Tuğçe Ülkü Kesen is an artist who blends traditional visual memory with a contemporary aesthetic to address issues of cultural hybridity and representation. 'The Romanticism of Orientalism,' she brings together carpet motifs symbolizing the deep-rooted heritage of the East with modern, industrial 'latex' textures on the same plane in her series Establishing a striking bridge between the mystery of historical aesthetics and today's materialistic pace, Kesen invites the viewer to discover the naked reality behind social masks. While reinterpreting the body through an artificial and glossy 'second skin,' she employs a dynamic visual language through rich patterns and layered structures. Living and working in Istanbul, the artist has recently been questioning themes of identity and fetish from a global perspective through projects that combine digital fiction with classical painting.