Unfolding the Unseen: A Conversation with Nilüfer Yildirim

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I feel like Alice following the White Rabbit when Leonardo leads me toward the small entrance at Via Balilla 6. Once I cross the door, I find myself in the kind of atmosphere I love: rough, brutal cement walls exposing canvases that speak of emotions, feelings, and attitudes. Only one light shines brighter than the artworks—the artist herself, Nilüfer Yildirim.

Surrounded by the scent of Turkish sweets, she introduces me to the intimacy of Time Thinking, explaining that in this artwork, we can see two people sitting at a table, engaged in conversation, while at the same time, the same two figures appear back-to-back, as if they are strangers. The possibility of being so close yet so alien to one another. I have never faced such a stark, harsh reality before.

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Impressed, I ask her opinion about destiny as both a human being and an artist. She replies—of course—that she does believe in destiny: “and I trust and enjoy the journey. I think it's thrilling. I’m not sure if there is only one set destiny, because that would take away the impact of our choices. But I truly believe it meant to be's.”

We continue exploring emotions on canvas, and she admits she does not like to define herself or her work. Rather, she proposes her style as something to be experienced rather than categorized—also because it is constantly evolving: “that’s why it’s hard for me to place it within a specific style.”

Deeply rooted in the present rather than (over)thinking the future, Nilüfer feels art as a way to capture visions as they emerge and translate them into their purest form.

“I embrace experimentation, allowing my work to evolve organically as I experience life. My approach is simple—continue creating, moment by moment.”

We pause for a while in front of a large artwork that reminds me of Rothko’s paintings, but as we get closer, I discover a gold background on which colors dance.

Here, my questions flow naturally toward her, even without sitting comfortably on the chairs arranged for us—I, guilty of curiosity.

Do you believe that being an artist is something one is born with, or is it a skill that can be developed?

“I think it’s both,” she says. “I believe being an artist is certainly something you are born with, but then it takes a lot of time and work to develop that skill. It's been 15 years since I opened my first studio, and not a day goes by where I don’t question my work. It’s a constant state of being.”

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Is there a ‘place to be’ for Nilüfer the artist? Somewhere far from home where you still feel at home?

“I have spent a third of my life abroad, with significant time divided between New York, Milan, and Istanbul. Because of this, I have never had a strong sense of belonging. That being said, Milan has always felt closest to my heart, which is why I’ve chosen it as the base to create and share my art.”

Was there a specific moment or sign that made you realize art is your path?

“Ever since I was young, I was a very intuitive person, and the more I became aware of this and leaned into it, the more things came to me naturally. Without a doubt, there were moments, coincidences, and signs that I acknowledge now that put me on this path. In my opinion, you basically run into signs or moments all the time, and it depends on how intuitive or how go-with-the-flow you are to realize them and make certain decisions.”

I am quite moved by this last sentence: we keep asking for signs, proof, and something to push us forward, but what if all those signs are already part of our daily life, and we are just too concerned or busy to notice them?

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The following question, then, is inevitable: What message or feeling do you hope people take away from your art?

“I strive to create moments of immersion—inviting viewers to linger in a space where they can truly experience presence. My work explores the intricate tension between independence and interdependence, freedom and connection, autonomy and togetherness, articulated through a dynamic interplay of texture, form, and color. In doing so, I hope to evoke a sense of resonance—one that lingers beyond the immediate experience and invites deeper contemplation.”

Inner, deeper contemplation.

Everything—the colors, the rough canvas, her gentle approach to life—comes across so clearly and resolutely. Nilüfer has the ability to reach deep into your soul without even realizing she is doing so, without even trying. You don’t expect it; you just recognize it once you step out of the archive.

No words can express the gratitude for this little journey Alice took—without a clock in her hand.

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