Shifting Series by Ebru Kur

 

Location: Humber College Lakeshore Campus - A Building Main Hallway

Medium: Photography

Artist Statement:

We have experienced many changes in recent years. Due to the pandemic, we had to stay in our homes, left to ourselves, where there was no place to escape. But thanks in part to these restrictions, we were forced to press pause on our busy lives and face our realities head on. This forced isolation led us to reconsider our values and determine what is really important. We now know that death does not distinguish between gender, race, or religion. And social norms, while imposed on us for generations, are actually quite meaningless in the face of global panic. Humans discovered how much we have in common, and that we all share the same world together.

Although this was one of the most challenging few years of my life, it was an important lesson that changed my perspective on what is important to me. In this photography series, I share a glimpse of the people I live with – fellow newcomers in the same household, all of whom come from different circumstances. The father of 6 children, once raised with the notion that women should do all housework, but how helps with domestic chores. The two sisters whose relatives are waiting for them to get married and become stay at home mothers but are instead working towards a university degree. And the husband who receives recipes, love, and support from his wife in Jamaica. Sometimes he burns his food, but now has so much more respect for the women in his life. I did not know these people before moving to Canada. Yet this series records an unexpected circumstance that I want to remember. In the midst of a global pandemic, these four individuals became my family, and for that I am grateful.   

 

Artist: Ebru Kur | Humber College Visual and Digital Arts Student

Artist Bio:

Ebru Kur is originally from Istanbul, and is known for her digital artworks, paintings, and installation pieces. By exploring different mediums, she attempts to capture everyday struggles that resonate with her audiences. Her idiosyncratic artworks are saturated with an awkward uneasiness, utilizing pop cultural references and surprising wordplay. Through a minimalist approach, Ebru also incorporates her diverse Turkish culture within her practice, as well as drawing inspiration from her past education and experiences working in city planning. She is currently enrolled in the Visual and Digital Arts program at Humber College.

 

See more of Ebru's work at:

www.ebrukur.com | www.instagram.com/ebrukurart