Kelly Akashi's Sculptural Bodies in Glass, Bronze, and Wax

Kelly Akashi creates sculptures that function as corporeal forms, using materials like glass, bronze, and wax to evoke visceral physicality. Her works include chandeliers that drip wax onto pillows when lit, creating patterns through gravity and heat. In her 2015 piece Five Breaths Piercing a Wall, blown glass forms shaped by the artist's breath penetrate architectural surfaces. Akashi frequently incorporates casts of her own hands in wax, resting on melted candle hemispheres or interacting with glass containers. Her sculptures often appear in freestanding walls with punched holes or arc through rooms with liquid-like presence. Based in Los Angeles, Akashi studied at the University of Southern California and Frankfurt's Städelschule. She has presented solo exhibitions at Michael Jon Gallery in Miami, Chin's Push in Highland Park, and Beige Cube in Frankfurt am Main. This profile originally appeared in ArtReview's January & February 2016 issue, selected by Andrew Berardini.