Truck Study #1
Fabricated Steel, found objects, synthetic enamel
Private Collection.
36″x24″x3.5″
2011.
Truck Study #2
Fabricated Steel, found objects, synthetic enamel
Private Collection.
36″x24″x3.5″
2011.
Tumble
Powder-coated steel, stainless steel hardware
16″x12″x8″
Private Collection
2010
Shuttlecart
Collaborative work with Peregrine Honig
109″”x134x60″
Modified Golf Cart, Patinated Steel, Fabric, Cast Glass
2011.
More images & info on Asheer’s blog.
Scale Study
Private Collection of Jesse Christopher
Fabricated Steel
40″x30″x36″
2010
Beacon
Private Collection.
Patinated Steel
14″x10″9″
2009
Sun
Private Collection of Shaul Jolles
60″x48″x48″
Patinated Steel
2011
Book (Study)
Private Collection Rusty & Paula Leffel
Patinated Steel
12″x12″10″
2009
Curator Marcus Cain and Greenlease Gallery Director Anne Pearce co-curated the show entitled Between Thee & Me at the Epsten Gallery in Overland Park. Asheer Akram and artist Linda Lighton created a collaborative work for the exhibition, using Akram’s design and fabrication techniques, with a ceramic centerpiece by Lighton.
Everlasting Light
Linda Lighton & Asheer Akram
Steel, Light Elements
124″x30″x30″
2011
Two retaining gates commissioned by Belger Cartage & Art Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Each of the sculptures was designed and fabricated by Asheer Akram.
Commissioned by Belger Art Center
Left: 44″x50″x37″ Right: 44″x78″x47″
Fabricated Steel, Synthetic Enamel
2012
Mockup (pictured): 25′ section.
Mockup Commissioned by Belger Cartage
84″x34″x6″
Fabricated Steel, Stainless steel hardware, Synthetic Enamel
2012.
Final Commission: 300′ wall
Public Artwall Commissioned by Belger Cartage
Fabricated Steel, Stainless steel hardware, Synthetic Enamel
2012.
Holiday
Private Collection
Patinated Steel
48″x72″10″
2011
Torch
Private Collection
Powder-coated steel, stainless steel hardware
74″x22″x22″
2011
Snow of the Desert
Collection of the Art Inside the Park
Powder-coated steel
120″92″x18″
2010.
Moving a Mountain
Mild steel, synthetic enamel paint
Collection of the Modern Art Museum of Armenia
118″x59″x157″
2010.
Sculpture produced with a Linda Lighton travel grant used to journey from Pakistan to Armenia.
Directed by Gor Baghdasaryan, Moving a Mountain is an award-winning short documentary film featuring American sculptor Asheer Akram in his residency in Bangladesh, Armenia. The film follows Akram as he constructs a large-scale painted steel sculpture for The Modern Museum of Art in Armenia. The film has been in several film festivals, and has received more than a dozen awards.
The preview shows clips from the film, which can be licensed from Manana Films, or watched in its entirety on Hulu.
Awards & Recognition for Moving a Mountain
Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival – Best Editing Award
Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival – 2nd place, Short Documentary category.
The International Festival of Film and Culture, Greece: Nominated
Ventura International Film Festival, USA: Nominated
Al Jazeera Film Festival, Qatar: Nominated
Cape Winelands Film Festival, South Africa: Nominated
Angelica International Film Festival, USA: Nominated
FiLUMS International Film Festival, Pakistan: Awarded The Best Documentary Film
Studio Production Details
Duration: 20 Min
Release Date: October 2010
Directed by: Gor Baghdasaryan
Featuring: Asheer Akram
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Audio: Stereo
Book II
Collection of Rusty & Paula Leffel
Synthetic enamel coated mild steel.
60″x60″x60″
2009.
Book
Collection of Rusty and Paula Leffel
Mild Steel
60″x60″x60″
2009
A Summer
Solo show at Avila University
Various Sculptures by Asheer Akram
2009
Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Trade
Leedy Voulkos Art Center
Kansas City, Missouri
2007.
WHO IS ASHEER AKRAM?
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA in 1984, Asheer Akram is an emerging artist based out of Kansas City, Missouri. He completed his BFA in sculpture at the Kansas City Art Institute in 2007. He has recently been producing public sculpture that brings about questions of social-cultural evolution and development in regards to the globalization of developing countries. Asheer has moved beyond commentary of his own cultural background in attempts to address these issues in a wider context. In his recent work he has been creating a hybrid of traditional Islamic art with aspects of American culture and fine art to create a finalized object. Asheer is interested in the movement of the fine arts in respect to defining cultural significance. He picks obscure or overlooked aspects that help make up the fabric of a culture and repurposes and reappropriates that aspect in order to bring them into another light and to help them to be recognized and respected for their real cultural significance.
GET IN TOUCH
email studio@asheerakram.com
twitter @asheerakram
facebook asheer akram
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011 The Late Show, Transformations, Kansas City, Missouri
2010 Modern Art Museum of Armenia, Moving A Mountain, Yerevan, Armenia
2009 Avila University, A Summer @ 1828, Kansas City, Missouri
2009 The Late Show, Ink and Ore, Kansas City, Missouri
2008 Leedy Volkous Art Center, @ The Buie Blood, Sweat, Tears and Trade, Kansas City, Missouri
2006 Sardine Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri
2004 Huyka Gallery, Warning, Kansas City, Missouri
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010 Gyumri International Biennale, Gyumri, Armenia
2009 Epstein Gallery, Urban Suburban, art auction, Overland Park, Kansas
2008 Pi Gallery, Square Foot Show, Kansas City, Missouri
2008 Moberg Gallery, Sculpture 2, Des Moines, Iowa
2008 Third Eye Productions, The Charlotte Street Reclaim, Kansas City, Missouri
2008 Epstein Gallery, Urban Suburban, art auction, Overland Park, Kansas
2008 The Late Show, Naughty Elves, Kansas City, Missouri
2007 The Late Show, Group Show, Kansas City, Missouri
2006 A.D. Jacobsen Building, Group Sculpture Exhibition, Kansas City, Missouri
COMPETITIONS & AWARDS
2011 Belger art center residency program, Kansas City, Missouri
2011 The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, public mobile commission, collaboration with Peregrine Honig
2010 Lighton International Artist Exchange Grant-for research in Pakistan, Kansas City, Missouri
2010 Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory Residency, Yerevan, Armenia
2010 Modern Art Museum of Armenia, Public Sculpture Purchase, Yerevan, Armenia
2010 Multiple Awards for Documentary Film “Moving a Mountain”
2009 Art in the R competition, Public steel sculpture, Roland Park, Kansas
2009 Jan 8th, Kansas City Star, Ink and Ore, show review by Theresa Bermbnister
2009 Avila University, public sculpture commission, Kansas City, Missouri
2009 Commission sculptural/architectural steel, Extra Virgin, Kansas City, Missouri
2008 Oct 26th, Kansas City Star, American artist inspired by Aga Khan collection of Islamic Art,
2007 Art in the R competition, Public Ceramic Sculpture, Roeland Park, Kansas
2006 Jan Pyle, Two Cast Bronze Panels, Liberty, Missouri
2006 Don Anderson, Public Ceramic Sculpture, Kansas City, Missouri
EDUCATION
2007 Bachelors Fine Art, Kansas City Art Institute; Kansas City, Missouri
2007 Internship with Jim Leedy at the Leedy Volkous Art Center, Kansas City, Missouri
2007-2008 Apprenticeship to Jesse Small, Kansas City, Missouri
COMPANIES
2007-Present Self-Employed at Asheer Akram L.L.C, a sculpture and custom fabrication company
“Akram suggests that a fresh visual vocabulary, based on ancient imagery, can carry and voice a modern world.”
“As with the previous edition of his privately conceived, publicly released revelation, it falls to each viewer to interpret the signs — and symbols — of Akram’s times.”
“Sensuous line and detailed, intricate pattern link Akram’s steel sculptures.”
“Akram is repurposing a 1952 Chevy into a “Midwest meets Pakistan” version of a cargo truck, and is one of 86 artists to receive funds from the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program.”
“While Pakistani trucks ferry goods, Akram’s Chevy truck will ferry ideas.”
Press
2012 Fjords Film Review: Moving a Mountain Kayti Doolittle
2011 Jul 1: Kansas City Star, Lighton program makes ambassadors of artists Alice Thorston
2011 Mar 24: Kansas City Star, Artist looks to trucks to showcase Pakistan motifs, Dana Self
2010 Jan 24: Mid-America Visual Art Publication Sequel in Steel: Asheer Akram Steve Brisendine
2009 May 14: Mid-America Visual Art Publication Layer’s of Metal, Layers of Meaning Steve Brisendine
2009 Jan 8: Kansas City Star, Artists contrast the delicate with the unyielding Theresa Bembnister
2008 Jun 21: Kansas City Star, Asheer Akram at the Buie Alice Thorston