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Concordia University Concordia celebrates 50 years!
Concordia University Concordia celebrates 50 years!

Faculty of Fine Arts

Faculty of Fine Arts

Diyar Mayil

2022-2023, Concordia University

A close-up shot of a long, curved brush sculpture against a white background. The brush features light-colored bristles and a smooth, wooden handle that curves gently. The bristles are densely packed and appear soft. Sweep, 2022 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro

Diyar Mayil is an interdisciplinary artist working in sculpture, installation and performance. Her work explores the public life of marginalized bodies. Comfort, discomfort, adaptation, and the acceptance of different bodies in both public and private are recurring subjects in her practice. Her work has recently been shown at La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse, Printemps numérique and the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. Upcoming commitments include a solo exhibition at Clark Center and residency at NARS Foundation in NYC. She holds a BFA from Concordia University, where she has recently completed her MFA.Originally from Istanbul, she now lives and works in Montreal. 

Artist Statement:

My sculptural works and performances begin with the body. Most recognizable yet mysterious, the body is highly political. I work with the themes of alienation and subtlety to explore the intersection of the human body and politics. Conceptually and materially conflating familiar with strange, gentle with perilous, I am interested in evoking associations of both comfort and discomfort. My hope is to create an intuitive dialogue between the viewer and my work that might translate into new bodily orientations and sensibilities.

See more of Diyar Mayil's work

A vertical, rectangular sculpture hangs on a white wall. The sculpture appears to be made of light wood with a strip of pink fabric running down the center. Dark bristles are visible at the top and bottom. A small, gold pendulum-like object peeks out from the right side, suggesting a clock mechanism. Brush Clock, 2021 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A vertical, rectangular sculpture hangs on a white wall. Extreme close-up a strip of pink fabric and light wood. A small, gold pendulum-like object peeks out from the right side, reflecting a visitor in the gallery. Brush Clock, 2021 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A rectangular, metal frame stands in a white room. Numerous ringlets of dark hair are suspended horizontally across the frame, creating a grid-like pattern. Femmestatistics, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Rixt De Boer
A close-up shot of a sculpture shows a light wooden structure with two dark brushes protruding from it. A strip of pink fabric extends from the top. The bristles have a rough, textured appearance. Brush Clock, 2021 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A close-up photograph shows numerous locks of hair arranged horizontally on thin, white rods against a white background. The hair varies in color, from light blonde to dark brown, and is coiled and looped. The sculpture creates a grid-like pattern with the hair, emphasizing its texture and variety. Femmestatistics, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Rixt De Boer
A wooden box hangs on a white wall. A light brown, translucent fabric covers the top of the box, concealing its contents. Medicine cabinet , 2020 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A closer view of a wooden box mounted on a white wall. A light brown, translucent fabric covers the top of the box, concealing its contents. The fabric has a slightly rumpled texture. Medicine cabinet , 2020 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A square table with a light-colored cloth draped over it sits in a white room. The table has four cylindrical legs, each with a slightly darker, rounded foot, splotched in pink. The cloth extends slightly beyond the edges, creating soft folds. Sitting through, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
Side view of a table draped with a peach-coloured cloth. The cloth creates 3 mounds, or hills, on the "horizon" where the table edge meets the gallery wall. Sitting through, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
Extreme close-up of a white table leg, splotched with light pink. The leg is rounded so it touches the floor at its centre point. A second leg appears out of focus in the background. Sitting through, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A long, curved brush sculpture lies horizontally on a white floor in a white-walled room. The brush features light-colored bristles and a smooth, wooden handle that curves gently. The bristles are densely packed and extend the length of the handle. Sweep, 2022 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
Extreme close-up of the end of a brush sculpture on a white gallery floor. The wood base is flat, and the light-coloured bristles gently curve towards the left under the weight of the brush. Sweep, 2022 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Alberto Porro
A close-up photograph shows two hands gently flipping through the pages of an open book. The book features white pages with text on the left, possibly in Turkish but presented as mathematical equations. The hands appear to be carefully turning the pages. Guestbook, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Courtersy of the artist
A close-up photograph one hand turning pages of an open booklet. The text on the left page is a Turkish-English mixture suggesting a math equation or code. English phrases are: to open, explain, explainable, to turn into explainable, etc. Guestbook, 2019 by Diyar Mayil. Photo: Courtersy of the artist
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