Unit 17 | Gallery Artist

Derya Akay

Derya Akay (b. 1988) is an artist living on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh Nations, colonially known as Vancouver, BC. Akay received a BFA from Emily Carr University in 2010. Select solo exhibitions include Meydan, Polygon Gallery, North Vancouver, 2021; with bread,, Campbell River Art Gallery, 2017; Pumice, Del Vaz Projects, Los Angeles, 2017; Painting with Light, Kunstverein Toronto, 2015; Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Supper, Centre A, Vancouver, 2014. Recent group exhibitions include Contact Traces , Wattis Institute at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco; The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, Lulu, Mexico City, 2018; Nature's Way, Cooper Cole, Toronto, 2017; HERE, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, 2017; Ambivalent Pleasures, Vancouver Art Gallery, 2016. In 2017 Akay had a Fieldhouse residency resulting in the publication, Mantı, Börek, Baklava, with the Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver.

News

current participation, Toronto Biennial of Art, until 5 June 2022

Exhibitions

17:1 (2017)

Green Grocer (2018)

Butter and Breads (2018)

SUPER, NATURAL (2019)

Fruit and Flower (2020)

The Neighbour's Plate (2020)

Writing & Press

Publications

a flower as a poem (2016)

Ghost Spring (2018)

Mantı, Börek, Baklava (2019)

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cyclodrum, potbound & soup from stone, 2015

installation view, Gardiner Museum (Toronto)

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cyclodrum, potbound & soup from stone, 2015 (detail)

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cyclodrum, potbound & soup from stone, 2015 (detail)

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Fallen fruit (Santa Barbara Market, Vancouver), 2018, mixed media, 100 x 69 x 28cm

Fallen fruit (Santa Barbara Market, Vancouver),2018 (detail)

Fallen fruit (Santa Barbara Market, Vancouver), 2018

installation view, Lulu (Mexico City)

Plexi Lath, 2017, plexi, acrylic, plaster, cedar, 101.6 x 80cm

Plexi Lath, 2017 (detail)

Plexi Lath, 2017 (detail)

Belvedere Lath, 2016-17, wood, plaster, paint, rose petals, amaryllis, borage, turmeric, sumac, paprika, 101.6 x 80cm

Belvedere Lath, 2016/17 (detail)

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Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

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Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

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Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

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Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

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Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

Green Grocer, installation view Unit 17 2018

cyclodrum, courage, bread, and rosesculture and tomatoes, 2015-16

installation view, Vancouver Art Gallery

cyclodrum, courage, bread, and rosesculture and tomatoes, 2015-16

installation view, Vancouver Art Gallery

with bread, , installation view, Campbell River Art Gallery

with bread, (detail)

with bread, , installation view, Campbell River Art Gallery

with bread, (detail)

with bread, (detail)

with bread, (detail)