Nazlı Gürlek

Istanbul & Palo Alto

Nazlı Gürlek is an artist, curator and art writer based between Istanbul and Palo Alto, California. She is the co-curator of the 4th International Mardin Biennial (4 May – 4 June 2018) and the founder of UMA, an interdisciplinary platform for creative research and production rooted in the pagan traditions of Anatolia. Her performative art piece “ONE” was staged in last September at Istanbul’s Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilisations (ANAMED) in the context of ANAMED’s exhibition “The Curious Case of Çatalhöyük” celebrating the 25th excavation season of Çatalhöyük and as a parallel project to the 15th Istanbul Biennial. Most recently her artworks were included in “FLOATING TACTICS AFTER A SUNKEN ISLAND” group exhibition at Daire Sanat, Istanbul (2017). Previous curatorial positions include curator of “CANAN: Behind Mount Qaf” at Vehbi Koç Foundation’s Arter – Space for Art (2017-18), curator of the collection at Borusan Contemporary (2014–15) and curator of programmes at Maçka Sanat Galerisi (2011–12), all in Istanbul. She is the author of a few publications including “Nature is Our Body,” ArteEast Quarterly: The Global Platform for Middle East Arts (Spring 2016), “Sarkis and When Attitudes Become Form” (SALT Istanbul, 2013) and İnci Eviner monograph (Revolver, 2011). Her writings appear in international art magazines such as Frieze, Camera Austria, Art Asia Pacific, Flash Art International, The Exhibitionist. She holds an MFA in Curating from Goldsmiths College, London, and a BA in Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence.