My art is a visual amalgam and a celebration of a multicultural, global exposure to the aesthetics, spirituality and philosophies of all that I have been exposed to in my life.
I have had a global upbringing since childhood, in Germany, Turkey, Brazil and the US. Boundaries are a foreign element to me, whether it is in art or in life. The fluid motion of robes of a whirling dervish echo the renderings of Degas’ ballerina skirts; the Islamic calligraphy and poetry interspersed in my work support the pieces visually and are meant to welcome the uninitiated into the depth and beauty of words which inspire my painting.
A recurrent inspiration for my work are the verses written by the 13th century mystic-poet of love, Rumi, founder of the world renowned Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes. My way of paying homage to Rumi is to render the verses in calligraphy as an autonomous work of art, or in combination with scenes of the Whirling Dervish ceremony.
