Öykü Yüksel is a product designer and artist based in Istanbul, Türkiye. As a designer, she splits her time between working full-time in product design and creating experimental, often spontaneous works in her studio. Öykü is also a co-founder of Ask Your Mom Zine, a collective project that brings together illustrators and artists through print and exhibitions.

In our conversation, she shared how she balances structured design work with the freedom of personal creation, often drawing motivation from social feedback and playful experimentation. She spoke about the power of collective production, especially in Türkiye’s current social and political climate, emphasizing how community can offer both strength and visibility. Despite the challenges, Öykü remains committed to making space for creative expression and believes in the importance of continuing to create, together.

Could you share a bit about yourself? What did you study, where are you located, and what are you currently doing? So, who is Öykü?

I studied Industrial Design at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. I live in Istanbul, and in addition to working as a product designer, I’ve been creating my own prints and working with whatever materials I come across in my studio for the past two years, often in an experimental way.

As someone who worked with you on a project, and as your friend, I’ve always been impressed by how you balance your energy. How do you manage being a full-time product designer and also an illustrator?

I think I get myself going by playing little tricks on my mind. After work in the evenings, I convince myself I’m not really tired and head straight to the studio. Getting some kind of social feedback is always a huge boost for me, too. Once you get into the habit of moving, it’s like building a muscle, like how a finger you always hold crooked eventually stays that way; if you keep moving and running around, that rhythm just becomes your natural one.

And there’s something so fun about doing things in an amateur way—you’ve got this freedom to mess up. An idea pops into my head and, most of the time, I’ll just start on it without knowing if it will work. That curiosity makes me act before I can overthink it.

You’re also one of the co-founders of Ask Your Mom Zine. What are your thoughts on collective production? And what’s next for the project, are you planning any gatherings or events soon?

I think collective work has become my favorite kind so far. It’s not the easiest thing to manage (I felt that deeply when we put together the Ask Your Mom exhibition), but constantly meeting new people is incredibly nourishing. It also means I get to collaborate with illustrators I admire—which still feels surreal.

Last May, for Mother’s Day, we held our first exhibition at Hood Base. It was a small three-day show, but every single piece was so thoughtful. Once we’d set it all up, I remember thinking, “I could do this every day.” We’re hoping to try something new in the fall, once it’s set, we’ll share it (exciting!).

As someone in her mid-20s, living and creating in today’s Türkiye, how do you see the role and impact of youth-led art collectives? What does it feel like to be actively collaborating and creating in such a complex social and political environment? In your opinion, how can artists be part of meaningful change?

I think it’s important to recognize that our struggles are shared. The only way to find solutions is by acting together. Being part of a community means we’re not alone, and we draw courage from each other. In that sense, it often falls on artists to make things visible and create support—whether visual or otherwise. Still, working within such a socially charged environment can feel constricting. While I’m working on something, questions keep circling in my head: “Am I shifting the social climate?” “Is this really where my focus should be right now?” But at the end of the day, I always come back to this: we have to keep creating, and we can’t leave the space we occupy empty.

Who are your favorite artists or the people who inspire you the most?

I really love being inspired by musicians. In recent years, the artists I’ve drawn the most from have been Idles and Fontaines D.C. for that reason. Following artists working in different disciplines within similar circles also really nourishes me on a personal level.
Do you have any advice for people who want to start their own zine?

If it’s going to be a long-term project, I’d say don’t start with too many people, but don’t go it alone, either. The energy of running something collectively can really push the work forward. Deciding on the physical format early on also helps, because then you know exactly how many illustrations or people you’ll need, and that makes things so much easier. And most importantly, have fun ❤