I am an artist, educator and designer who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. I graduated from the Department of Graphic Design with an emphasis in photography and video at Bilkent University in Türkiye. In 1999, I was awarded an MFA in Photography and Digital imaging by the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, USA.
My art calls attention to human nature by offering candid scenes of everyday life through the media of photography, mixed media and photo-based installations. Working across the gamut of photographic processes — from alternative to digital — my work centers on issues arising from place, culture, and social interaction. My perspective is humanistic and universalizing; I regards these issues to be common territory for all human beings.
I had had solo exhibitions locally and internationally in museums and galleries including the Center of Documentary Studies at Duke University, Light Factory (North Carolina), Austin College (Sherman, Texas), and the Museum Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. I also organized, curated or assisted in the organization of exhibitions of photography and art — including the Istanbul Biennial — and still has been leading or participating in workshops, collaborative projects, and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. In 2023, I organized a project called "Near and Far" with 104 artist who donated 177 artworks to raise money for the earthquake survivors in Turkiye.
I taught art foundations, digital design, photography ( darkroom and digital), art appreciation and senior exhibition classes as at several university and colleges such as Texas Christian University, Dallas College and at UT Arlington in the metroplex. Also worked as a visiting professor at Austin College in Sherman and served at the Kimbell Art Museum for the education department.
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EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts
Photography and Digital Imaging, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1999
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Graphic Design, emphasis in photography and video, Bilkent University, Turkey 1995
SELECTED ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2017 Ro2 Gallery, Dallas, TX
2014 Retrospective, WoCA, Fort Worth, TX
2006 Austin College, Sherman, TX
2004 Fort Worth Community Art Center, Fort Worth, TX
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Near and Far”, Curated and organized of a fundraising group show with 104 artists, 177 artworks to benefit the
“Dallas College, Faculty Show”, Mountain View Campus, Dallas, TX
2020 “Dallas College, Faculty Show”, Mesquite Art Center, Mesquite, TX
2017 “Lent Convergente, TerritorioCoincidente”, Espacio Satélite, Guatemala
"Call and Response: Art as Resistance". Strange Fire Collective. Collaboration with the Center for Fine Art
Photography, Colorado Photographic Arts Center and Month of Photography Denver.
"Abstract Mind", 2nd International Exhibition on Abstract Art, CICA Museum, Gyeonggi, Korea
“Steeped: The Art of Tea”, 108|Contemporary. Juried show in partnership with Oklahoma Center for the Humanities
at The University of Tulsa, OK
“This Land is Your Land”, Duchesne Academy Atrium Gallery: Participating space for FotoFest, Curated by Krista
Steinke, Houston, TX
“This Land is Your Land”, Wright Gallery at Texas A&M University, Curated by Krista Steinke, Houston
2014 Ro2, Addison Art Center, Addison, TX
2011 Ro2, Addison Art Center, Addison, TX
“Illustrations for Our Afflicted Powers”, Free Museum of Dallas: Participating venue in the 2011 Texas Biennial
“Goa”, International Pinhole Exhibition, India
2010 “Euclid Art House”, Dallas, TX
“Artist Dialogue”, Houston Center for Photography
“End of Commerce”, Ro2 Gallery, Dallas, TX
TEACHING and WORKSHOPS
2021 Spring Break Art Camp, Modern Museum of Fort Worth, TX
2021 iPhone Photography, Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX
18- Adjunct Instructor, Design I-II, and Photography, Art Appreciation, Dallas College, Dallas, TX
2014 Visiting Professor of Art, Austin College, Department of Art, Sherman, TX
03-13 Adjunct Instructor of Photography, School of Art, Texas Christian University
2008 Pinhole Master Class: Museum Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
2006 Pinhole Master Class: Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS, RESIDENCY
2018 Artist Resident, Leveld Kunstnartun, Norway
2014 Visiting Critique, Word + Image/Art + Design Class, SMU
2009 Visual Artist, Fortuna: Dance Festival at the Universidad de las Americas. Puebla, Mexico
2007 Visual Artist, Fortuna: Von Howard Dance Project at Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, New York City, NY
2007 Juror, Black and White Images: Annual juried exhibition for high schools, Fort Worth Country Day, FW
2006 Curator, Contemplacion: Latin Heritage, Fort Worth Public Library, FW, TX
2005 Juror, Texas Wesleyan University Department of Art, Annual Student Art Show, FW Community Art Center
2000 Freelance Photographer and Photoshop Consultant, Pier 1 Import Photography Studio, Fort Worth, TX
1996 Graphic Designer, Workshop Advertising Agency, Ankara, Turkey
PUBLIC TALKS AND SEMINARS
2016 Paratext nº11, Hangar Artist Residency, Barcelona, Spain
2011 University of North Texas, Fine Arts Department: Lecture on art Practices
2010 Texas Christian University, The Community Diversity Week: Invited Public Lecture on Facing Diversity, Leveling the Playing Field in the Photographic Arts
BIBLIOGRAPHY / PUBLICATIONS
2014 “Reunion: The Dallas Review”, The University of Texas at Dallas, publication of the Creative Writing Program in the School of Arts and Humanities, (2014): Vol 4, p.196-201
2008 Qvami Məhəbbətoğlu, Exhibition Review, "Növbəti sərgim "Bakı illüminasiyaları" Zaman Azerbaijan /Medeniyet:.
2008 Bakinskiy Rabochiy Newspaper, ЛЮБЛЮ ДАРИТЬ ЛЮДЯМ СВЕТ". Гюльнара ДЖАВАДОВА (23rd, December
2001 “Document” for Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, (March, 02): Vol.3 No.1, p.14
2001 Max, Halperen, “Ghost of Memory”. Raleigh News and Observer (March 1, 02): p.37
2001 B, Greenberg, “Exhibition Review”. The Herald-Sun, North Carolina (Friday, March 1, 02): p. D3
2001 Amy, Swisher, “Light Factory exhibit brings images to life”, Creative Loafing, Durham, North Carolina, (August 8-14): p.39-40
2001 Lori, Krimmerg, “Best of the Month” Charlotte Magazine (August 2001): Volume Six, Number eight, p.64
2000 “Dream”, Shots Magazine (March 2000): Number 71, p. 30
PROJECTS IN ARCHIVES
( Please contact me for a detailed CV)