BIOGRAPHY
Derya Ozparlak is a Toronto-based, Canadian artist working in sculpture, mixed media and installation. She has been a full-time artist since 2008. Derya graduated with an Honours BFA in Sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Anadolu University in Turkey. She has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions, art fairs, and symposiums in Toronto, Turkey, Chicago, Almeria of Spain, Beirut, Berlin, NYC and Palermo of Italy. Derya has also received various awards from the artistic community in Turkey and Spain. Ozparlak's highly detailed sculptures are held in private and corporate collections in Canada and internationally in Istanbul, Berlin, and Capri.
As an artist, Derya believes that once she turns a cold piece of metal into a sculpture, it expresses a metaphor for life and connects to the soul, so it becomes ‘warmer’ in nature. The figures in her art represent the human need for connection but the figure is tied to a bunch of balloons. The balloons are a symbol of the shackles associated with modern capitalism— the culture that binds us to our work and limits our freedom. The tension between the earthly reality of humanity and the lofty desire to escape is a favourite theme. By painting the balloons in multiple colours, the artist’s work is both inclusive and evokes different moods. Balloons suggest happiness due to their colourful and light nature. In spite of the heavy nature of metal, the balloons lift spirits and can carry the figures away to freedom.
“Nothingness” I installed this coffin called “Nothingness” by utilizing wooden fruit cases The reality is that you are either rich or poor. When you pass away, your body is placed on marble until your cemetery costs have been paid. I wanted to represent a coffin on behalf of someone who has no money to be…
“Breaking News” In this installation, there is a rocking chair situated behind a table. The table has been covered by a white table cloth and there are colourful microphones, these microphones are artificial and were placed on the table. The rocking chair is a metaphor for how our politicians and media see world issues and…
“Blue” He is sick and tired of His ambitious Life. He doesn’t want to show his weaknesses to his colleagues. His body is positioned in a “x” position and this shows his desire to be released. He does this secretly. The significance of the balloon string tied to his tie and the colour of the…
“Mobbing” She’s a white-collar woman working in a Skyscraper pushing a 9-hour career every day. She is insulted in her career as a woman. The purple balloons tied to her tongue represent the silence that she is often forced into. The colour purple represents a metaphorical burst. She has so much to say and her…
“Your Ego Is My Lego” The story is about a white-collar businessman who is an ambitious person. He is a well educated and hardworking person. He wants to be a CEO. When he was a University student, he imagined what his perfect future life would be like; he imagined it would be wonderful and satisfying…
“Terrestrial Break Free” This artwork portrays the figure of a woman who is hung from her belt using the balloons. The metal wire by which the female figure is connected to the balloons resembles the umbilical cord of newborn human beings. The theme behind this semi-floating figure is that woman is seeking help from somebody…
“Freeing Yourself” “FREEING YOURSELF “symbolizes how city life strains the mind of the white-collar businesswoman and as a result, she attempts to escape her stressful lifestyle with the aid of the colourful balloons. “It is as if the figure has lost hope in anything earthly and desires to start all over again and experience a…
“Tolerance” She feels empty and she’s pessimistic about everything in her life (her family / her career/everything)….. The balloons serve as an invisible tool which we hope will help her but we just don’t know…… “TOLERANCE” 2015 Medium Steel-polyester 150x70x70 cm Tab 1Tab 2Tab 1Tab 2
“Our Pathetic Perspective” OUR PATHETIC PERSPECTIVE was inspired by Jose Saramago`s novels “ Blindness” and “Seeing” I tried to embody the beginning of an awakening phase from imposed ignorance. Everyone goes about their daily lives with blindness, whether they live in a free society or an autocratic one. Our lives are influenced by the powers…
“Escape from Panopticon” This was inspired by Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon concept. In this artwork, the man realizes that he is working in a Panopticon jail as a white-collar worker and he wanted to escape from the “prison”. It is a corporate prison in his mind. He realizes that everything is organized by somebody and when…