Begum (b. 1999) is a Turkish artist working between Istanbul and London. Her art explores the intrinsic relationship between reality and fiction, reflecting the fluid and dynamic nature of collective memory. Engaging deeply with her cultural heritage, she examines how memories are shaped and transformed through a humanistic and intuitive lens.

In her practice, Begum navigates fundamental themes of existence, investigating the formation of personal and cultural identities and the connections that bind humanity to nature. To bridge the past and present, she employs a diverse array of media, including analog and digital film, hand-drawn and digitally-created illustrations, embroidery, collages, and writing. Her work embodies a playful spirit, intertwining fiction and non-fiction in a theatrical restaging of narratives.

As a contemporary artist, Begum actively seeks to uncover and preserve the past, embracing its vast possibilities while remaining open to new interpretations as her practice evolves. To her, the past is a mystery to be unraveled, one that requires the slow weaving of a tapestry across time and space, reinventing the unknowns through creative storytelling. In this process, she aims to construct a personal archive that examines expressions of memory—dreams, myths, and stories—developing an alternative historical perspective on human experience and deepening her understanding of the self.

Begum Malkoclar earned her BA from Pratt Institute in New York City and a Master’s in Contemporary Art Practice from the Royal College of Art in London. Her work has been featured in group exhibitions across New York, London,and Istanbul. In 2025, she debuted her first solo exhibition, Pale Blue Dot, at Büyükdere35 Gallery in Istanbul. That same year, she was selected for the prestigious 44th Akbank Contemporary Artists Prize exhibition.

Website: bedoojournal.com