OSMAN AKAN BIOGRAPHY

Turkish / American

Born in 1970, Osman Akan studied graphic design at Bilkent University and holds a masters degree in Critical Studies and Integrated Media from California Institute of the Arts. An award winning artist, Akan is known for his use of unusual materials and his large scale installations. He has been working with light as a medium, especially with optical fibers, since 2004. Akan installed his first large public commission utilizing fiber optic systems in Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota, USA. In 2007 Akan received New York State Council on the Arts individual artist grant to realize The Third Bridge, a commission for the 40th year celebration of the arts in New York City Parks. In 2010 he completed “Albedo” a permanent sculpture commissioned by the City of Denver. “Fragmenta”; Akan’s first sculpture installed to a sub-arctic site, joined the permanent public art collection of the city of Anchorage Alaska in May 2012. “Nano” a parametric sculpture for the new Nanocenter at the State Unv. of New York Institute of Technology can be seen at the entrance of this multibillion-dollar research facility. In 2016 he installed “Lux Aeterna,” a commissions for the Bicentennial Plaza that is installed in front of the Indiana State House. “Lucerna”, a commission for the Unv. Of Anchorage was installed in 2017. “Peripheral Center”, another permanent outdoor artwork was installed at the Griffiss Technology Park in NY in 2018. Akan had been working on many projects including proposals for the US. Embassy in Ankara Turkey for the State Department collection. Recently completed “Voids” was installed to the new Alameda Library in El Paso, Texas. Osman Akan is currently working on a commission for the city of Warsaw, Indiana.

A Jerome and NYSCA fellow, Akan has been involved in many public and private projects and has had exhibitions both in United States and in Europe. Osman Akan lives and works in New York / USA.