About the Artist:
Olaniyi Akindiya “AKIRASH” (he/him) focuses on time; fleeting moments that can be easily forgotten or transformed. An interdisciplinary artist, he uses various processes as a tool to best represent his ideas. His still and mixed media work reflects on rural versus urban life, the accelerated pace of development and infrastructure. Akirash’s performative pieces centers around Trauma & social subjectivities like identity, immigration, Gun violence, race, history, religion components that break down conventional barriers.
In Exploring the invisible systems of power that govern everyday existence, mixed media painting, sculpture, installation, video, photography, sound, performance are all tools used to document his journeys of everyday life.
AKIRASH’s work tells stories that address issues that are at the forefront of society. Building immersive experiences though the work allows an exploration of these ideas in multiple ways to educate and engage a larger audience. Art is an instrument to question and search for solutions - to dig out the truth without violence. Being surrounded by a diversity of discipline and experience gives his work a grander scope and allows for more unexpected breakthroughs when searching for answers to what ails our society.
More about the Artist:
“AKIRASH” was born in Lagos - Nigeria. His first degree in BIOCHEMISTRY from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta in Nigeria (1991). Later he studied Fine and Applied Art at the Institute of Textile Technology Art and Design in Lagos - Nigeria (1995). He moved to the United States in 2011. He now lives between Lagos - Nigeria and Pflugerville - Texas - USA.
Olaniyi is a recipient of a commissioned sculpture for Travis County Plaza of Civil & Family court Austin 2022, ArtPrize installation artist honorary mentioned Grand Rapids MI, Contemporary Black art award, Grand Rapids MI 2021, TEMPO 21 City of Austin 2021, Red bull Arts, CERF+ 2020, Foundation for contemporary arts emergency grants 2021, 2020 & 2019, ArtPrize Honorary Mentioned, Foundation for contemporary arts emergency grants, the Otis & Velma Davis Dozier Travel Grant Award From DMA 2019, the CORE Funding from Cultural Art Division Austin 2018, The Innovative Artist Award from the Mid America Artist Alliance (MAAA / NEA) for 2017, Pollock Krasner Foundation Award 2016/17 & 2011, Cultural Initiative & Capacity Building Grant, Culture Alive from city of Austin 2016/17, the Santo Foundation grant 2015, and the Commonwealth Connection Award UK 2011.