Studio Kōlea by Ezgi Iraz

Ezgi Iraz is a Turkish American immigrant visual artist, creative director, mother, activist, survivor and the founder of Studio Kōlea, currently residing in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Her acrylic paintings explore rest as a form of resistance for women, inspired by Rest is Resistance movement and her Turkish heritage to initiate a respectful visual dialogue within the context of her daily life in the islands.

Ezgi’s art cannot and will not stand alone. True liberation requires collective action, which is why she actively collaborates with local non-profits to spark systemic change in her community. Moving beyond the canvas, Studio Kōlea is an official sponsor of the local grassroots organization Survivors Collective.

This partnership directly fuels the vital fight for survivor-centered legislation, ensuring that those who have experienced trauma have a powerful voice in shaping the laws that protect them. For Ezgi, art, mutual aid, and political action are deeply intertwined—proving that we are capable of emerging from pain and rising together.