Gulnur Tuluoglu: Sacrifice Of Home | Opening Reception

Gallery CA presents Sacrifice of Home, the upcoming solo exhibition by Gulnur Tuluoglu, on view from January 9^th through February 7^th, 2026.  In this body of work, which includes paintings and mixed media, Tuluoglu addresses the complexity of being a second-generation immigrant. By referencing family photos, while also creating a world of her own symbols, she speaks to the preservation and reinterpretation of tradition.

At the center of the exhibition is the recurring image of the lamb sacrifice (‘Kurban’ in Turkish), drawn from the Abraham/Isaac narrative. In the story, Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son as a test of faith, and at the final moment, a sheep is offered in the child’s place. Tuluoglu revisits this narrative by depicting members of her own family during Eid al-Adha, the celebration rooted in that story. Here, the lamb becomes a symbol for more than the ritual itself. The bold paintings invite the viewer to consider when sacrifice may be driven not by faith, but by fear, and what the consequences of that might be.

Although these scenes depict moments usually understood as communal or celebratory, the work carries an undertone of dissonance. They speak to the isolation that arises when rituals are lived from afar, and the sacrifices of leaving one home for another. 

Artist Statement

Gulnur Tuluoglu (b.1995) is a software test engineer and artist based in Baltimore, MD.

Tuluoglu earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2017. Her work explores the complexity of being a second-generation Turkish American, weaving narratives that intertwine her rich family culture with her personal experiences of being a queer Muslim.

Inspired by Turkish Carpets and their motifs, Tuluoglu primarily works with acrylic paints, wood, and stone to create pieces that appear antiqued and preserved. These materials speak to the themes of preserving cultures, memories, and relationships.