(Turkish, b. 1983) Deniz Kurdak is a London-based textile artist whose free-motion embroidery explores themes of memory, identity, and belonging. Inspired by personal narratives and objects from her past, Deniz’s work bridges traditional craft and contemporary art. By emphasizing emotional repair and reconstruction, her textiles challenge outdated and dismissive perceptions of embroidery as mere women’s craft, highlighting its potential for storytelling and self-expression.
Her practice reflects the dualities of the human condition, such as fragility and resilience, belonging and alienation, truth and deception. Deniz aims to highlight these contradictions and tensions by bringing the fragility of porcelain together with the soft resilience of fabric and thread.
After receiving a BFA (Hons) degree in stage and costume design, Deniz worked as an academic staff member at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (Istanbul). She has also led workshops at other universities and institutions in Switzerland, Turkey, and the USA.
Her work has been recognized internationally, including as a finalist for the 2022 Women United Art Prize and Young Masters Art Prize 2025. In 2024, her textiles were showcased in the Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition, and she has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Turkey, Beijing, and the UK.
Currently, Deniz is a resident artist in the Artists Make Space Programme, organized by the Borough of Richmond upon Thames and Orleans House Gallery.
