Leyla Borovalı (b. 1998) is a ceramicist from İzmir, Turkey. She graduated from Parsons School of Design, New York (BFA) in 2020 and Royal College of Art, London (MA) in 2024.
Borovalı’s practice is an ongoing exploration of materiality, form, and narrative. Rooted in the her cultures traditions, she draws inspiration from textiles of the Mediterranean region, such as silk quilts, kilim motifs, and intricate oya lacework. These hand-embroidered patterns, often carrying personal stories of passion and resilience, transform textiles into sculptural surfaces. By translating these motifs into clay and glaze, she creates a tactile dialogue between memory and material.
Her work has been shown internationally, exhibitions include ‘AURA, Celebrating Contemporary Female Artists’ at Rubén Torres Gallery in Barcelona (January 2025), ‘When Is Now’ at Vision London (June 2025), Bermondsey Project Space, London (2024), the Royal College of Art, London (2024), Modern Art Museum Arkas, İzmir (2024) as well as art fairs Focus Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery in London (October, 2025) and Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair (September 2025).
Lives and works between Barcelona, London, İzmir
Education
Ceramics and Glass MA, Royal College of Art, London 2023 - 2024
Parsons School of Design, BFA Illustration, Printmaking minor, New York- 2016 - 2020
Short Courses
-Intermediate Ceramics, Short Courses , UAL Central Saint Martins London, 2022
-Understanding Porcelain - Antoinette Badenhorst, La Meridiana , 2022
-Glazes of our Lives , Ceramic Materials online workshop, 2022
Selected Exhibitions
AURA, Celebrating Contemporary Female Artists’, Rubén Torres Gallery, Barcelona 2025
Vision London, When Is Now, London, 2025
New Lands / Yeni Topraklar, Modern Art Museum Arkas Sanat Alaçatı, Izmir, 2024
Royal College Of Arts, Graduate Show, London, 2024
Bermondsey Art Project, London, 2023
Art Fairs
Focus Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery, Art Elsewhere, October 2025
Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, Vision Art Platform, September 2025