A. Serkan Aka
Somewhere Around Here
With Somewhere Around Here, A. Serkan Aka presents an installation that unfolds as a delicate soundscape. The floor is entirely covered with broken white ceramic plates, carefully and densely arranged. Above them, found objects hang from the ceiling, gently touching the plates. This creates a field of subtle clicks and chimes, reminiscent of vibrant street sounds. Each time a plate is touched, it shifts slightly, generating ever-changing patterns of sound that avoid repetition. The installation evokes both familiarity and a sense of weight: while the sounds transport us to urban settings that feel familiar, the imagery confronts us with fragility and loss. In the space between these two realms, new associations and connections begin to emerge.
Where Things Linger
Where Things Linger, is a quiet, kinetic installation in which broken mirror fragments rest on a chair. A small motor beneath the mirror causes its surface to move almost imperceptibly, like a blanket moved by a slow breathing. A small light attached to the chair projects reflections of the fragmented mirror onto the surrounding walls. As the mirror moves, these glowing shards shift subtly across the space, creating a quiet choreography of light. The installation is nearly silent, but those who move in close will hear the delicate crackle of glass.
In Between
This kinetic installation consists of several teacups or coffee cups that appear to have been left behind on small stools or tables. Each cup contains a spoon that begins to move gently when someone walks by, activated by motion sensors. The piece plays with notions of presence and absence, stillness and motion, suggesting traces of daily life or memory. The clinking of the spoons creates a soft, fragile soundscape that subtly engages with its surroundings.
Halfway Here
Driven by a hidden mechanism, silver emergency blankets move delicately, resembling an octopus or a shifting landscape. The synthetic, high-tech surface of the blanket contrasts with the gentle, organic rhythm of its motion. The crinkling sound recalls a faint fire crackle, calming and poetic, yet it arises from a material typically associated with urgency and distress. These contrasts form the emotional core of the piece.
Credits
Somewhere Around Here
Production support: Moussem Nomadic Art Centre, Platform 0090
Where Things Linger
Production support: Moussem Nomadic Art Centre, Platform 0090
In Between
Production support: Platform 0090
Halfway Here
Production support: Mete Balyan, Platform 0090
A. Serkan Aka (1982, Turkey) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Istanbul. His practice moves fluidly between illustration, collage, installation, sound, and performance. With a background in industrial engineering (Boğaziçi University), he creates assemblages from everyday and found objects, resulting in sound sculptures, performative instruments, and immersive installations. Sound plays a central role in his work, acting as a tool for attention, awareness, and memory. Aka is a member of the sound collective Buluntu Sesler and co-founder of the Tophane Noise Band. He designs so-called “sound parks” and performs with self-made instruments. His work was recently shown at Schneidertempel in Istanbul and Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre. His solo exhibition Where Things Linger opened in May 2025 at the Kıraathane Istanbul Literature House.