Gulzhan Oralova
Department of Art Education, College of Fine Arts (MFA)
My Felted Identity
I am from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and an international graduate student in the Department of Art Education. My ancestors were nomads of the Great Steppe. Their deep relationship with nature, the environment, and livestock shaped a culture of resilience and constant movement across vast open spaces. I carry this legacy as I navigate my own nomadic journey as a scholar in the United States. My research and creative practice are driven by a will to rely on my cultural roots and identity, seeking resilience in this pathway.
My current creative work explores my internal shifts that occur during migration and academic pursuits. Inspired by the question posed on FSU's campus banners: "Who Will You Become While You're Here?," I reflected on my transition into a new community and realized that I am in a deeply transformative stage. I question my existing beliefs and admit the vulnerability inherent in my academic journey. Additionally, I view the uncertainty of the present and future not as a hurdle, but as a space for new experiences, miracles, and discoveries.
My primary medium is traditional Central Asian felting craft combined with stitching. Felting, the process of transforming raw wool fibers into a durable, non-woven textile, is a metaphor for my personal evolution. Just as fibers interlock to create strength, I use the symbolic language of traditional nomadic ornaments to communicate themes of protection, prosperity, and the balance between our historical roots and our flexible, changing present and future selves.
Artwork Description:
Utilizing the symbolic language and materials of the nomadic traditions, specifically felting and stitching, I integrated the concepts of ancestry and shifting horizons to honor the legacy of the past and the vitality of the present and future. The composition moves from a monochrome left, representing a colonized and recovered history, to a vibrant right, symbolizing the flexible, layered uncertainty of the future. Through the metaphor of interlocking fibers, the piece reflects a personal journey of migration, resilience, and the ongoing redesign of the self.