The term ‘spolia’ stands for the reuse of architectural elements from past cultures in new buildings. In their new location, they symbolise the desire for authenticity and spread the aura of the original.
However, in my interpretation, spolia are more than just physical remains. They are symbols of the transformation of culture and the ongoing exchange between eras and worlds. At the same time, they reflect my inner archives - fragments of traditional words and images from different periods that are transferred into contemporary art.
By transferring these fragments into new contexts, works are created that move between the fluid boundaries of memory and the present. In addition to this personal pictorial iconography, I draw on the aesthetics of various genres and their techniques such as illumination, metalwork, textile art and architecture and translate them into ceramic forms.
The decision in favour of ceramic products is no coincidence: in many cultures, the material earth has a deeply rooted spiritual and philosophical meaning. The Persian polymath and poet Omar Chajjam saw in the potter's wheel a metaphor for the eternal cycle of life - the constant creation, destruction and re-creation.
The global crises, the recent conflicts in the Middle East and the resulting humanitarian crises are an inescapable driving force behind my work. At a time when violence, destruction and political repression dominate public discourse, I want to create a space through my art that makes deep wounds visible, but at the same time shows the permanence of culture. By placing ancient motifs, texts and symbols in new artistic contexts, I visualise the connection between past and present. My works remind us that cultural memory remains alive through tangible and intangible heritage. Art thus becomes a place of reflection on our shared idea of humanity and the meaning of beauty and its resilience.