Her country has a long history of ceramic art, but Turkish artist Melis Buyruk has developed her own unique way of using this medium. She creates intricate ceramic sculptures inspired by flora and fauna and puts them together to create imaginary habitats.

In her first exhibition in the region at Leila Heller Gallery Dubai titled, Habitat she is showcasing nine large scale works made up of delicate porcelain flowers, animals and other natural elements assembled in wooden boxes.

At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to re-examine our relationship with nature, Buyruk’s imagined habitats reflect the beauty and fragility of nature and invite us to contemplate a world where all living creatures can live in harmony.

The artist, who studied ceramics at Selcuk University, makes every piece in her complex habitats by hand spending months on each work. Her porcelain sculptures are detailed and realistic except for the colours, which are white or black with a little touch of gold.