Akış Ka

I'm

Artist Statement

Hey there, I’m Akış Ka. First of all, I’d like to begin with explaining the meaning of my name. It is derived from the Turkish word for fluid “akışkan” and “akış”means fluidity. On the other hand, “ka” means elite/white in Lubunca. Welcome to my sarcastic sense of humor!

Now that we are past the introductions, I can start to talk about what I am doing. Just as my name suggests, I like to be fluid, to discover things as I flow, and to create as I discover. I am a performance artist producing works in various fields. I write songs and poems, I have my own songs. Also, I am a DJ and I organise queer events, parties and exhibitions because I love creating safe spaces for queer communities. I am doing modern dance projects as well as acting and modeling. I also create content on youtube and host talk shows. I focus on improv style of art. Like I said, I flow wherever I feel like flowing to :)

Having a multidisciplinary approach to art feeds my creativity. This, in turn, feeds into each of my works allowing them to grow and flow in a unique way. I experience life in a performative and fluid manner and live every moment that way. Similarly, I experience my works in a performative manner too, just as I experience life.

I love to entertain as much as I like to make people think or to scare them. For me the most enjoyable part of my work process is to focus and deal with emotions. Same is true while I am experiencing life from a performative lens. My urge to exist in every field and to produce works in numerous areas stems from my desire to bring visibility both to my own life and to other queers’ lives. My main motivation in doing so is to leave queer marks on art history. It is highly unlikely that I will find the response or acknowledgement of my labour and effort in the geography I am currently living in however even if I can’t see it, paving even a small path for queers in the future is the main motivation behind the variety in my works. Between 2016 and 2019 I was part of the İstanbul LGBTİ+ Pride Week committee and I was an avid activist organizing for the cause. My humble beginnings as a queer artist coincides with this period. My art gets its strength from activism. Themes of my works include but not limited to are: trans rights /of existence, body politics, food and eating sociology, movement relations I form with my body and so on.

Bio

Akış Ka is a character, perhaps a monster, who wanders between the walls of binary genders and even breaks those walls. She is an out of place, and thanks to you, a timeless player.

She is a multi-disciplinary queer performance artist. Her practice spans from performance to songwriting to creating youtube videos and hosting talk shows. She approaches her practice and her life as an anamorphic Gesamtkunstwerk, an ongoing state of transformation. What motivates her practice is to leave queer marks on art history. Between 2016 and 2019 She was part of the İstanbul LGBTİ+ Pride Week committee. Her art gets its strength from activism. She started performing as a drag queen in 2017. Over time, she transcended her drag persona and started her professional productions in 2020, which shaped her entire life. The themes of her works include but are not limited to; trans rights /of existence, body politics, food sociology, commensality, the bodies relationship to space around it in terms of invasion and affection.

Before the pandemic, Akış made a name for herself with her drag performances at Dudakların Cengi (The Battle of the Lips) and Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride Parties, but she started to work in other avenues during the pandemic. She released her single "Sana Bir Sır Vereyim Mi?" (Shall I Give You A Secret?) in 2020 and focused on works accessible to everyone. She started to produce video content on the Alt Cut YouTube channel in 2021. Since then, she has become a public figure who uses humor to draw attention to political issues. She narrated her struggle for trans existence with her HoşGeldin (Wel. ome) Performance at Salt's '90s On Stage exhibition in 2022. Her recent works focus on inspirational trans stories.

Akış Ka has a remarkable track record of performances and collaborations. Notably, on 2nd June, they performed at the Opening Party: Screen Practices x LUBUNYA Dispatches event at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts), where their performance captivated the audience and our team fully. Furthermore, on 1st June, they showcased their talent as a performance artist and singer at the Funds 4 Turkey event at Dalston Superstore, collaborating with other renowned artists such as Kubra Uzun, MustKika, Kaan, and Girl Unit.

Additionally, on 9th June, Akış Ka took to the stage at CEHENNEM and delivered a special mini-performance that closed the night. Their captivating presence and artistry left a lasting impression on the audience. Akış Ka also performing at the Transpose Pit Party, an event organized by Barbican Center, a platform celebrating and promoting the talents of the UK trans community. Alongside outstanding artists such as Akış Ka, Mustafa Kınalı (aka Mustkika), and Kübra Uzun, Akış Ka contributed to the explosive performances that delighted the audience. Furthermore, Akış Ka's participation in events such as A Brief Pause at Ugly Duck and Harem of No One Nights highlights their versatility and ability to engage diverse audiences.

Resume

Born in 1995, Zonguldak. Lives and works in İstanbul

Performance as Performer

  • Fakers Club, Dir. Stephanie Miracle, Muze Gazhane Edition, Impro Dance Fest,İstanbul, 2022
  • 8 March Women Day Performance, 8 March Women Day Reception at Holland Conculate, İstanbul, 2020
  • Untitled Object,Ali Emir Tapan, RedBull ArtAround x Collective Çukurcuma, İstanbul, 2018
  • We Are Seeds That Sprout Air, Ali Emir Tapan, Performİstanbul x The Pill Gallery İstanbul, 2017

Drag Performance

  • Harem of No One: Legend 2000s, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, London, 2023
  • Harem of No One: Eurovision Multiverse, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, London, 2023
  • Soho House İstanbul Pride Party Hosting, 2022
  • Yakışkan TalkShow, 2021
  • Planet Lubunya Panel Discussion Meets Drag Show- Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin-Istanbul,2020

  • RedBull Music Festival Opening Party x Calling Mag, 2020
  • Drag Up Your Life Workshop, 2020
  • Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride Comitee Parties, 2018-2019

Modelling

  • Eda Birthing’s Fashion Show Magical Births at Blind, 2022
  • Elle Magazine Photoshoot by Emre Ünal, 2020
  • Bashaques Fashion Show, Zorlu Performance Art Centre, 2019
  • Give Me Shelter Photo Serie by Cansu Yıldıran, 2018

Interviews

  • Performance Review, Queering The White Walls, Ulya Soley on Akis Ka’s Performance at Salt Beyoglu, Texte Zur Kunst, Trans Perspective Issue, 2023
  • Interview, "I just want a president who doesn't kill" German Newspaper ZETT about Turkish LGBTİ+ Politics and Election, 2023
  • Article About First Music Single, BantMag- Lets Hear Akis Ka's Secret. 2020
  • Video Interview with Hazal Sipahi for T24 on Youtube, 2023
  • Photo Interwiev with Dilan Bozyel for Kafa Magazine, 2022
  • Video Interview with Armağan Çağlayan on Youtube, 2021
  • Video Interwiev with Nevşin Mengü on Youtube, 2021

DJ

  • FUNDS 4 TURKEY, Dalston Superstore, London, 2023
  • Ka Pop Event Series Organized by Akis Ka, Istanbul-Izmir, 2022-2023
  • Bloom Party Series, Queer Waves, Istanbul 2023
  • Kuir Fest Movie Festival Opening Party, Pembe Hayat LGBTI+ Association,Ankara, 2022
  • Fringe Performance Art Festival Closing Party, Istanbul 2022

Podcast

  • Mental Klitoris
  • Biricik Seksüel
  • Umarım Annem Dinlemez

Performance as Artist

  • Transpose BURN: Pit Party, Barbican, London, 2023
  • Mistress Ka, TransMogrify on QueerWaves, İstanbul, 2023
  • Welcome, The 90s Onstage Exhibition on Salt Beyoğlu, İstanbul, 2022
  • Mantı, Solo Performance Exhibition at Şahika, İstanbul, 2022
  • Run Leave Flee, ButFest on QueerWaves,İstanbul, 2022
  • Sex Work is Work, May 1 Labor Day, Video Performance for Sex Workers,İstanbul, 2021
  • Fallen, Through The Window Project, Online Exhibition, Turkey-Holland, 2020

Live Performance

  • A Brief Pause, Experimental Performance Festival, Itch The Scratch, London, 2023
  • Cehennem V, Engine Room Studios, London, 2023
  • Lubunya Dispatches Opening Party, ICA, London, 2023
  • I Dont Wanna Live With You, XSM Recordings, İstanbul, 2023
  • Maybe I Am Hungry, 90’s Consept on Dudakların Cengi, İstanbul, 2023
  • My Boy My Horse My Dog, Renaissance Concept on Dudakların Cengi, İstanbul,2022
  • Shall I Give You A Secret, XSM Recordings, İstanbul, 2022

Acting

Series

  • Akış Arası Online Series for Dramaqueer Media Platform, 2022

Short Movies

  • Ferret, Dir. Serra Duran Paralı, 2022
  • In Limbo, Dir. Harun Güler, 2022
  • 10th Pembe Hayat KuirFest Trailer, Dir. Efe Durmaz, 2021
  • Delikler, Dir. Ali Emir Tapan, 2020

Music Videos

  • Kübra Uzun Jülyet’s Habanera (Aşk Hırçın Bir Kuştur), 2022
  • Mabel Matiz, Fan, 2022
  • Taycan Ovala, 2021
  • Tōth - When I Awoke, 2019
  • Nil karaibrahimgil, İyi Ki, 2018

Documentary

  • No One Would Go, Director: Tuğba Baykal, TR, 2022

Relevant Experience

  • Co Manager Sahika Upper Ground Queer Night Club
  • Co Founder at ClubCoweed
  • Assistant at Perform Istanbul
  • Assistant at Space Debris Art
  • Co Founder at Arası

Albums

  • Ufuğumda Yoksun (in collobration with Frozen Clouds) 2022
  • Sana Bir Sır Vereyim Mi? Ağzı Sıkı Remix Album, 2021
  • Sana Bir Sır Vereyim Mi? (in collobration with Jtamul) 2020

Portfolio

  • All
  • As Artist
  • As Performer
  • Drag Performance
  • Live Performance
  • Social Media Content
  • DJ
  • Music Works
  • Acting/Series
  • Acting/Short Movie
  • Acting/Music Video
  • Modelling
  • Documentary

Press

Podcasts

Mental Klitoris

Mental klitoris is educational queer/feminist sex podcast serie. In our episode we talked about public sex.

Spotify link https://www.instagram.com/mentalklitoris/

Biricik Seksüel

Biricik Seksüel doing first nonbinary podcast serie in turkey. Every episode has different nonbinary guest, Itd like a documentation serie.

Spotify link https://instagram.com/biricik.seksuel?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Umarım Annem Dinlemez

UAD is focusing womans and LGBTİ+ peoples contemporary issues surrounding them.

Spotify link https://www.instagram.com/umarimannemdinlemez/