
A modern aesthete crafting futures at the intersection of luxury, sport, and culture.
Taraka ‘TK’ Tennakoon is a writer and visual artist with an unmistakable, story-led aesthetic. The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue with ease, so Taraka is simply known as ‘TK’ by his friends and associates (ask him how he got the name... as with all good stories, there is a beautiful stranger involved).
TK has a far-flung, somewhat unconventional suite of fixations that inform the tonality and discipline of his work. From Star Trek’s vision of a utopian future, to the unbridled joy of the Eurovision Song Contest and the bold strokes of Roseberry’s Schiaparelli, TK brings it all together in his work, exploring beauty, laughter, culture and minimalism. Regardless of the viewer looking at his work on a phone, in an editorial spread or in a luxury department store, craft and storytelling meet with style and purpose.
Having received his Bachelor of Arts in Perth, Australia, TK has worked at the Impact BBDO Group in Dubai for 11 years before making the move to AKQA. There, he currently serves as Creative Director, specialising in luxury and sport, leading a coveted set of clients including Jumeirah, adidas and Under Armour.
- Current colour
- Stockholm Blue
- On the desk
- ‘House Of Suns’ by Alastair Reynolds
- Works in progress
- Notes towards a post-scarcity future
- Latest mixtape
- Alien MixTape № 07
01Experience
- Creative DirectorAKQA, Dubai2024 to Present
- Associate Creative DirectorAKQA, Dubai2021 to 2024
- Associate Creative DirectorImpact BBDO, Dubai2018 to 2021
- Senior Creative, Art/Copy HybridImpact BBDO, Dubai2012 to 2018
- Junior Creative, Art/Copy HybridImpact BBDO, Dubai2009 to 2012
02Clients
Current
- Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
- Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons / ROLEX
- adidas
- Under Armour
- One&Only Resorts
- OMNIYAT
- LOEWE
- Baccarat Residences
Past
- IKEA
- Emirates
- Mercedes-Benz
- BMW
- MINI
- Bloomingdale’s
- John Lewis
- Robinsons
- Hyundai Europe
- Dubai Tourism
- Huawei
- Toyota
- Visa
03Awards
- Cannes LionsBronze × 1
- Dubai LynxBronze × 3
- Effie AwardsSilver × 1, Bronze × 1
- MENA Digital AwardsAgency of the Year × 2, Gold × 2, Silver × 5, Bronze × 3
- MENA Cristal FestivalGold × 1, Bronze × 1
- PHNX AwardsBronze × 2
- Smarties AwardsGold × 1, Silver × 1
- Athar AwardsGold × 1
04Recognition
- Recipient of the ‘Gamechanger Of The Year 2021’, DubaiAKQA
- Recipient of the ‘Rigour Award 2023’, DubaiAKQA
- PHNX Awards 2022, JudgeAdForum
05Contact
To get in touch, write to me on
Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Check out weekly dispatches on my blog The Alien Aesthete.
Colophon
Set in Public Sans, Source Serif 4 and Bodoni Moda. Built by Learnmind AI, Dubai.