About
Aika Akhmetova (b. 1995 Almaty, Kazakhstan) is an artist based between New York and Almaty. Their practice consists of installation, video, sculpture, and performance exploring intimate corners of being: childhood apartments, hallways and playgrounds, precious memories, candy, old furniture, rugs, mirrors and waste. They’ve had solo exhibitions at Ortega y Gasset Projects in 2023, A.I.R. Gallery in 2021 and participated in group shows across the US, Central Asia and Europe. Akhmetova was an AIM fellow at The Bronx Museum of the Arts in 2022 and an artist in residence at LMCC Arts Center on Governors Island summer 2023.
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instagram: @aigerimakh
aikaakhmetova1995@gmail.com
CV
Education
2020 Columbia University, New York, NY - MFA Visual Arts
2017 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI - BFA Painting
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Rage Fantasies, Ortega Y Gasset Projects The Skirt, New York
2021 Traditionally Unnurturing Nurture, A.I.R. Gallery, New York
Performances and screenings
2024 Nomadic Pastoralism, Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York NY
In My Dreams, We Were Free, Mass Gallery, Houston TX
2020 Deep Winter Healing, Essex Flowers, New York NY
2019 Kyzdyn Zholy Zheneshke, Wallach Gallery, New York NY
Dog’s Growl, Incarnata Social Club at Berlin NYC, New York NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Paper Show, Egin Art Space, Almaty, Kazakhstan
You Are Here: Central Asia, Foundazione Elpis, Milan, Italy
Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial, Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York NY
In My Dreams, We Were Free, Mass Gallery, Houston TX
2023 ARTBAT FEST, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Homorientalism, Smack Mellon, New York NY
Embodied, Hercules Studio Program, New York NY
Warm Inflation, GAMU (The Gallery of the Academy of Performing Arts), Prague, Czech Republic
2022 Rabbit Art Market, TSUM, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Titebond Infinity, 651 Woodward Ave, New York NY
Fighting Solves Everything, Church Street Boxing Gym, 25 Park Place, New York NY
2021 In Response: We Fight to Build a Free World, Jewish Museum, New York
Columbia MFA Thesis Show, Wallach Gallery, New York NY
2020 soft windows, Public Swim/A.I.R., New York NY
Alone Together, Steve Turner, Los Angeles CA
M.I.O.K, Leroy Neiman Gallery, New York NY
2019 Aesthetically Functional Only, 1675 Broadway, New York NY
Astana Art Show: Racing the Galaxy, Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, Astana, Kazakhstan
Columbia MFA First Year Show, Wallach Gallery, New York NY
Incarnata Social Club, Berlin NYC, New York NY
2018 Fragmented Realities, Nonfinito Gallery, New York NY
2017 Circles Without Breaks, Local Project Art Space, New York NY
Mutual Encounters, RISD Museum Gelman Gallery, Providence RI
We Need to Talk, Petzel Gallery, New York NY
Vertical Horizons, RISD Museum Gelman Gallery, Providence RI
Awards, Fellowships and Residencies
2023 LMCC Arts Center Residency
2022-2023 AIM Fellowship, Bronx Museum of the Arts
2020-2021 A.I.R. Fellowship, A.I.R. Gallery
2017 Florence Leaf Award, Rhode Island School of Design
Teaching
2023 - present, Visiting Instructor, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn
2021 - present, Teaching Artist, Harlem School of the Arts, New York
writing
2020 Intersectionality in the Studio, Guest curated by Pamela Sneed, The Archive: Intersectionality (issue no. 68), Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, March 18
Selected Bibliography and Publications
2024 Sander, Kamil, “YOU ARE HERE. Central Asia. After great silence, at the Elpis Foundation”, Juliet Magazine, October 31st, 2024
2023 Wilson, Jennifer, “Where The Artists Are Present - And In Charge”, The New York Times Style Magazine, September 26th, 2023
Two Coats of Paint, “NYC Selected Gallery Guide: July 2023
2021 Lines Inside, edited and compiled by Roni Aviv and Lizzy De Vita, TSA PDF no.019, March 3
Aviv, Roni, ArteFuse,Aika Akhmetova: Traditionally Unnurturing Nurture, May 18, 2022
2020 Racing the Galaxy, Jerome Sans and Dina Baitassova, Skira Editore S.p.A, Exhibition Catalogue,
Hardcover, August 19
Gonzalez, Camilla Marchese, "m.i.o.k interactive art exhibit", The Daily Spectator, March 9
m.i.o.k - Exhibition Catalogue, February 27
Deng, Audrey. “Conversations with Artists in Art Getting Art: Aika Akhmetova”, Columbia University School of the Arts, November 15
2018 BLVD X, “My paintings are flags for people who don’t belong”, BLVD X, October 26