Umud Azad Akkel
Currently, my works focus on the intersection of (migrant and queer) identity, space-body-politics in public space, urban transformations and the clash between individuals and their cities and societies.
I work with a variety of disciplines and media. The material becomes the object of research and thus co-determining the concept. In the conceptual work process, new media are added, creating a thought cycle between material and concept. Thus I combine objects, sculptures, drawings and writings with performances and video works among others.
I prefer to make my works accessible and democratic. Therefore I develop the concept starting with my personal experiences and culminating it on a more generally experienced one by setting the multiple concept dynamics as layers of meaning. Depending on the preference of the audience, the deeper they go, the more personal and complex the layers become.
E.g. in my work Çark, which generally focuses on my sexual interaction in the public sphere, I place concepts like curiosity, discovery and hesitation in the first meaning layer to create a passage of my very personal experiences that I set in the details of the work. Also, by placing the installations of The Path and Geduld in public space, I want to create accessibility and play with the potency dynamics of public space. In Relotion, I use concrete directly to create the concept of the work and to express my personal experience with the general theme.
Works
The Path
Berlin, Germany
2016-2018 and 2022
The Path delves into my personal immigration journey from Turkey to Germany and the arduous challenges I faced while residing in Istanbul from 2014 to 2015, prior to my relocation to Berlin. This artwork explores the intersection and dynamic between an individual and a city, provoking...
Geduld
Berlin, Germany
2016-2018 and 2022
Geduld is about my critical relationship with Berlin and the “survival” practices of non-German individuals in Berlin. The work addresses the contradictory dynamics of Berlin, its urban narratives and the practice of belongingness of its residents. The work is a...
Çark
İstanbul and Berlin
2019-2021
Çark explores the hypocrisy at the intersection of street and sexuality. It originated from my urban observations in selected Istanbul neighbourhoods where I both experienced and witnessed sexuality in public spaces. Through this work, I aim to visualize the sexuality...
Child's Play
İzmir, Turkey
2023 - Continuing
Çocuk Oyuncağı/Child‘s Play, which is a work in progress, emerged from my reflection on traumatic experiences of belonging and competence. Through this work, I express the feelings of fragility and vulnerability that arise during my efforts to be a part...
Wet Games
İstanbul, Turkey
2024 - Continuing
Wet Games explores bullying and discrimination practices within public and private adult relationships. Drawing from my personal experience of being bullied, this work analyzes the triangular loop of bullying: ganging up, victimhood, and inflicting harm.
Each custom-made console represents one of these roles, and...
Cube With Holes On It
İzmir and İstanbul, Turkey
2023
‘Cube With Holes On It‘ resembles a house or bunker—essentially, a basic cube with two holes. The object creates a visual misperception, intentionally misrepresenting its form.
This serves as a direct symbol of my disenchantment with the concepts of home and trust,...
Tightrope Walker / Balance Game
İstanbul, Berlin
2023 - Ongoing
Drawing from my own experiences, Tightrope Walker emerged as a reflection on how we navigate vulnerability and emotional responsibility within the dynamics of both private and public relationships. The work explores themes of care, manipulation, the need for belonging, and...
I Could Not Find Something To Show
Berlin
2017 - 2020
In I Could not Find Something to Show/ Gösterecek Bir Şey Bulamadım, I explore the crisis that arises at the intersection of social expectations, identity labels, and self-expression. By examining my personal experiences, I question the authenticity of self-description and...
