Cell Collision is a collection of digital studies that meditates on technology, nature, capitalism, human identity, and their ligamentous relationships. Now available on issuu.
SeaSaw coming June 1st /
Up & down Seattle weekly.
New Exhibition: Have You Eaten: Meryenda at Kasama Gallery in Pioneer Square! /
102 Occidental Ave S, Suite 102
Seattle, WA 98104
May 17th until June 11th, 2023
Opening Reception May 17th 5-8pm.
Triggers Now Available For Digital Download /
Triggers is a collection of meditations on memory and identity in a digital age. I use various media -digital and analog-to create a meaningful and cohesive document for an elusive future. Grammarly, an AI-powered app, edited text. Slidebook provided the layout. It’s available as a digital download on Issuu for $1.99.
To purchase Triggers.
Seattle Drawn available For Digital Download /
I have been documenting Seattle through digital drawings since 2016, when I relocated with my family from New York State. Seattle Drawn is a 244-page collection of those drawings. It is currently available as a digital download for only $1.99. A limited-edition print run is planned in the coming months.
To purchase Seattle Drawn.
Dead AvATAR: Part deluxe /
A serial video project based on the writings of Akira Ohiso.
Slurp! /
Noodle Design by Akira Ohiso
SLURP!
The Slurp! street mural project by Akira Ohiso, with technical assistance from muralist Angelina Villalobos, is inspired by noodles, stepping stones, the immigrant journey, and the diversity of intersecting cultures inhabiting the Chinatown-International District today. Each noodle cluster alludes to geographic locations, the circuitous route of immigration, and safe passage through the space. Landing on each cluster promotes this journey. Viewers are invited to appreciate the diversity of the neighborhood through vibrant colors, movement, and a memorable experience.
AKIRA OHISO
As both a frontline social worker and an artist, my art is informed by my work with vulnerable communities. My direct practice with clients is also influenced by my art. The process of art, as well as the therapeutic process, are similar in their drive to find resolution. Spontaneity, creativity and serendipity are the vehicles towards self-discovery. My imagery is often informed by memory, my mixed-race identity, and the hyper-vigilant space between my Asian and white selves. My work often plays with liminality and subsequent attempts at reconciliation. I want my work to be participatory for the viewer, but also abstract and Socratic enough to encompass many experiences and possibilities. When visiting the Chinatown-International District, my identity is instantly legitimized as I walk through Nihonmachi. The smell of fresh fish reminds me of my childhood. Still, I crave renewal and yearn for an Asian-American experience in the C-ID that survives and flourishes in the 21st century; a community that is open to change while respecting tradition. What does that look like?
SEATTLE OFFICE OF ARTS & CULTURE
This project is the culmination of considerable engagement with the Chinatown International District communities and work by the Maynard Alley Partnership (MAP) to reimagine Maynard Alley as a vibrant, community-focused pedestrian space. Together with the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, we have worked in close partnership with MAP, SCIDpda, the Wing Luke Museum, and the Seattle Together Initiative to facilitate the community’s vision for this space. We’ve included the contact information for our partners below and encourage you to speak with them.
The work will feature images of painted noodles by Ohiso along Maynard Alley in Seattle’s Chinatown International District. The project is funded through the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s and Seattle Department of Transportation’s 1% for Art program.
The Shelleys /
In 1995, I recorded an DIY album with a band called The Shelleys. I lived on Elizabeth Street in a 4th floor walk-up on the border of Little Italy and Chinatown. We played gigs in NYC’s LES and were done before we got started. Dennis, the guitarist and lead vocals, and I had not spoken in 25 years until this past week when I saw the songs on Spotify. I reached out to him and he sent me the album. We were and still are big Fugazi fans. After we broke up, Dennis, owner of Redrocks in DC, told me that he sent the songs to Ian MacKaye of Fugazi/Minor Threat and founder of Dischord Records. Ian had enjoyed the songs and wanted to hear us live. It’s all timing.
Time capsule: Listen to The Shelleys, a 1990s band on Spotify.
