Native Pollinators

In Native Pollinators, Elif Soyer presents a series of dense, highly tactile paintings that mirror the generative, "lovely chaos" of her urban garden. Conceived initially as a commitment to repurpose remnant paint from her studio and break free from image-driven constraints, Soyer’s intuitive process evolved into a direct parallel with her 30-year transformation of a concrete backyard into a thriving haven for native species. Through the heavy accumulation of paint, repurposed materials, text fragments, and rich textural buildup, Soyer creates unexpected harmonies and interactions between color, density, and negative space. Her works embody the joy of daily curation, celebrating the spontaneous beauty that arises when control is surrendered to nature and material chance.