ABOUT PHIL AKASHI
BIOGRAPHY
Phil Akashi (Brussels, 1978) is a nomadic artist known as an Alchimist of language. He experiments with the aesthetics of languages to explore and challenge themes of democracy, cultural identity, power and resistance.
He carved out a unique visual language, often combining cross-cultural experiments with the use of traditional crafts and techniques of the abstract expressionism and street art movements. As a vibrant player in the East/West dialogue, he employs a wide range of media such as paintings, drawings, installations, site-specific interventions, and sculptures.
Akashi’s influences range from pioneering Asian artists such as Xu Bing, Park Seo-Bo, to Western artists such as Christopher Wool, Cy Twombly, and also from the myriad of cultural inspirations of his nomadic lifestyle.
He has been selected to represent Belgium at the 9th Beijing Biennale at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC). He exhibited at the Power Station of Art (PSA) in Shanghai, at Kunsthalle Zürich, at the Museum of Modern Art of Algiers (MaMA),, and at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) alongside Ai Weiwei and Jenny Holzer. His artworks are in royal families and in private collections worldwide and have been featured in international publications such as the Guggenheim, MoMA, RollingStone, Juxtapoz and Blouin Artinfo.
He received the special prize Open (MoCA Italia) at the Venice Arsenale in 2017, the Excellence Award at the Nanjing International Art Festival in 2015, the Major International Public Art Project by the Palo Alto Public Art Commission in 2013 and was shortlisted for the Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize in 2015.
Raised in Brussels in the multicultural capital of Europe, Phil Akashi visited the studio of Ado Chale at 12 years of age. Meeting Chale and his passion for minerals, materials and textures would determine the direction of his future work. Since then, he has experimented through his unique lens of expression. As a nomadic artist, he later lived in New Zealand, Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong where he enjoyed stimulating artistic environments and further deepened his interest in Asian cultures.
He currently lives and works between Barcelona, Brussels and Hong Kong.
CV
AKASHI Phil (Belgian, b. 1978)
1978 Born in Brussels, Belgium
2012-14 Lived and worked in Shanghai, China
2014-16 Lived and worked in Hong Kong, China
2016-17 Lived and worked in Singapore
2018-19 Lived and worked in Hong Kong and Switzerland
2020- Lives and works between Brussels, Barcelona and Hong Kong
GROUP SHOWS AT A MAJOR INSTITUTION
2022 National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Beijing Biennale - Beijing, China
2020 Kunsthalle Zürich - Zürich, Switzerland
2019 Museum of Modern Art of Algiers (MAMA) - Algiers, Algeria
2018 National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) - Taichung, Taiwan
2017 Venice Arsenale (MoCA Italia) - Venice, Italia
2016 European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) - Barcelona, Spain
2015 Power Station of Art (PSA) - Shanghai, China
Opera House - Shanghai, China
European Parliament - Brussels, Belgium
Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) - Brussels, Belgium
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 Noho House Gallery - Aesthetics of Language, Barcelona, Spain
2017 Art+ Shanghai Gallery, Singapore Art Space - A Seal of Unity, A Double Happiness, Singapore
2015 Fabrik Gallery - Rings on Fire, Hong Kong, China
Shanghai Grand Theatre, Opera House - Fragile, Shanghai, China
2014 Alexia Werrie Gallery, Ancienne Quincaillerie Vander Eycken - Doll Never Dies, Brussels, Belgium
Derrick Industrial Building, South Island Cultural District - Doll Never Dies, Hong Kong, China
2013 Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), China Art Museum, Jing’an Sculpture Park, Moganshan Art
District (M50), Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, the Waterhouse - Chocolate Beauty, Shanghai, China
GROUP EXHIBITIONS & FAIRS
2022 National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Beijing Biennale - Beijing, China
2021 Intersect Art and Design - Intersect 21, New York, USA
2020 Kunsthalle Zürich - M.Y.O. Exhibition, Zürich, Switzerland
Rarity Gallery - Rarity Summer Contemporary, Mykonos, Greece
2019 Museum of Modern Art of Algiers (MAMA) - AlTiba9, Algiers, Algeria
Rarity Gallery - Rarity Summer Contemporary, Mykonos, Greece
2018 National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMOFA) - 2050, A Brief History of the Future, Taichung, Taiwan
York Art Gallery - Aesthetica Art Prize, York, UK
2017 Venice Arsenale - Arte Laguna Prize (MOCA Italia), Venice, Italy
Art+ Shanghai Gallery - Beyond Borders, Shanghai, China
Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky - Open20, Venice, Italy
2016 European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) - Fashion Art EU, Barcelona, Spain
Swatch Art Peace Hotel - Faces and Traces, Shanghai, China
Art Expo Malaysia, Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Fabrik Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2015 Power Station of Art (PSA) - Street Museum Exhibition, Shanghai, China
Nanjing International Exhibition Center - A Beautiful New World, Nanjing International Art Fair, China
Anita Chan Lai-ling Gallery, Fringe Club - Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize, Hong Kong, China
Shanghai Grand Theatre, Opera House - Fragile Modern Dance Performance, Shanghai, China
Ancienne Quincaillerie Vander Eycken - Group Show, Brussels, Belgium
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Fabrik Gallery, Hong Kong, China
European Parliament - Fashion Art EU, Brussels, Belgium
Art Basel Hong Kong - South Island Art Night, Hong Kong, China
2014 NYC Subway - No Ad Augmented Reality Street Art Project, New York, USA
The G.I.G. Gallery, Ovolo Hotel Southside - South Island Art Day, Hong Kong, China
Art Basel Hong Kong - Wong Chuk Hang Art Night, Hong Kong, China
Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) - Art Truc Troc, Brussels, Belgium
Phil Akashi Studio - Hong Kong ArtWalk, Hong Kong, China
AWARDS
2022 Selected artist to represent Belgium, 9th Beijing Biennale, National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Beijing, China
2018 Longlisted, Aesthetica Art Prize, York Art Gallery, UK
2017 Winner Special Prize Open, Arte Laguna Prize (MOCA Italia), Venice Arsenale, Italy
Selected artist to represent Belgium, Open20, Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice, Italy
2016 Selected artist to represent Belgium, Fashion Art EU, European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
Selected artist to represent Belgium, Art Expo Malaysia, MECC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2015 Shortlisted, Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize, Hong Kong, China
Excellence Award Winner, Nanjing International Art Fair, Nanjing, China
2014 Selected artist to represent Belgium, Fashion Art EU Exhibition, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
2013 Major International Public Art Project, Palo Alto Public Art Commission, California, USA
Must-See New Public Art Across the Globe, Blouin Artinfo, Seoul, Korea
RESIDENCIES
2020 Utopia 126 Artist Residency, Barcelona, Spain
2015 Swatch Art Peace Hotel Artist Residency, Shanghai, China
SELECTED REVIEWS AND EDITORIAL PUBLICATIONS
2022 Catalan News, Art Exhibition puts spotlight on China's ethnic groups, Gerard Escaich Folch, Sept 22, Barcelona (pdf)
Frikifish Art Magazine, Aesthetics of Language, Amelia Johannsen, Sept 24, Barcelona (pdf)
2019 Collecteurs, Interview with Phil Akashi, Jessica Oralkan, August 15, New York, USA (pdf)
Artdaily, Mystical Es Vedrà: a journey into languages, civilizations and cultures, Jose Villarreal, May 20, Mexico (pdf)
I Support Street Art (ISSA), Interview Phil Akashi, The Alchemist of Language, Philipp Gor, May 26, Athens (pdf)
2017 Artsy, A Seal of Unity: a Double Happiness, Sue Wang, January 9, Beijing, China (pdf)
Cafa Art Info, Phil Akashi Solo Exhibition, Sue Wang, January 9, Beijing, China (pdf)
2016 The Malay Mail, A decade of artistic excellence, Melanie Chalil, October 22, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (pdf)
2015 European Parliament, Interview with artist Phil Akashi, Brussels, Belgium (video)
UrbanDNA, Surprise - it’s illicit! Belgian artist Phil Akashi interview, Erin Wooters Yip, May 22, Hong Kong, China (pdf)
South Island Cultural District, South Island Art Guide, Phil Akashi interview, Hong Kong, China (pdf)
StyleByAsia, Peace for Art, Interview with Belgian artist Phil Akashi, Sandra Smedhall, October 22, Hong Kong, China (pdf)
Bazar Magazine, Dans l'atelier de Phil Akashi, Alexia Werrie, November 10, Brussels, Belgium (pdf)
2014 Fine Art International, Chocolate Beauty Exhibition, January, Berlin, Germany (pdf)
My Artreview, The Notion of the Chinese Dream by Phil Akashi, Sabrina Bourbeillon, February 26, Paris, France (pdf)
2013 Blouin Artinfo, Must-See New Public Art Across the Globe, October 14, Seoul, Korea (pdf)
Guggenheim, Friday links: a Mural for Mandela in Shanghai, Lauren Altman, July 19, New York, USA (pdf)
Artdaily, Phil Akashi's portrait of South African Peace icon, August 3, Mexico (pdf)
Momatalks, Tribute to Mandela, Sarah Kennedy, July 19, New York, USA (pdf)
Artribune, L’artista Phil Akashi ritrae Mandela a suon di pugni, Massimo Mattioli, December 5, Italy (pdf)
Rolingstone, Artista cria retrato de Nelson Mandela dando socos na parede, September 30, Brazil (pdf)
Juxtapoz, Watch: Phil Akashi paints Mandela portrait with 27,000 punches, July 12, San Francisco, USA (pdf)
Le Figaro, Un portrait de Nelson Mandela au poing, Morgane Giuliani, December 6, Paris, France (pdf)
BOOK AND CATALOGUE PUBLICATIONS
2022 9th Beijing Biennale, The Light of Life, Exhibition Catalogue, National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Beijing, China
2018 2050, A Brief History of the Future, Exhibition catalogue, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
Future Now: 100 Contemporary artists, Aesthetica Magazine Ltd.,York, UK
2017 Open20, Exhibition catalogue, PDG Arte Communications Editions, Venice, Italy
Arte Laguna Prize, Exhibition catalogue, Ode Editions, Venice, Italy
2016 Lilong Lives, Urban Explorations, Les Xérographes, Shanghai, China
Art Expo Malaysia, Exhibition catalogue, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Faces and Traces, Swatch Group, Shanghai, China
2015 Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize, Exhibition catalogue, Justice Centre, Hong Kong, China
Nanjing International Art Festival, Diversified Colors Leading Trends, Global Collection
Exhibition catalogue, Nanjing, China
Rings on Fire Fine Art book, Editions Phil Akashi Studio, Shanghai, China
Fragile, Modern Contemporary Dance catalogue, D.Lab Dance, Shanghai, China
2014 Fashion Art EU Exhibition, Exhibition catalogue, Fashion Art Institute, Madrid, Spain
LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
2022 Lecture, Aesthetics of Language, NoHo House Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2017 Lecture, A Belgian nomadic artist, Singapore Art Space, Art+ Shanghai Gallery, Singapore
2015 Lecture for the Korean Art Management Institute (KAMI), Art Basel Hong Kong, Phil Akashi Studio, Hong Kong, China
2014 Children’s workshop, Fashion Art EU Exhibition, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
MAJOR COLLECTIONS
Royal Family of South Africa
Royal Family of Malaysia
Bank Degroof Petercam Collection - Belgium
Nelson Mandela Foundation - South Africa
Utopia 126 Collection - Spain
Morabito Collection - Indonesia
Sofina Collection - Singapore
Fashion Art Institute Collection - Spain
The Swatch Art Peace Hotel Collection - China
A BELGIAN NOMADIC ARTIST WITH ASIAN PSEUDONYM AND UNIQUE IDENTITY
Fascinated by the cultural complexity and aesthetics of Asia, Phil Akashi carved out a unique artistic identity. He first kept his first name Phil as his authentic roots. He then chose the pseudonym Akashi meaning “bright stone” to express his strong passion for the multifaceted Japanese culture. And finally, he enriched his identity with a Chinese name "涛程" meaning "big wave journey" to integrate his nomadic approch to life and he intentionally reversed the two characters to experiment with the Chinese language.
Along with his unique Chinese name, strong Japanese pseudonym and authentic Western background, Phil Akashi plays with paradoxes and shares how he views the world as a trans-cultural element.
Phil Akashi & Han Hsiang-ning 韓湘寧 - Dali 2011
Lars Nitve and Phil Akashi in front of brilliant piece of Liu Wei, It Looks Like a Landscape, M+ Sigg Collection - Hong Kong 2016
Curator Xia Kejun and Phil Akashi - Nanjing 2015
Phil Akashi with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Malaysia (Perlis), Tuanku Syed Faizuddin and Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen (acquiring an artwork for the Royal Family collection) - Malaysia 2016
Qin Feng 秦風 and Phil Akashi - Hong Kong 2015
Phil Akashi at Times Square - Hong Kong
Phil Akashi at the Great Wall - China
Phil Akashi at the Everest Basecamp - Nepal
ABOUT SEALS: A JOURNEY INTO HISTORY, TRADITIONS AND CULTURES
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." Confucius
The stamp seal is a carved object, usually stone, first made in the 4th millennium BC, and probably earlier in Mesopotamia. The first seals were used to impress picture or inscription into soft, prepared clay. A seal, in an East Asian context, is a generic name for printing stamps. Their impressions are used in lieu of signatures on personal documents, office paperwork, contracts, art, or any item requiring acknowledgment or authorship. Seals are typically made of stone, sometimes of metal, wood, bamboo, plastic, or ivory. Seals have been used as instruments of identification and symbols of authority in China for at least 2500 years. They were adopted later in other Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan and Korea. To learn more about seals click here. To learn more about East Asian seals click here.
Importantly, traditional seals in their many forms have played a major role in information systems for thousands of years. Inevitably, the use of modern technologies will replace them. In 2009, the art of seal engraving was inscribed in the UNESCO List as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Watch hereunder a video by 骆芃芃 (LUO Peng Peng).
ABOUT ADO CHALE, THE ALCHEMIST OF HIGH MINERALS
"Over the last few decades, Chale has travelled the world in search of rare stones and minerals, and has come to meld lapis-lazuli, hematite, tiger’s eye, rhodochrosite, malachite, turquoise, mother-of-pearl, onyx, and many other natural materials into his work, transforming them into custom-made objects. As an artist-craftsman, he creates masterful mosaics from various precious and semi-precious minerals, including pepper grain and bone. Each object, often fusing together stones from around the world, tell its own story" Sola Agustsson
Raised in Brussels in the multicultural capital of Europe, Phil Akashi visited the studio of Ado Chale at 12 years of age. Meeting Chale and his passion for minerals, materials and textures would determine the direction of his future work. Since then, he has experimented through his unique lens of expression. www.adochale.com
