Tales of a Fairy by Emel Kurhan — Nivet Carzon Gallery — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: March 1 → 31, 2012

Artist and former fashion designer Emel Kurhan’s latest work tells a deeply personal story. This latest mixed media exhibition uses photographs from her mother’s childhood as well as techniques such as embroidery to restore her lost mother’s early life. Tragedy struck Emel’s mother Peri (Fairy) early in life with the loss of her older sister. Then Peri lost something more of herself when her own name was replaced with that of her departed sister’s.

“By telling her story,” Emel says, “maybe my mother can regain her own identity.” Although Emel would not describe herself as a political person, she does feel identity issues are a particularly important issue in the everyday life of Turks, where the lines between individual, family, society and state are all too easily blurred by the need to belong.

A former resident of Paris, Emel Kurhan, now lives and works in Istanbul, Turkey.