Leyla Borovalı (b. 1998)  is a ceramicist from İzmir, Turkey, whose work seamlessly merges ceramic, illustration, and printmaking. She graduated from Parsons School of Design, New York (BFA) in 2020 and Royal College of Arts, London (MA) in 2024.

 

Borovalı’s work represents a sustained inquiry into materiality, form, and narrative. Her practice is rooted in the exploration of cultural memory and identity, drawing from traditional Turkish textiles, specifically silk quilts, kilim motifs and sil embroidery, Oya,  as a visual and conceptual point of departure. The 3D motifs that are hand-embroidered by women bring a sculptural feel to the traditional textile. The women that make these designs often tell a story about their passion or convey a message through their stitches. Borovalı takes the influence and expression of these textiles into a body of clay and glaze.

 

In her latest series Vessels, the act of repetitive making emerges as a central theme. Through the expressive use of colour, along with curved and flowing lines, the pieces narrate a story inspired by the Art Nouveau architecture of Barcelona, the city where she is currently based.

 

Her work has been included in group exhibitions at Corrie Bain Ceramics Studio, Barcelona (2023); RCA, London (2024); Bermondsey Project Space, London (2024); and National City Fair, İzmir (2025). She will also participate in two upcoming exhibitions in London: Vision Art Platform’s Group Show (June 2025), and Focus Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery (October 2025).