ABOUT
Grant Akiyama was born in Sacramento, California in 1994. He graduated from Alfred University with a Bachelors of Science in Art History and Theory and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2017. As a student he was a curator at the Turner Gallery and Harland Snodgrass Gallery. He has studied as an artist-in-residence at the Shigaraki Cultural Park, Japan and the Toshiko Takaezu Studio, New Jersey. He has exhibited widely in California, New York, Oregon, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Spain, and Japan.
"Grant Akiyama's creative labor endeavors toward a rendering of lived reality as one imbued with meaning and significance. His work reveres and admonishes tradition, history, and fashions. While completely capable of inventing ready-made conglomerate aggregates of postmodern schisms, Akiyama persists and insists upon the use of craft-based media as a productive channel to express subliminal forces shaping daily life. He notes that, 'craft breeds opportunities to deeply tap unconscious creative forces - let soul command corporeal flesh. As such, I become entrenched in processes and practices - cooking, throwing writing, painting, or printing - because my imperative revolves around auto-didactic understanding of my idiosyncrasies and deliberations that constitute the force of my work.' As such, Akiyama takes his practice to task. What you see on that exhibition floor is only a fragment.
-Wayne Higby
Director, Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Self Portrait
Ink on Paper
2017
CV
2020
On Paper – group – Tinta Invisible Edicion – Barcelona, Spain
2019
State of Craft – group – 108 Contemporary Gallery, Tulsa OK
Resident—Shigaraki Cultural Park, Japan, Shiga Prefecture
Arts of Alfred—group—Cohen Gallery, Alfred NY
Studio Assistant - Andrea Gill – Alfred, NY
Museum Attendant - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum – Alfred, NY
Assistant Editor - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Assistant Preparator - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
2018
Museum Attendant - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Assistant Editor - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Assistant Preparator - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Resident - Toshiko Takaezu Studio – Quakertown, NJ
Co-Curator - Toshiko Takaezu Studio – Quakertown, NJ
Studio Assistant - Andrea Gill – Alfred, NY
Assistant - Eiko Otake – Alfred, NY
2017
Museum Attendant - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Assistant Editor - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Assistant Preparator - Alfred Ceramic Art Museum
Bachelor of Science in Art History and Theory – Alfred University
Bachelor of Fine Art – Alfred University
Curator – Print Club Auction – Alfred University
President – Art History Club – Alfred University
Print Exchange – Group – Alberta College of Art and Design, Alberta Canada
2016
Inklings – solo – Alfred, New York
Moderator – Dialogue between Takeshi Yasuda and Linda Sikora
Curator – Print Club Auction
President – Art History Club – Alfred University
CronoDrift – group – Portland, Oregon
Print Exchange – Cicada Press at University of Southern Wales, New South Wales, Australia
Organizer – International Field Trip to Toronto – Alfred University
Studio Assistant – Ian McMahon – Hornell, NY
2015
Artist Multiples Print Exchange – Alfred, New York
Curator – Thaumatology – group – Alfred, New York
2014
Intern – New York state college of Ceramics, Alfred NY
2013
Studio Manager – John Gill – Alfred, NY
2012
Presidential Scholarship – Alfred University, Alfred NY
Internship – Alpha Fired Arts – Sacramento, California
Best in Show – Alpha Fired Arts Clay Olympics – group – Sacramento, California
Collectors
Joseph Scheer – Artist, National Geographic
William Contino – Professor, School of Art and Design
Mary-Jude Kullen – Alfred University Patron
Gerar Edizel – Dean, School of Art and Design, Alfred University