Güzel Bakır was born in 1986 in Tunceli. Since 2004, she has been working in her studio in Istanbul. In 2005, she began assisting Yücel Dönmez, a collaboration that continues to this day. Between 2005–2006, she studied as a guest student in the Painting and Ceramics Department at Marmara University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. She also contributed to public art projects under the Ministry of Transportation, participating in team work for the Yenikapı, Kirazlı, and Ümraniye metro lines. In addition to her visual practice, she has published two books: The Bride of Blue and Blood Flower.
Bakır’s works are deeply rooted in the spaces of her childhood, drawing upon memories and lived experiences embedded in her personal archive. By reinterpreting these spaces in the present, she creates a synthesis between tradition and contemporary expression. Texture plays a central role in her practice, carefully layered onto the canvas to weave traces of the past into a contemporary narrative. Her art reveals the transformation of personal memory into collective resonance, highlighting the impact of place on identity.
The artist has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Istanbul and other cities across Turkey. She has also taken part in public art projects within metro lines, contributing to collaborative artistic initiatives. Today, she remains active in both individual exhibitions and collective projects, presenting her works to diverse audiences.
