Exploring the intricate relationship between humans and the spaces they inhabit, Özlem Yenigül debuts her first solo exhibition, “The Desire To Feel At Home Everywhere” at Anna Laudel Istanbul from January 23 to March 2, 2025.
Rooted in themes of spatial identity, personal history, and the emotional interplay between individuals and everyday objects, this exhibition investigates how the act of belonging transforms both people and places. Through the guiding question, “Where do I feel I belong?” Yenigül centers her creative lens on the concept of home, employing traditional domestic techniques such as tufting and punch-needle embroidery. The exhibition unfolds as a tactile narrative, presenting her large-scale textile works, sketches, fabric molds shaped by starching, and high-relief printmaking experiments.
In her large-scale woven wall installations, which form the core of the exhibition, Yenigül explores representations of objects from her own home. Through these works, she examines her connection to her living space, the identity of the objects within it, and the deep sense of belonging tied to her earliest memories of “home.” Her integration of female figures into these textile works highlights the connection between womanhood and the home, while vibrant floral embellishments serve as both homage and act of identity-building for these spaces.
Yenigül’s high relief prints, created from domestic objects, present a unique and personal visual language. By capturing imprints of objects like lace and utensils, deeply embedded in everyday life, the artist crafts compositions that evoke the authenticity and essence of these items. High relief techniques further emphasize the permanence of their impressions, while molds of items like spoons and ashtrays, rendered through fabric starching, underscore the symbolic identity of the home. These works are accompanied by the foundational sketches that underpin Yenigül’s artistic practice.
The Identity of Space – The Space of Identity
Through tufting, punch-needle techniques, fabric molds, and high relief prints, Yenigül examines the dynamics of spatial experiences and belonging. In her own words: “Every space interacts with humans in mutual exchange. The intervention is always reciprocal.” For Yenigül, the concept of “home” embodies the intensity of this interaction. Referencing Martin Heidegger’s notion of “dwelling,” she elaborates:
“Our emotional connection to a space gives it identity. Heidegger sees the essence of dwelling as rooted in identity, belonging, and permanence. The bond humans form with spaces transcends their physicality, infusing them with meaning and identity. Spaces gain emotional and psychological value through the cumulative experiences of those who inhabit them. Similarly, the objects we engage with, physical, cultural, psychological act as vessels of this value, shaping and supporting the character of the spaces they inhabit. Personal objects, imbued with a sense of ‘mine,’ are the building blocks of a space’s unique identity.”
Özlem Yenigül joins the Anna Laudel artist roster with this exhibition. As much a reflection of her past work as a bold new exploration, “The Desire To Feel At Home Everywhere” marks a significant milestone in Özlem Yenigül’s creative journey. It offers viewers an immersive and deeply personal meditation on home, identity, and the ever-shifting dynamics of belonging. The exhibition is on view at Anna Laudel Istanbul from January 23 to March 2, 2025.