Walking between many worlds

Born in Istanbul, a city that bridges Europe and Asia, to a Turkish-German family, Zeyno's artistic practice is profoundly shaped by her diverse and sometimes conflicting cultural and ethnic background. She navigates a unique cultural intersection where traditional East-West dichotomies blur.

Migrating to Germany, a nation grappling with the diminishing returns of post-WW2 economic prosperity and the resurgence of extreme right-wing political parties and xenophobic sentiments, she draws upon personal and collective experiences that began with the refugee crisis in 2015 and continue amid ongoing turmoil in Western democracies. As a person with dual nationality, having experienced both the inequitable privilege of being a citizen and the systemic oppression of being a person of color, she traverses these dual realms.

A central theme in her work is the use of an uncanny, ambivalent figure. This figure elicits curiosity while revealing and concealing a range of emotions and body language, prompting introspection, intrigue, and discomfort upon closer inspection. By incorporating autobiographical elements and utilizing her subconscious silhouette in the creation process, she taps into her own mental landscape. Through a blend of playful and contemplative visuals, she creates spaces for self-reflection, encouraging viewers to engage with challenging aspects of their understanding of identity.

By integrating her personal experiences and those of people with migratory backgrounds and refugees in Germany into her work, who are often ostracized, mis/over-represented, and viewed as "the other," she highlights their struggles and resilience, and emphasizes their humanity while challenging stereotypes and promoting a more inclusive perspective. Her works aim to prompt viewers to reassess their perceptions of those deemed foreign and alien, and humanize individuals from the global South who are frequently perceived through anachronistic colonial paradigms. By navigating these intricate themes, she aims to stimulate discussions around discourse, challenge entrenched notions, and foster a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding migration, the quest for belonging, and the constructs that shape our society.