Hybrid Identities and Vanishing Languages
- Doğan Özdemir
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
Interview with Doğan Özdemir
1. Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.
I was born in Turkey and studied Graphic Design. After working for many years in visual communication and advertising, I moved beyond the boundaries of design toward a more conceptual practice. When I realized that visuals are not just aesthetic forms but a kind of language, my work took a new direction. This realization gave birth to my artistic persona “Miskin Kukla.” Through this identity, I often merge human and animal forms, exploring the fractures between text and image, the misunderstandings they produce, and how language shapes visual structures.
2. Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?
The central theme of my work lies in the tension between language and imagery. I am fascinated by how words dictate meaning and how images resist that control. Sometimes it’s the absence of a word, the incompleteness of an image, or the silence within a sentence that inspires me. I draw from surreal narratives, fragments of dreams, opposing concepts, and the aesthetics of misunderstanding. Each work is like a sentence—unfinished, carrying its own silence, leaving the essence open to the viewer’s interpretation.
3. How does your art life impact other parts of your life?
Art is not a separate act for me; it’s a way of living. It shapes how I observe, how I communicate, and even how I perceive silence. There’s no clear boundary between daily life and the creative process. This fluidity can sometimes be exhausting, but it also feeds my creativity. Being in a constant flow between life and art is, for me, an inevitable form of balance.
4. Tell us about your best experience in the art world so far.
One of my most meaningful experiences was being selected for Everything Then is Now – Alter Peckham, an exhibition within the 2025 London Design Festival. Supported by Arts Council England and Frieze, being part of this show was not only an achievement but also an intellectual confrontation. Seeing my digital surrealist language resonate in an international context reminded me that art truly transcends geography and language.
5. What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?
At the moment, I am working on a project centered around the concept of “linguistic silence.” It explores the space where text disappears and the image begins to speak. I aim to build a quiet dialogue between layered digital forms, half-sentences, and abstract visuals. I am also preparing new works for upcoming group exhibitions in Europe and developing a digital solo exhibition that merges writing, sound, and moving image—an ongoing exploration of the invisible language between word and form.
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/miskinkukla/