ARTIST STATEMENT
Ancient mosaics depicts movement, triggers a sense of tactility and activates participation of the viewer; same with modern color, materials and design. Integrated with art on the basis design and of abstract relationships, contemporary mixed media mosaics connects with its past and offers new insights into each other. By synthesizing different materials, and color interactions, contemporary mosaics urge the impulse of creating new stories.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Safir is a contemporary mosaicist, color specialist, and an artist educator with a focus on early childhood education (ECE). Safir earned her BA from the Western Michigan University in Applied Liberal Studies concentrating in Art, Communication and International Concerns. The interdisciplinary nature of her education, experience, and interests drives her to explore ways for students to engage with contemporary visual art. She has been teaching enrichment and extended art at the ECE level at Montessori schools, Laboratory Schools in Hyde Park, Reggio Emilia-inspired centers. and currently at an IB school in downtown Chicago. Safir attended the Ravenna Mosaic Art School in Italy, completing a workshop on the fundamentals of mosaics. She taught mixed media and mosaic workshops at the Lillstreet Art Center Summer Camp and the Spurlock Museum in Urbana, IL. She has been invited to an exhibition in Italy and also exhibited in Istanbul, Ann Arbor, Urbana, and Chicago. Safir is currently participating 2023-2024 MCA’s Teacher Institute program as an educator artist.
She is enthusiastic about finding unconventional ways to introduce contemporary art to our youngest students. She believes that we underestimate the minds of students in this age group and that they are quite capable of questioning the social and cultural issues of our times.
© Safir Kaylan