Leyla Emadi

Leyla Emadi (b. 1977, Ankara) is an Iranian-born artist who grew up during periods of political and ideological upheaval in both Türkiye and Iran. Her practice reflects the traces of the two countries’ shared historical ruptures and the shifting tensions between identity and belonging. Her work centers on issues such as gender inequality, justice and injustice, ideological constructs, and collective trauma. Working across a range of media, including fabric, metal, concrete, and printmaking techniques, Emadi has particularly focused in her recent practice on the relationship between the weight of concrete and the oppressive force of language, creating works that question individual and collective memory. Emadi completed her proficiency in art degree at Yeditepe University with a thesis titled The Impact of Trauma on Character Structures and Its Reflection on Artists. Her artistic practice also engages deeply with the relationship between psychoanalytic character structures and artistic expression.