Drawing from my experience growing up in the Black Sea region of Turkey and relocating to the United States during adulthood, my work emphasizes the uniqueness of other regions’ histories, customs, and communication styles influenced by the geography. I search for objects, memories, and belongings from different cultures and from my past. Then, I bring them to the present context in my paintings, causing a shift in the way the work is interpreted.

In addition to specific objects, belongings, and places, my work also incorporates collage elements from maps, prints, fabric, and works on paper. The process of rearranging collage elements builds personal narratives that communicate across cultures, providing context for my work. My abstract mixed media compositions play with similarities and gaps across cultures based on region, and consequently, speak to the ways in which each culture is unique and distinct.