We had an informative conversation with Ayşegül Kurtel on art production and exhibition in İzmir

I set out to meet Ayşegül Kurtel at the Urla Breathing Space (UNA). I reached UNA by passing through stony roads with beautiful pine forests. The shooting, which we started in a magnificent area, in the forest, continued with the Mozaik Winery facility owned by Ayşegül Hanım. That day, we became a whole not only with art, but also with nature. We also had the chance to get to know the horses and vineyards in the farm.

I met my dear Ayşegül Kurtel in the 2010s, when I first came to İzmir. She is an Izmir lover, she. Developing and disseminating art in İzmir, organizing exhibitions etc. for art lovers from İzmir. It is one of the most basic desires to bring together with formations. In line with these wishes, she brought Izmir's first contemporary art center, K2 Contemporary Art Center, to Izmir in 2002. PORTİZMİR (İzmir International Contemporary Art Triennial), organized by K2 four times with different themes since 2007, aimed to activate the art and culture dynamics of the city of İzmir and brought art together with a wider audience.

Ayşegül Kurtel also manages the K2 Urla Breathing Space, which was established as an artist campus (exhibitions, training, seminars, discussions, performances, artist talks, film & video screenings) on a forty-five-decare forest area in Urla. We listened to Ayşegül Kurtel's story of starting art, her teaching years and K2 current and future projects during the shoot we made at K2 Urla Breathing Space.

Ayşegül Kurtel, who is a very important role model for the management and direction of art in İzmir, started her art career as a mother with two children and will inspire everyone who watches it.