Derya Akay
Derya Akay is a Turkish artist based in Vancouver, Canada. Akay has held numerous solo and group exhibitions in Canada, Japan, Mexico, U.S., and Turkey. In 2010, Akay graduated from Emily Carr University of Art and Design and completed a residency at the Banff Centre.
Work
Akay's artistic practice involves community organizing, gathering, cooking, food and knowledge sharing, gardening, performance, and installation. Akay often uses tableware, textiles, food, and organic material in installations and performances with a focus on feminized and collective labour, while using intimate and domestic spaces such as kitchens, gardens, and bedrooms to showcase his work.Akay's mother, Dilara Akay, is an activist and artist. They collaborated on Ghost Spring, a work about the political upheavals in Turkey and the loss of loved ones, installed and performed at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, Canada, in association with Grunt gallery.