Artist Statement

For years, Önal devoted himself to creating profound and confrontational artworks that address social inequalities and political conflicts and encourage viewers to engage with societal realities. In early 2024, he made a significant shift in his artistic direction and began to delve more deeply into his own identity and existence - traditional themes that had accompanied him in his family since childhood.

Since 2024, Kaan Ege Önal's paintings explore the relationship between humans and culture by bringing traditional motifs from different cultures to life on canvases. In doing so, he reveals the universal language of cultural identity and synthesis and celebrates the diversity of human experiences. Each of his paintings is an ode to transcultural humanity and shows the deep, inseparable connection between humans and culture.

With his academic knowledge of figurative painting and cultural symbolism, Önal creates works that are both aesthetically pleasing and profound in content. By combining traditional motifs with figurative representations, he develops a universal visual language that transcends cultural boundaries and unites humanity in all its diversity. His goal is to create an atmosphere in which this diversity is perceived as an enrichment and a source of inspiration.