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In her works, Elif Uras explores ideas of gender and class related to representation of women across different geographies and time.

Elif Uras (b. Ankara) attended Brown University and Columbia Law School before receiving a BFA from School of Visual Arts and and MFA from Columbia School of the Arts. Her practice spans ceramics, drawing and painting.

She frequently employs labor intensive intricate patterns on her surfaces inspired by diverse art historic sources including Prehistoric art, antiquity, Islamic geometry, Iznik tiles and Western modernism. Her work also engages with questions of tradition, ornament and labor, especially feminized labor.

Often working on location in Iznik (Nicaea), where the most renowned tiles and ceramics of the Ottoman Empire were produced centuries ago, Uras produces works in ceramic that incorporate the non-figurative visual vocabulary of Iznik with the female body. Subverting tradition the intricate geometric and naturalistic patterns are employed to paint and draw on vessels whose forms allude to the ideas of femininity in a rapidly modernizing yet traditional society. Her works have also been exhibited at Metropolitan Museum, MoMA PS1, Salon 94, New York, 9th Shanghai Biennale and Pera Museum. Uras’s works are included in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Victoria and Albert Museum. Uras was an Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York in 2020–2021.

Elif Uras lives and works between New York, Istanbul and Iznik.

Photo credit: Berk Kır

Education

  1. 2003
    MFA, Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, USA
  2. 2001
    BFA, School of Visual Arts, New York, USA
  3. 1997
    JD, Columbia University Law School, New York, USA
  4. 1994
    BA, Brown University, USA
  5. 1990
    Robert College, Istanbul, Türkiye

Artist Residencies

  1. 2020
    Museum of Arts and Design, Artist Studios, New York, USA

Awards

  1. 2020
    NYSCA / NYFA Artist Fellow
  2. 2001
    The Rhodes Family Award

Solo Exhibitions

  1. 2025
    ‘Earth on Their Hands’, Galerist, İstanbul, Türkiye
  2. 2018
    ‘The Source’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  3. 2017
    ‘Déjà Vu’, The Box, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London, UK
  4. 2016
    ‘Hayal Meyal’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  5. 2015
    ‘Nicaea’, The Aldrich Museum, Connecticut, USA
  6. 2009
    ‘Panaroma Arcade’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  7. 2008
    ‘Drawing Disconnect’, Kirkhoff Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
  8. 2007
    ‘The Occidentalist’, Smith-Stewart, New York, USA
  9. 2006
    ‘Industry’, Gavlak, West Palm Beach, USA
  10. 2005
    ‘Redland’, Mario Diacono Gallery, Boston, USA
  11. 2004
    ‘What You Want’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  12. ‘Private Collection’, Kenny Schachter / ROVE, New York, USA

Group Exhibitions

  1. 2026
    ‘Beneath the Same Blue’, curated by Çelenk Bafra, Deniz Pehlivaner, İstanbul Modern Müzesi, Istanbul, Türkiye
  2. ‘Labour of Love’, Galerist, İstanbul, Türkiye
  3. ‘Costume Art’, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
  4. ‘Where the Day Starts, 2nd Biennale of Contemporary Keramics’, curated by Anissa Touati, Stamatia Dimitrakopoulos, Loukia Thomopoulou, Rhodes, Greece
  5. ‘Pleasant Smell and Warm Fellowships: Scent in Islamic Ceramics’, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Canada
  6. ‘Imprints on the Century’, curated by Didem Yazıcı, Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat, İstanbul, Türkiye
  7. ‘ Upon a Rock, I Grew ’, Galerist, İstanbul, Türkiye
  8. 2025
    ‘Ferahfeza’, OMM, Eskişehir, Türkiye
  9. ‘Material Witnesses’, curated by Tamara Chalabi, The Demos Center, Athens, Greece
  10. ‘The Volcano Lover’, curated by Anlam de Coster, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  11. ‘Anywhere But Here’, Candice Madey Gallery, New York, USA
  12. 2024
    ‘Through the Floods’, Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia, Italy
  13. ‘Distilled From Scattered Blue’, curated by Károly Aliotti, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  14. ‘Being Mediterranean’, curated by Rahmouna Boutayeb, MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain, Montpellier, France
  15. 2023
    ‘Dialogues: Modern Artists and the Ottoman Past’, Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA
  16. ‘Slip Tease’, Kasmin Gallery, New York, USA
  17. ‘Souvenirs of the Future’, curated by Ulya Soley, Pera Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
  18. ‘Healing Ruins’, curated by Anlam de Coster, Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, Istanbul, Türkiye
  19. ‘People of the Otherworld: Ken Kiff in Dialogue’, curated by Kathy Battista, Albertz Benda, New York, USA
  20. ‘Time is a Child’, Galerist in collaboration with Perasma, Navy Base of Leros, Leros, Greece
  21. 2022
    ‘Grief and Pleasure’, Odunpazarı Modern Museum, Eskişehir, Türkiye
  22. ‘Another Round’, Galeri Nev, Kendi Collection, Istanbul, Türkiye
  23. ‘Oeuvre and Grace’, curated by Derya Yücel, Erimtan Museum, Ankara, Türkiye
  24. 2021
    ‘Intervention’, The Artisan Hotel, Istanbul, Türkiye
  25. 2020
    ‘Contemporary Ceramic Art from the Middle East’, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
  26. ‘The Age of Gold’, Galeri Nev, Ankara, Türkiye
  27. 2019
    ‘The Union’, curated by Haldun Dostoğlu, Odunpazarı Modern Museum, Eskişehir, Türkiye
  28. ‘Paper’, Pilevneli Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
  29. 2018
    ‘Still Life with a Curtain’, curated by Deniz Artun, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  30. ‘First Round’, Galata Greek School, Istanbul, Türkiye
  31. 2017
    ‘12x12, 2017’, Black Ball Projects, New York, USA
  32. ‘Paisley’, BFA Visual & Critical Studies, Flatiron Project Space, New York, USA
  33. 2015
    ‘Hybridization’, Amir Mohtashemi Gallery, London, UK
  34. 2014
    ‘Closest Distance’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  35. ‘There is a Madness in My Mind’, Cer Modern, Ankara, Türkiye
  36. 2012
    ‘Encounter: The Royal Academy in the Middle East’, Doha, Qatar
  37. ‘Le Jardin de la Spéculation Cosmique’, curated by Fatoş Üstek, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  38. ‘9th Shanghai Biennale’, Istanbul Pavillion, Shanghai, China
  39. ‘Encounters: Turkish Contemporary Art in Korea’, ARA Art Square, Seoul, South Korea
  40. ‘Campaign’, curated by Amy–Smith Stewart, C24 Gallery, New York, USA
  41. 2010
    ‘Blind Dates: New Encounters from the Edges of a Former Empire’, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, New York, USA
  42. ‘Five Year Anniversary Show’, Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, USA
  43. ‘Istanbul Cool!’, LTMH Gallery, New York, USA
  44. 2009
    ‘A Survey of Turkish Contemporary Art’, Cuadro Fine Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
  45. ‘Octet’, Visual Arts Gallery, New York, USA
  46. ‘Pink Panther’, Kumukumu Gallery, New York, USA
  47. ‘Octet’, curated by Suzanne Anker and Peter Hristoff, Pera Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
  48. 2008
    ‘Fresh’, C.A.M Galeri, Istanbul, Türkiye
  49. ‘Another Peep Show’, Smith-Stewart, New York, USA
  50. 2007
    ‘Dream of Today’, Steve Turner Contemporary, Los Angeles, USA
  51. ‘Foam of the Daze’, Smith-Stewart, New York, USA
  52. ‘Omnia Vanitas’, Gavlak, West Palm Beach, USA
  53. ‘Sobe!’, curated by Leyla Gediz, Bilsar, Istanbul, Türkiye
  54. ‘Special Reserve’, Gavlak, West Palm Beach, USA
  55. 2006
    ‘View (Eleven): Upstate’, Mary Boone Gallery, New York, USA
  56. ‘Flaming June’, Spanierman Modern, New York, USA
  57. ‘Works on Paper’, Galerist, Istanbul, Türkiye
  58. ‘WPA/C 2006 Art Auction’, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., USA
  59. 2005
    ‘Greater New York’, P.S.1/MOMA Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA
  60. ‘The ArtReview 25: Emerging US Artists’, Phillips de Pury & Company East Gallery, New York, USA
  61. ‘Absolute Summer Show’, Kirkhoff, Copenhagen, Denmark
  62. 2004
    ‘Eye of the Needle’, Roberts & Tilton Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
  63. ‘Low Life’, Kustera Tilton Gallery, New York, USA
  64. ‘Summer Show: Seven Big Paintings’, Kenny Schachter ConTEMPorary, New York, USA
  65. 2003
    ‘Peter Coffin with Brett Milspaw, Jan Mancuska, Ara Peterson, Elif Uras, Andrew Kreps’, Gallery, New York, USA
  66. ‘Organized Conflict’, Proje4L, Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art, Istanbul, Türkiye
  67. ‘Regarding Amy’, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York, USA
  68. ‘MFA Thesis Exhibition’, Columbia University, Studebaker Building, New York, USA
  69. 2002
    ‘The Kids are Alright’, ATM Gallery, New York, USA
  70. ‘Returning MFA Show’, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, New York, USA
  71. ‘Columbia University First-Year MFA Exhibition’, Wallach Gallery, New York, USA
  72. ‘Mondo Cane’, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Columbia University, New York, USA

Publications

  1. 2018
    Elif Uras, edited by Leyla İpek Ulusoy Akgül, texts by Ahu Antmen, Kathy Battista, Amy Smith-Stewart, Leyla İpek Ulusoy Akgül, and Merve Ünsal, Galerist Publications