Today we’d like to introduce you to Ekin Aytaç Josh Davids.
Hi Ekin Aytaç, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Aytac | Davids Collective is the collaborative practice of Ekin Deniz Aytac (Edremit, Turkey) and Joshua Davids (Colorado, USA). Since 2014, our work has been shaped by shared travel, cultural exchange, and an ongoing dialogue between distinct personal histories. Through glass, we investigate the ways place, memory, and identity become embedded within the environments that shape human experience.
At the center of our practice is the Cityscape series, an ongoing body of sculptural work that explores the relationship between self and place. Traditional vessel forms are transformed into complex architectural and landscape-like structures that evoke aerial perspectives, urban grids, geological formations, and imagined terrains. Suspended between abstraction and representation, these works reflect how environments are constructed, remembered, and continually reinterpreted over time.
Our process is defined by a dialogue between construction and excavation. Layers of color, pattern, and optical information are accumulated through complex hot-glass techniques before being meticulously revealed through cutting, engraving, and carving. This interplay between additive and subtractive processes exposes hidden structures within the material, allowing imagery and spatial depth to emerge from within the glass itself.
The tension between building and dismantling serves as a metaphor for the shifting nature of memory and place. Architecture, landscape, and personal experience are never fixed; they are continually shaped by time, movement, and perception. Through light, color, pattern, and form, we create objects that function as visual repositories of experience—inviting viewers to navigate their own associations and discover new relationships between the familiar and the imagined.
As artists, we see ourselves as storytellers working through material. Each layer, cut, and carved surface carries fragments of narrative that speak to both personal history and shared experience. Through the transformative qualities of glass and light, we seek to create works that encourage reflection, connection, and a deeper consideration of the places that shape who we are.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Pursuing art as a full-time career is incredibly rewarding, but it is also highly unpredictable. From the very beginning, we faced skepticism from family and peers who questioned the stability of an artistic path. As we evolved, our greatest hurdle became defining our unique voice—specifically, learning how to balance a deep conceptual framework with the rigorous technical demands of glass as a sculptural medium.Even after mastering the material, connecting our work with the right audience and market remains an ongoing challenge. Because glass is historically viewed as a craft rather than a fine art, we constantly push boundaries to ensure our sculptures are recognized in the realm of contemporary art. Finally, because we are partners in art, business, and life, our daily work involves a delicate balancing act. We are always learning how to harmonize our individual egos, artistic directions, and personal boundaries to keep both our relationship and our passion thriving.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Ekin Aytac and Josh Davids are glass sculptors best known for our collaborative cityscape sculptures. We are known for bold colors, intricately carved details, and a unique approach to using glass as a sculptural material.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We welcome custom commissions and frequently collaborate with interior designers, architects, and art consultants to curate tailored visual experiences that elevate client spaces. Beyond residential and commercial projects, we pitch site-specific installations, develop concept-driven pieces for gallery exhibitions, and design independent bodies of work. As contemporary artists, our practice thrives on the vital patronage of collectors, enthusiasts, and institutions. Together, we are building a passionate community dedicated to championing the physical craft of making and investing in the transformative power of art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.aytacdavids.com
- Instagram: Aytac_Davids
- Facebook: Aytac Davids Collective
