, to find where the work will go or where it will take me.
What I make are tools for understanding, tools for expression, tools for experience. Some of the learning and experience stays with me, but the most fulfilling work is that where I can create a situation or an object for joy, insight, change. It's my way of contributing and I hope, enact positive directions for those who encounter this work.
It has been an interesting path, not always easy but always fulfilling. Actually, I really haven't had much choice in the matter. It has been a calling and I have tried my best to learn as much as I can so I can provide as much as I can.
There has been so many people and institutions that I am grateful for. They have initiated or helped to shape my trajectories. They have been un-met heros, heros that I've met, strangers who have become friends and those who have helped and have no idea. Thank you to my mentors and bosses and co-workers and collaborators. Thank you to my family, my friends and the communities I get to share time with. Thank you to my clients and customers. Thank you all!
I hope you like what you see. It's been a fun ride and it would be great to have you along. Drop me a line with questions or comments or a chat - looking forward to hearing from you.
photo - Linda Wilson
EXHIBITIONS
Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UC Santa Barbara - Exhibition Design and Production
The Centers for Disease Control - Exhibition Design (contract) (Atlanta)
Modern Atlanta - Exhibition Design (contract) (Atlanta)
Plan B - Exhibition Design (contract) (Hamburg)
Gallerie Renate Kammer - Exhibition Design (contract) (Hamburg)
Princeton University - Exhibition Design (student contract)
Ralph Appelbaum Associates - Exhibition Design (NYC)
The Third Istanbul Biennial - Exhibition Design (contract)
The Museum of Modern Art - Exhibition Design and Production (NYC)
The Visual Arts Center - Exhibition Design and Installation (contract) (Anchorage)
ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
Action Figure Studios - Owner (now in Boulder, formerly in Santa Barbara)
Firefly Development and Firefly Design/Build - Owner (Atlanta and Santa Barbara)
Perkins+Will - Research Knowledge Management, Technical Coordinator (Atlanta)
Steelcase, Applied Research and Consulting - Session Designer and Facilitator (Palo Alto)
Gould/Evans - Designer, Project Manager (Phoenix)
Sauerbruch Hutton Architects - Designer (Berlin)
Orcutt/Winslow Partnership - Job Captain (Phoenix)
Richardson Smith Architects - Designer, Project Manager (Princeton)
Regele Builders - Project Manager, Estimator, Designer, Finance (NYC)
TEACHING
UC Santa Barbara
Georgia State University (Atlanta)
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta)
Southern Polytechnic State University (Atlanta)
Arizona State University (Tempe)
Hochshule fur Bildende Kunste (Hamburg)
Princeton University
University of Utah (Salt Lake City)
LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS AND JURIES
KA Connect (San Francisco)
PKAL - Project Kalidascope (Washington, DC)
Pecha Kucha Atlanta
Modern Atlanta
Historic Preservation Boards of Hamburg and Berlin (Hamburg)
Columbia University (NYC)
Purdue University
Istanbul History Foundation
New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark)
Syracuse University
Columbia University (NYC)
ART EXHIBITIONS - SOLO
Poem 88: “Living Color – a Meditation in Three Parts;” Atlanta
whitespace: “Gallery Light Rug – Three Installations by Mehmet Doğu;” Louise E. Shaw – curator; Atlanta
The Evergreen House (The Johns Hopkins University): “Subjective Truths;” Jackie O’Regan – curator; Baltimore, MD
Gallery Fruchtig – Lobo: “Lobo Motion – 3 Installations in # 3 Elvis Presley Boulevard;” Annette Gloser – curator; Lobo (TX)
AIA Architecture Gallery: “Art Detour Exhibition – Field 02;” Phoenix
eyelounge: “construction;” Phoenix
Guest Atelier and The Gallerie Renate Kammer; “real, near-real, sur-real;” Hamburg, Germany
10 on 8: "...Drive...;” New York City
ART EXHIBITIONS - GROUP
Swan Coach House: “Architects as Artists – Untitled (painting);” Atlanta
Lifecycle Building Center: “Grand Opening – Untitled (light piece);” Atlanta
Swan Coach House: “Little Things Mean a Lot – Untitled (paintings);” Atlanta
Terminus Gallery: “Wood Work – Digital Series # 01 and #01;” Atlanta
MoCAGA: “Movers and Shakers – Member Schinkel;” Atlanta
whitespace: “The December Show – selected gallery artists + - untitled;” Atlanta
eyedrum: “Unbuilt Atlanta – X Marks the Spot;” Karen Tauches – curator; Atlanta
Spruill Center for the Arts: “Looks good on Paper - untitled;” Julia Fenton – curator; Atlanta
Studio Aiello: “Heads – twelve untitled portraits;” Denver
Irvine Fine Arts Center: “Out of the Digital Domain 2 – The Wet Series;” Carl Berg – curator; Irvine
Tucson Museum of Art: “Arizona Biennial 2003 – Member Schinkel and Travel Series;” Toby Kamps – curator; Tucson
Lodo Gallery: “Gallery Artists Exhibition – Field 01;” Phoenix
Istanbul Buyuk Sehir Beliediye Baskanligi: "Fotograf Yarismasi – The Galata Tower with Antenna;” Istanbul, Turkey
Westbeth Gallery: "Tribute to Black History – Black burns to White;” New York City
Anchorage Museum of History and Art: "Earth, Fire and Fiber - untitled;” Anchorage
Visual Arts-Center Arco Gallery: "Sculpture Dialogue: Anchorage and New York – NYC on my Mind;” Anchorage
ART RESIDENCIES
The Evergreen House (The Johns Hopkins University)
The City of Hamburg – The Guest Atelier
The Visual Arts Center (Anchorage, Alaska)
GRANTS
Hochshule fur Bildende Kunste
Arizona Commission on the Arts
Rotary Foundation Scholarship
Princeton University
New York Commission for the Arts
EDUCATION
LEED AP
Princeton University - Master of Architecture
Middle East Technical University - Visiting Student
University of Utah - Bachelor of Science in Finance
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Private Pilot's Certificate