"Safe Space 1" by Nehir Uslu

Fibers

59"x59"x71"

Nehir Uslu is a Chicago-based budding artist, illustrator, and a mental health advocate who is completing her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a practicing weaver and fiber artist who makes soft objects that could be played with. She researches how different textures provide different sensory experiences, along with how objects can play a vast role in psychological healing. She creates vessels for exploring emotions and making sense of pain and trauma, and utilizes artmaking as an outlet for creating safe spaces where it is okay to be vulnerable. She explores psychological comfort, safety, and belonging, and uses her art as a tool for healing and creating homes that people feel safe in. She is an aspiring art therapist and is currently preparing for her graduate education in Art Therapy and Counseling. She is a big mental health advocate and works at a crisis line to support victims of domestic violence.
In her dual practice as an illustrator, she bridges art and advocacy to inspire dialogue, cultivate belonging and care, and build a culture that prioritizes mental health as an essential component of collective resilience.

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Safe Space I is an interactive installation that engages its environment to create a safe space for reflection, journaling, and stillness. Through a series of handcrafted fiber items, including heat-pressed quilted journaling prompts, handwoven double cloth cushions and a rug woven on a floor loom, and a tulle backdrop, the work reimagines the space as a vessel and environment for healing, self-expression, and awareness. These soft objects, universally associated with rest, comfort, home, and belonging, push for moments of quietness, pause, and self-reflection. The objects also show how tangible, familiar soft objects can ground us during times of distress; providing an opportunity for safe introspection but also comfort for the person engaging with them. The vessel creates a sanctuary where one is symbolically shielded, enclosed, and protected instead of confined and isolated, and feels comfortable enough to have moments of vulnerability and self-compassion. This safe space holds emotions and sits with one as they reflect, and gives them the permission to exist authentically in this sacred home without fearing judgment.

In the basket, there are nine hand-quilted heat-pressed journaling prompts that read: “What do you hope to accept, if not love about yourself one day?” “How do you let yourself heal?” “I don’t want to become ___” “What’s your favorite way to move your body?” “Who has been there from the start?” “What do you hope is still true in 5 years?” “What will be worth it in a few years?” “How do you calm your fears?” and “When was a time you saw yourself in someone else?”

The installation balances the transparency of the satin backdrop with the vibrancy of the handwoven cushions and the rug. The organza, sheer and light, allows the environment to filter through, creating a sense of openness and permeability that softens the space. In contrast, woven surfaces bring saturated color and tactile presence, grounding the environment with warmth and vitality. This interplay between vibrancy and luminous transparency produces a comforting balance: the openness of the backdrop invites vulnerability and reflection, while the richness of the colors offer reassurance, grounding, and a sense of belonging.