While studying Fashion Styling, Photography and Film MA in Istituto Marangoni, London and Manchester Metropolitan University, Berk Akkaya created this series as a response to an imaginary magazine themed “This is us”.
‘I wanted to be a voice for the unrepresented community which I find very colourful and true to themselves. So while I’m representing that community ( Turkish LGBTQIA+) I wanted to express the Turkish Gay Club life with flamboyance, uniqueness that comes from Turkish heritage (Turkish Baroque and Rococo styles), NYC Club Kids and Blitz Kids which made our community colourful as it is now. You can imagine this as an artist giving homage for the Classicist artists which brought art to its level.’
The video Panapticon (which means a circular shaped prison) depicts the loneliness of white men who are ‘stuck’ in in their culture/society, deprived from diversity and cultural diferences, missing out on the and greatness all other cultures together are, missing on how actually rich and colourful life can be.
Berk named the series Young Turks Run Free after the phrase “being a young turk” and from the lyrics of the song of Rod Stewart called ‘Young Turks’
I wanted to be a voice for the unrepresented community which I find very colourful and true to themselves. Berk Akkaya
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