“What draws me to the motif of ceramics is the deep sense of belonging they evoke in me,” says Deniz Kurdak. The London-based artist is fascinated by blue-and-white porcelain—a style that originated in China as early as the 7th century and was broadly imitated and collected around the globe—and the way certain pieces inspire familiarity. She adds, “They have even found their way into my grandmother’s home.”
Themes of identity, belonging, and memory play central roles in Kurdak’s work, as she draws on personal histories and bases her compositions on real objects that remind her of pieces her grandmother owned.
“Growing up with an abusive father, I found sanctuary in my grandparents’ home—a safe, predictable, and nurturing space where I felt accepted,” the artist tells Colossal. “Along with my admiration for blue-and-white porcelain, my passion for textiles and embroidery was passed down to me by my grandmother.”
Bringing conceptual elements to needlework, a craft traditionally dismissed in art circles as “women’s work,” she emphasizes expression and narrative. “I like to reimagine the acts of cutting, stitching, and embroidering as forms of emotional repair,” she says, “allowing me to reconstruct and navigate the complexities of my personal history.”
Long associated with its calming and meditative nature, “embroidery has become both a medium and a means of reflection in my artistic process,” Kurdak says. Seemingly at odds with making intimate and methodical stitches, her images suggest the violence of breakage, suddenness, and the relationship between ornament and utility.
Kurdak is intrigued by dualities—fragility and resilience, belonging and displacement—which mirror the tensions and contradictions of the human condition. Contrasting brittle yet durable porcelain with pliable yet resistant fabric and thread, she highlights polarities in the act of merging the ideas together.
Blue-and-white porcelain predominantly inspires Kurdak’s compositions, but she also renders red, green, or multi-colored pieces in textiles, too. She uses a wide range of needlework and fabric techniques, including appliqué, lacework, and embroidery. Vases appear to melt into streams, lacy decorations hover above the surface, and motifs rearrange into puzzle-like grids or dynamic swirls.
If you’re in London, “Willow” is currently on view at the Young Masters Art Prize Finalists Exhibition through April 8. Kurdak’s work will be included in Collect Art Fair opening in late February at Somerset House, followed by Affordable Art Fair in March in New York. Learn more on her website, and followed updates on Instagram.
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