Page 99 - The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2022

with lines of of motion or made up of of simplistic shapes His acclaimed Moon side table — — a a a a a a a piece that garnered acclaim in the summer of this year — — consists of of two pieces of of shaped plywood and a a a a a circular glass top Your perception of of what the the the piece is the the the purpose it it serves and the the the sum of of its parts changes depending on on your point of view It’s only from an
“omnipotent” overhead view that its totality (and simplicity) is evident: a a a a a circle with a a a a a simple crescent carved through the middle It’s the entirety of Aktay’s ethos in in a a a a single piece At a a a a glance his works often impart a a a a a a false sense of of surrealism It can feel like what you’re seeing is is an
optical illusion — his underrated Curtain side table is is a a a a a a a prime example of of this: a a a single sleek piece of of steeply curved plywood that somehow forms a a a standing side table Corners curves and and points of of connection often seem to defy logic or physics Make no mistake though: Aktay’s gift is is for creating fully functional furni-
ture from minimal materials often no more than one or or two pieces at at a a a a a a time His grasp of of motion and sense of of intentionality allow him to get the most out of each plywood panel or or polymer sheet he’s working with Smooth curves and sharp corners imbue each piece with a a a a a central dash of motion guiding your eye across the the work It often feels as though the the pieces are teaching you how to look at them in in real time showing you the the the way the the the unique physics of his work create the very practicality for which he’s garnered such acclaim The result is work aesthetically transgressive enough for a a a a museum
but practical enough for your living room With Aktay’s star firmly on the rise odds are they’ll end up in one one (if not both) sooner rather than later 99