TOURIST Founder Sera Akyazici. Photo by Hyesoo Chung. Image Courtesy of TOURIST.
Community and creativity have always been interconnected, but after several lockdowns pushing us further into the digital sphere, the two have become a little disconnected. Founded by Sera Akyazici, creative producer and all-round creative mediator, TOURIST works a little differently to usual creative agencies, in that the community curates the network, allowing it to grow organically at a global scale. Born from a desire to bring back “a sense of community, of genuine belonging and support”, TOURIST is digital community-focused platform, home to collection of skills, knowledge, and individuals.
With the aim to give easy, yet curated access to a wider creative community, TOURIST connects today’s cultural movers and makers with multidisciplinary backgrounds from all around the world. “In the era of Instagram, where information is oversaturated,” explains Sera, “I always craved a curated network database of creatives for my own production purposes. That’s how TOURIST came to be.”
SLEEK met with four creatives from Berlin who are part of the first wave of TOURIST.
Image Courtesy of TOURIST.
S: Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
Eliza Lawrence: I am Eliza Lawrence. I write books. I film nature. I work as a sex therapist. I trace the boundary between art and storytelling, feeding on the inspiration I get from creative people, places and things.
S: How has Berlin influenced your creative practice?
EL: Berlin is like the effervescent sailors rope you find washed up on a beach, tangled in seaweed. There is beauty in its chaos and colour envelops every corner. Darkness and light come together and this is where stories can be found to write about.
S: How do you hope to further expand your creativity through TOURIST?
EL: Tourist will help me feel more connected to creatives that I can combine my words and skills with in order to make a hybrid planet of art.
S: What does TOURIST mean to you?
EL: I feel very close to Tourist because it’s Sera’s, who is a very dear friend of mine, creative child. We have pondered on Tourist together over refillable tea and it always made me feel electric with the possibility of infinite creation that can happen.
S: What are you most excited about by being involved with TOURIST?
EL: I am excited to see what it becomes, what it leads to, what can happen when people combine. I believe that we should shed our ‘artistic egos’ and work together. Now, more than ever, we need to work together to answer, evoke and portray the chaos of the world right now.
Image Courtesy of TOURIST.
S: Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
Selassie: My name is Selassie. I spend my time painting, building, talking, laughing and making music.
S: How has Berlin influenced your creative practice?
S: Berlin is the connection point of my life. It’s where friends meet, be creative, and have fun. With that, comes a strong creative energy.
S: How do you hope people will interact with TOURIST?
S: I believe TOURIST will help people to connect their heritage in new ways, by belonging to a large global community of creatives.
S: What does TOURIST mean to you?
S: Togetherness, connectivity, friendship and a a whole bunch of creativity
S: What are you most excited about by being involved with TOURIST?
S: Knowing the journey has only just begun, with Sera bringing everyone together.
Image Courtesy of TOURIST.
S: Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
Jazz: My name is Jazz and I’m a Jamaican British American travelling artist, recently based in Berlin after over a decade creating on the road. I use my hands and body to tell stories, through movement performances and paintings. Every piece is based on characters in my subconscious.
S: How has Berlin influenced your creative practice?
J: This is the first city I’ve moved to after 10 years in Thailand’s mountain’s, and so it’s quite the opposite in terms of pace, energy, and infrastructure. Berlin challenges me to look inwards for inspiration. It’s taken my creative process from painting by waterfalls in the jungle, to canals with swans or on rooftops of abandoned industrial buildings.
S: How do you hope to further expand your creativity through TOURIST?
J: I imagine using TOURIST to collaborate with other painters, performers, and installation artists in different countries. Just by tapping into this community, I believe that will happen with ease.
S: What does TOURIST mean to you?
J: TOURIST gives the feeling that I will always have a connected digital and analog community, no matter what shore I land on.
S: What are you most excited about by being involved with TOURIST?
J: I’m excited to share my perspective of Jamaica and the countries I have lived in with people who are looking to explore the hidden gems of my home.
Image Courtesy of TOURIST.
S: Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
Olivia Ballard: I was born and raised in New York City but Berlin has become my second home. My clothing label was established in 2020 here amidst the lockdown, influencing me to use clothing as a push back against restrictions and social norms, trying to define a new naked.
S: How has Berlin influenced your creative practice?
OB: Berlin is the intersection where hedonistic pleasures collide. It has taught me so much about myself and allowed me to indulge in the practice of making.
S: How do you hope to further expand your creativity through TOURIST?
OB: TOURIST carves out a space for like minded individuals, for those that are pioneering and pushing new ideas forward in their cities. It will foster many collaborations and I am looking forward to expanding and building with other artists around the world.
S: What does TOURIST mean to you?
OB: To me Tourist is like my favourite party; celebrating a new way forward, inspiring people from all over the world.
S: What are you most excited about by being involved with TOURIST?
OB: With TOURIST there are so many possibilities… I am excited to see what takes form in the coming months!