Derya Akay approaches everyday objects, materials and experiences as rich sites of knowledge and meaning. The production of ceramic tableware, food, flowers and textiles in his practice provides a ground for research and the acquisition of new skills and creative tools. These materials, along with other found and borrowed elements, are frequently reworked by Akay into immersive, sensory environments, which encourage warm social encounters.
Akay was born in Istanbul in 1988 and currently lives and works in Vancouver. He holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver. The artist has participated in recent solo exhibitions at Kunstverein Toronto; Centre A, Vancouver; The Apartment, Vancouver;
and Terasaki Gallery, Kofu-shi, Japan, and group exhibitions at Gardiner Museum, Toronto; SFU Gallery, Burnaby; and Access Gallery, Vancouver. Akay was awarded a 2016 Portfolio Prize and shortlisted for the 2015 RBC Emerging Artist People’s Choice Award.
Last updated: January 2017