Gulumhan Huma Yildirim

I am an interdisciplinary artist. My work is informed by the traditional Turkish illumination technique known as tazhib, the art of painting floral and arabesque designs and decorating manuscripts through the application of gold. 

At the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, I began a significant conceptual departure from the traditional illumination art I made previously, as I discovered new ways to infuse social awareness into my work. I deal with the notion of cultural history, memory, and contemporary identity which I integrate with imagery from traditional illumination art in experiments with video, sculpture, printmaking, animation, and installation. One of my recent multi-layered works addresses the notion of a private and sacred space. While it provides a space for anyone who needs privacy, this work also attempts to complicate the conversations around Muslim stereotypes whom many associate only with “terrorism” or the menacing “other”. I also acknowledge the neglect of broader categories of the “other,” in particular, the overlooking of refugees and immigrants, in my work.

I hold master’s degrees in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from Harvard University and in history from University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a bachelor’s degree in social anthropology from Istanbul University.