As an interdisciplinary artist, my work looks at moments, time, place, and people within their environment. In this exhibition I look at an issue which has become untouchable. We react to it the moment it happens, but in 2, or 3, or 7 days we forget it again. It returns again and again in massive disasters, but we never take action about it. How can we build a life out of fear? Every day on the radio, on the television, in the newspapers, someone somewhere receives the call of last breath without notice. When parents drop their kids to school, they don’t know if that goodbye kiss is the last one. When husbands, wives, dads, and mums say bye in the morning, who knows if that is the last time you will set your eyes on and feel the heart beat of your loved ones again. We are all living in fear when our loved ones do not return at the usual time he/ she gets back from work. The statistics say 30,000 souls die and 60,000 are injured from guns every year in our America. How many have heard the last call through a gun shot in the world, and yet we continue to say GUNS DON’T KILL!!! Should we say it is the BULLETS that kill? Or is it people? Are we ourselves our own enemy? We invent these weapons of destruction. Some of us have the power to stop it, but we do not because this is the source of our wealth. The authorities we give our votes to in order to protect us refuse to enforce law on the spreading of GUNS in every corner of our nation and world.

Join me as I explore the side effects of GUNS in this solo exhibition installation and performance, and sign the petition with me.

Olaniyi Rasheed Akindiya a.k.a. Akirash was born in Lagos- Nigeria. He now lives in Austin TX. Olaniyi has received several Awards, fellowships, grants and residencies including the Commonwealth Foundation Award UK, Pollock K. Foundation grants, Triangle Art Association NY, Vytlacil Campus of the Art Student League NY, Vermont Studio Center, Nafasi Art Space Tanzania, Thami Mnyele Foundation Netherlands, Bluesky Project Chicago. Olaniyi exhibits his work nationally and internationally. www.artwithakirash.com