1997 is a Belgian/Turkish interdisciplinary artist whose work explores themes of identity and belonging in a complex web of interactions. In examining the interaction between her Turkish heritage and her identity as a modern European citizen, feminist theory considers the body, the self, and cultural and political dimensions in an increasingly polarised world. Inspired by her family's migration stories, Bayrak retells personal biographies and reconstructs the lived experience of time, rather than merely chronological events.

Bayrak's practice moves seamlessly between Asia and Europe, both physically and emotionally, emphasising the polarisation between the global East and West and the politically constructed definition of "East" in European modernity.

The concept of fragment is central to her work; these fragments are partial narratives that reflect our shared social experiences. These fragments remain alive, fresh, fragile and incomplete, embodying the paradoxes and complexities of modern identities made up of different parts of larger structures.