ARTWITHAKIRASH STUDIO

ARTWITHAKIRASH STUDIO

PFLUGERVILLE, TX, United States

About ARTWITHAKIRASH STUDIO

BIO Olaniyi was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He earned his first BSC degree in BIOCHEMISTRY from the University of Agriculture Abeokuta Nigeria (1991), going on to study Fine and Applied Art at Institute of Textile Technology Art & Design Lagos (1995). He now lives and works between Lagos and Austin Texas. Olaniyi is a recipient of the Innovative Artist Award by Mid America Artist Alliance & NEA 2017, the Pollock Krasner Foundation Award 2016 & 2011, the Cultural Initiative, Capacity Building and Culture Alive Grants from the City of Austin 2016/17, Santo Foundation Grant 2015, and the Commonwealth Connection Award UK 2011. Artist Statement My work focuses on moments of time, fleeting moments that can be easily forgotten or transformed. Reflecting on rural versus urban life, the accelerated pace of development and social infrastructure, my works and performative activities play around social subjectivities with dramatic components, breaking down conventional barriers, in exploration of the invisible systems of power that govern everyday existence. Standing at the intersection of creative engagement now described as transdisciplinary art, I utilize a multitude of techniques and materials, including re-purposed objects which may manifest in mixed media painting, sculpture, installation, video, photography, sound, performance. While inscribing all these mediums in my comprehensive compositions, my works achieve an accumulative density that overwhelms with spectacle, grandeur and wonderment. Ultimately, my work is designed to create comfort, peace, and solace. I believe that art can be a balm to the soul, revealing a quiet inner truth. My art is a reflection of the joys of life, directly inspired by rhythm, harmony, and the movement of daily existence. Brief description of my work and process. My works are all inspired and evolved from traditional textile weaving using a loom. As I experiment with different topics, materials and techniques, this inspiration takes a variety of every changing forms. My work starts with research - asking questions and reading articles that have been written by intellectual writers on the topic or issue I am exploring. Throughout the research process, I look for and gather materials to use in the piece that relate or speak to the topic at hand. I think about the best way to tell the story or visualize the topic. Will it be best understood with mixed media sculpture, painting, performance, photography or video, dance, or some combination of disciplines? My works generally incorporate a variety of mediums and materials, brought together and built upon the core materials of paper and cardboard boxes. I fold paper into the smallest rectangular shape possible, about 1 x 1.5 inches, then take scissors to cut it into the shape of male and female abstract figures. I open and stretch the papers, cut them into pieces and arrange them in the form of a textile motif to form words or design patterns in color. I then glue them together, apply paint on them in a strips of straight lines, circles, crosschecks, layer by layer until I am satisfied. The application of paint in layers allows the paper to turn into a plastic like form that can now be manipulated, folded or twisted into shapes without fear of breakage. Finally it becomes a mixed media tapestry painting / sculpture.

Education:

BSC HONOR IN BIO-CHEM , 1991 University of Agriculture. Abeokuta - Nigeria.
Higher National Diploma-1995 Institute of Textile Technology Arts & Design (ITTAD).Lagos-Nigeria.

Events:

AWARDS
2017 ART AT HEART, SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA- AUSTRALIA
2017/18 ARTISTIC INNOVATION GRANT BY MAAA, KANSAS CITY - MISSOURI
2017 POLLOCK KRASNER FOUNDATION /ISCP-NY FELLOWSHIP RESIDENCY NY-USA
2016 ART AT HEART, SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA- AUSTRALIA
2011 POLLOCK-KRASNER FOUNDATION GRANT- USA
2011 COMMONWEALTH CONNECTION INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AWARD, UNITED KINGDOM

GRANTS
2018 CORE funding from Cultural Art Division of City of Austin - Texas.
2017/18 ARTISTIC INNOVATION GRANT BY MAAA, KANSAS CITY - MISSOURI
2016/17 CULTURAL INITIATIVE AND CAPACITY BUILDING, CITY OF AUSTIN- USA
2015 THE SANTO FOUNDATION GRANT, St. LOUIS, MO -USA
2010 Go INGENIOUS AWARD, SANTA MONICA, CA - USA

FELLOWSHIPS
2015 SACATAR INSTITUTO ITAPARICA – BAHIA, BRAZIL.
2015 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART, OK-USA
2014 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN, USA
2014 ARTIST INC / MAAA/ CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS - USA
2014 KIOSKO GALLERY & INTERNATIONAL, BOLIVIA
2013 JOHN MUAFANGEJO ART CENTER, WINDHOEK - NAMIBIA.
2013 CENTRALTRAK, UNI.OF TEXAS – DALLAS. USA
2012 VYTLACIL CAMPUS THE ART STUDENT’S LEAGUE RESIDENCY. NEW YORK - USA

RESIDENCIES
2017 ART AT HEART, SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA- AUSTRALIA
2016/17 ISCP-NY FELLOWSHIP RESIDENCY NY-USA
2016 ART AT HEART, SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA – WESTERN AUSTRALIA
2015 SACATAR INSTITUTO ITAPARICA – BAHIA, BRAZIL.
2015 SANTA FE ART INSTITUTE, NEW MEXICO – USA
2014 HOT BOX AT MASS GALLERY, AUSTIN – TEXAS USA
2014 KIOSKO GALLERY & INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS IN RESIDENCY BOLIVIA
2013 JOHN MUAFANGEJO ART CENTER, WINDHOEK - NAMIBIA.
2013 CENTRALTRAK, UNI.OF TEXAS – DALLAS. USA

2012 VYTLACIL CAMPUS THE ART STUDENT’S LEAGUE RESIDENCY. NEW YORK - USA
2012 TRIANGLE ART ASSOCIATION RESIDENCY, NEW YORK - USA
2012 NAFASI/ ART SPACE RESIDENCY DANISH EMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM TANZANIA.
2012 THUPELO /BAG FACTORY INTERN. RESIDENCY, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
2011 NIROX PROJECTS/12 DECADE ART HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA
2011 ART FARM ARTISTS RESIDENCY, NEBRASKA – USA
2011 VERMONT STUDIO CENTER, FELLOWSHIP ARTISTS IN RESIDENCY, VERMONT – USA
2011 GLADSTONE GALLERY/STUDIO, TORONTO – CANADA
2010 CCA LAGOS, TRIANGLE, BRITISH MUSEUM ARTIST IN RESIDENCY, LAGOS-NIGERIA
2010 THAMI MNYELE FOUNDATION, ARTISTS RESIDENCY AMSTERDAM – THE NETHERLANDS
2008 BLUESKY PROJECT ARTISTS RESIDENCY, WOODSTOCK IL- CHICAGO – USA
2008 ARTCROFT ARTISTS IN RESIDENCY, KENTUCKY – USA

BIENNALE
2016 12th DAK’ART BIENNALE 2016, DAKAR - SENEGAL
2005 & 2007 EAST AFRICA BIENNALE (ESTAFAB), DAR SALLAM – TANZANIA

ART FAIR
2018 CLIO ART FAIR, NY - USA
2015 DALLAS ART FAIR, DALLAS TX – USA
2014 DALLAS ART FAIR, DALLAS TX – USA
2011 JOBURG ART FAIR, SOUTH AFRICA

FESTIVALS
2012 INTERNATIONAL MULTIMEDIA FESTIVAL YAGON-MYANMAR
2012 INFECTING THE CITY FESTIVAL, CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA
2013 CHALE WOTE STREET FESTIVAL, ACCRA - GHANA

Exhibitions:

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 ARA ORUN KINKIN-EGUNGUN MYTHOLOGY, LAWNDALE ART CENTER HOUSTON-TX
2018 SASO L’OJU EGUN-BEHIND THE MASK, BIG MEDIUM/CANOPY GALLERY AUSTIN - TEXAS
2017 ARANPO / STITCH, DIMENSION GALLERY, TEXAS- USA
2017 ATIBABA / Here I live now, at Hardesty Arts Center, Tulsa - OK
2016 WE ARE ALL BETWITCHED AT CANOPY/ BIG MEDIUM GALLERY IN AUSTIN, TX, USA
2016 IMOLE / LIGHTS AT THE SHIRE OF PILBARA, WEST AUSTRALIA.
2016 EBUN / GIFTS, RO2 ART GALLERY, DALLAS – TEXAS, USA
2016 OJU INU/ INSIGHT, TIKHONOVA WINTNER GALLERY, HARLEM – NY.
2015 BATETELE/LIBATION, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM, STILWATER-OK
2015 ADITTU / PUZZLES, MAC GALLERY. DALLAS –TEXAS. USA (FORTH COMING MAY)
2014 GBAJUGBAJA / CELEBRATY, AT ART CURRENTS INSTITUTE NY-USA
2014 SHOPPING LIST, FREEDOM PARK AUSTIN TEXAS, USA
2014 SAJE NWA? / HOW IS THE MARKET? CARVER MUSEUM, AUSTIN-TX. USA
2014 ASHIRI / SECRET, THE MUSEUM OF HUMAN ACIEVEMENTS, AUSTIN – TEXAS, USA
2014 Et) Et) / ENTANGLE, RO2 ART GALLERY DALLAS- TEXAS- USA
2013 AKWATA ONDJUHWA KOMULUNGU, NATIONAL ART GALLERY WINDHOEK NAMIBIA.
2013 SIDE EFFECTS, CO-LAB PROJECTS SPACE, AUSTIN-TEXAS-USA
2012 UFAHAMU: INSIGHT, NAFASI ART SPACE, DAR ES SALAAM – TANZANIA
2012 ABAWON: STAIN FORECOURT STATION CAPE TOWN-S.AFRICA
2012 isiCelo: PETITION, NIROX FOUNDATION @ART ON MAIN. JOHANNESBURG- S.AFRICA

GROUP EXHIBITION

2017 ArtBash, Artist Alliance Austin, Native. Austin – Texas. USA
2017 Art at the Heart, East Pilbara Art Center, Newman Western Australia
2016 RETHINK, IGNA GALLERY in ISREAL
2016 OPEN STUDIO EXHIBITION AT SANTA FE ART INSTITUTE, SANTA FE - NM
2016 12TH EDITION OF DAK’ART BIENNALE, DAKAR- SENEGAL
2016 EVERYDAY REDEFINE AT CORRIDOR GALLERY, BROOKLY - NEW YORK. USA
2016 BIRTH: REBIRTH AT DIMENSION GALLERY IN AUSTIN - TEXAS
2016 BRONX - AFRICA AT LONGWOOD ART GALLERY @ HOSTOS, NY
2015 WAKATI/HOW TIME SHAPES AFRICA ART, OSUMA, STILL WATER - OK
2015 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE ARTISAN SERIES AT ART ON 5TH, AUSTIN –TEXAS
2015 AURORA NEW MEDIA EXHIBITION, DALLAS – TEXAS. USA
2015 UMOJA/COMING TOGETHER, UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS, IN DALLAS TEXAS, USA
2015 De La TIERRA, TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY GALLERY in San Marcos, TEXAS. USA
2015 FUSEBOX 60 SECONDS / 60 ARTISTS, AUSTIN-TX, USA
2015 DALLAS ART FAIR, DALLAS – TEXAS, USA
2014 CLOSING ECOUNTER, MASS GALLERY AUSTIN – TEXAS. USA
2014 DALLAS TRADE FAIR, DALLAS – TEXAS. USA
2014 ONSITE, TEMPORARY ART PROJECTS, SOUTHEND-UK
2013 “THE STORY OF CREATIVE” SEE/ME, NEW YORK, USA
2013 “DELTA”, MAC MEMBERSHIP EXHBITION DALLAS TEXAS, USA
2013 “PAINT” , RO2 ART GALLERY DALLAS TEXAS. USA
2013 ART CLUSTER, GIRONA - SPAIN
2013 PEOPLE GALLERY/CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN- TEXAS, USA
2012 LONDON INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE COMPETITION /EXHBITION
2012 OPEN STUDIO AT VTLACIL CAMPUS OF THE ART STUDENTS LEAGUE, NEW YORK-USA
2012 OPEN STUDIO @ TRIANGLE WORKSHOP NEW YORK.USA
2012 Infecting the city, cape town-south Africa
2012 THUPELO/BAG FACTORY, JOHANNESBURG- SOUTH AFRICA
2011 ONEMINUTE VIDEO AMSTERDAM/TOWN GALLERY. EGYPT
2011 SOVEREIGN ART FOUNDATION JAPAN, JOBURG ART FAIR SOUTH AFRICA
2011 FAMILY UNITY OF THE WORLD, the Yekaterinburg Art Fund, Ekaterinburg-Russia
2011 PAUSE THE PULSE :( PORTRAIT OF ACCRA), ACC Galerie Weimar-Germany

PERFORMANCES:
2018 OPE NI MO DU – BLESSING IS MINE, CANOPY GALLERY, AUSTIN - TEXAS
2018 FARM HARVEST, FUSEBOX FESTIVAL / BIG MEDIUM, AUSIN – TEXAS
2018 YEYE OSUN YEMOJA, FUSEBOX FESTIVAL/ BIG MEDIUM, AUSTIN - TEXAS
2018 WE ARE ALL BEWITCHED, SOUND SPACE, BLANTON MUSEUM AUSTIN - TEXAS
2018 ATUNBI-REBIRTH, SOUND SPACE, BLANTON MUSEUM AUSTIN - TEXAS
2017 ORI MI GBE MI , ART ALLIANCE AUSTIN, TEXAS - USA
2016 OWO – AJE O AT BIG MEDIUM / CANOPY GALLERY, AUSTIN – TEXAS USA
2016 WE DO EXIST, EAST PILBARA ART CENTER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
2016 ORI LABABO, SANTA FE ART INSTITUTE, SANTA FE - NM
2016 THE BORDER CONTROLLER AT YOUR SERVICE, SFAI, SANTA FE - NM
2016