Mehmet & Kazım, also known as Kissing Cousins, incorporate stereotypes and propaganda strategies in their works, sometimes as subject matter and other times as methodology. The duo creates works that humorously challenge traditional classifications. In their murals, fanzines, videos, and books, they reference and satirically engage with these classifications. The strong imagery in Mehmet & Kazım’s works is influenced by comic books and advertisements, yet they avoid directly mirroring them.
By analyzing the complex dynamics of urban life, Mehmet & Kazım offer a multifaceted experience for the viewer. The artists blend the aesthetic and social elements of the modern metropolis with graphic storytelling, exploring the individual’s relationship with the city on a conceptual level. Drawing inspiration from graffiti aesthetics, their works not only present visual appeal but also critically address societal issues such as capitalism, consumption, discrimination, and urbanization. Bringing the noise and chaos of the city onto their canvases, Mehmet & Kazım tackle the burdens and anxieties of the individual through a humorous yet tragic narrative in their figurative portrayals. The artists’ works reflect a reciprocal relationship between the individual and the city, inviting the viewer to become a part of this cyclical dynamic.
Mehmet Akal was born in Munich in 1991 and completed his education at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Kazım Akal was born in Munich in 1981 and also studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Selected exhibitions of the duo include No Artistas, Verlag für moderne Kunst / Parallel Vienna (Vienna); Le Peep-Show, Kunstverein Friedrichshafen (Germany); Oriental Diary, Mandarin Oriental (Germany); REP YO COLORS, Akademiegalerie (Germany); Oriental, Academy of Fine Arts (Germany). In 2022, Bad & Boujee at PİLEVNELİ marked the duo’s first solo exhibition in Turkey.
Mehmet & Kazım live and work in Munich.