Leyla Pekmen

Leyla Pekmen is a contemporary artist living and working out of Istanbul. Born and raised in Turkey, Pekmen found her passion for painting at a young age, spending a majority of her time immersed in her neighbour’s art studio. She grew up fascinated by the different forms and shapes that take up art making and explores the unique view offered by painting in her current practice. Pekmen is part of a local art studio where she developed her passion and interests in acrylic painting and whimsical ceramic sculptures. Her paintings are bold and bright, often utilizing color blocking and pointillism to create framing and texture. Her sculptures are vastly surreal and conceptual, embracing the mutable qualities offered by ceramics to create fluid and eccentric pieces. Most of Pekmen’s art centers around the concept of combining the simple pleasures of life with that of whimsy and storytelling. Themes around nature, landscapes, and travel are dropped into a fantastical narrative, often exploring the ideas of memory and comfort.

Courtesy of the artist