Born in Istanbul and raised in Bodrum, Irmak Şahinoğlu’s practice is rooted in a long engagement with language, writing, and visual culture. After studying Media and Communication Systems, Art History, and Museology at Istanbul Bilgi University, as well as Modern Art & Ideas at MoMA, she transitioned from a thirteen-year career as a writer and literary critic into visual art, establishing her studio in Bodrum in 2021. Working with minimal, text-based compositions, her practice explores language as both presence and absence, examining silence, the unspoken, and fleeting moments of recognition. Her work has been shown at Savra Bodrum (2022), Karabatak Gallery, Anthaven Bodrum (2024), and the Ottoman Shipyard District Governorship Art Gallery in Milta Bodrum Marina (2025).
Freya has exhibited her work internationally, including at 11 Avenue Studios (London), R Gallery (Malta), Galleria de Marchi (Bologna), The Brick Lane Gallery (London) and The Other Art Fair (London, 2023 and 2024); as well as undertaking numerous commissions for public and private clients. Her work has been featured in Vogue México y Latinoamérica and World of Interiors UK.