In 19 days, I will officially present my newest collection of paintings, “Her Alter Ego.” The collection consists of ten paintings, each portraying a woman alongside an animal. But what does a woman have to do with an animal? The answer is actually simpler than you might think. But first, let me tell you how this idea was born and how the concept for this collection began.
The Conversation That Started It All
The idea came to me during my previous exhibition in October 2025. I was talking with a friend when she mentioned that one day she would love to be portrayed in one of my paintings. I thought it was a wonderful idea. Then, almost without thinking, a question came to my mind. In a spontaneous moment, I asked her:
“If you could be an animal, which one would you choose?”
To my surprise, she answered immediately—as if people asked each other this question every day.
She said she would choose a bird.
“Hmm… that’s interesting,” I replied. “But why?”
Her answer stayed with me for a long time. She said it was because birds represent freedom, but also a strong connection to family.
Discovering the Connection Between Women and Animals
That short conversation kept returning to my thoughts. I began reflecting on the connection between people and animals. I wondered which character traits we share with them, and how people might see parts of themselves reflected in different animals. The more I thought about it, the stronger the idea became. I felt an urge to explore it deeper. I decided to ask more people the same question and capture their answers in the form of portraits.
Why Women?
Women have always been the central subject of my work. To me, women are incredibly complex, layered, and powerful. I believe that many women carry strong alter egos within themselves—different sides of their personality that they sometimes hide or do not allow themselves to fully express. This project became a way to explore and reveal those hidden sides. Each painting represents a woman and the animal that reflects her inner character, strength, instincts, or emotions.
From Idea to Exhibition
Once the idea appeared, the path from concept to action felt surprisingly natural. Over the past five months, I worked on turning this vision into reality. Now the collection is ready, and soon it will be shared with the world. I feel deep gratitude for every woman who participated in this project and trusted me with her story. I cannot wait to see them all at the gallery and celebrate them—along with all women and their powerful alter egos.