“Rose Obsession” is a visual expression of the artist’s complex relationship with personal memory, identity and belonging. As someone who migrated from Bulgaria to Turkey, the rose becomes for her far more than a flower; it turns into a symbol of memory, roots and the search for identity. The rose echoes through her own name, her mother’s name and the scent of the rose fields that hold her childhood memories.
Her connection to the rose is not only aesthetic but deeply cultural and emotional. The lands of Bulgaria, known for their roses, represent for her not just beauty, but a landscape of fractured belongings, the lingering trauma of migration and blurred recollections. In this sense, the rose becomes an invisible bridge between past and present.
This series traces the remnants of a belonging interrupted by migration, reimagining the longing for places once called “home” and the hazy memories held within the mind. The scent, form and texture of the rose become tools not only for remembering but also for rebuilding.
“Rose Obsession” reflects a fragile yet enduring bond between nature and personal identity. Even as it fades, the rose leaves a mark; it neither fully disappears nor completely heals. As the artist moves through the layers of her own history, she invites the viewer to embark on a journey within their own memory, recalling the past through scents and images.