Opening Reception - Thursday, September 25 from 5 to 7pm
Randy Akers is a visual artist based on Skidaway Island, Georgia. His work transforms unremarkable and forgotten neighborhoods of the South into powerful metaphors, symbolizing lost connections and the passage of time. His keen observation of color and space not only capture the present but also allude to the imminent threat of gentrification and undeniable change. Throughout his travels in his home state of Georgia, and broader through the artist residences in Andalusia, Spain and Puget Sound, Washington, Randy aims to build a visual history of humanity and the undeniable beauty of age.
Akers’ work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, the University of New Mexico's Harwood Foundation, Brownsville Museum of Art, among others. His art residencies include notable programs like Vashon Island Artist Residency in 2023, JOYA: arte + ecologica in Spain in 2022, and Cill Rialaig in Ireland in 2021, showcasing the global reach of his artistic pursuits.
"I drive down roads in remote parts of the world and see a place or a name that triggers an immediate response. These locations are always in rough condition—messy, dirty, rusty, and neglected. They have often been sources of conflict, social unrest, economic despair, or oppression. I create a visual record of these sites to reflect the times we live in. I always look at the underbelly of these places and convey it in my work.
Usually, halfway through the process, the paint takes over. Color develops its own direction, and new variations suddenly appear. Chisels, electric sanders, grinders, drywall knives, and razor blades are brought out to redefine the image. Marks disturb the surface. Redos are evident, occurring over and over again. Construction lines show scars of false beginnings. Structures stretch or shrink; windows and doorways are added or subtracted, darkened or lightened. Shapes are reduced. Skies become bigger, smaller, grayer, or brighter. Primitive scratch marks provide the foundation for the layout procedure. Applied paint refuses to stay in the lines. Colors bleed, scar, overlap, spread, and stain. The marks are strong and expressionistic, gouging the surface. Pigment sinks into the crevices. The surface clamors for evidence of the human hand. The process is a struggle and can extend over several months, with layer upon layer of decisions and paint applications."
Randy Akers, Skidaway Island, Georgia
