SHOHEI KATAYAMA

Shohei Katayama is a Japanese American artist whose work delves into the intricate relationships between nature, technology, and the scientific forces that shape human experience and interaction. He is particularly fascinated by the liminal spaces where opposites converge—light and dark, life and death, beauty and danger, nature and humanity. His diverse body of work encompasses line drawings, sculptures, and installation art, each piece reflecting a deep exploration of interconnectedness.

Katayama’s art draws from a wide array of influences, including ecological studies, principles of physics, material phenomena, and the experience of grief. He investigates the underlying patterns and forces of nature, revealing unseen relationships and using materials that adapt, evolve, and mutate. Through his work, Katayama illustrates the entanglements present within these systems and the disruptions that arise when individual elements are manipulated, embodying a philosophy rooted in ecological awareness and examination.

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Katayama received his MFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2019. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award by the International Sculpture Center, the Frank-Ratchye Fund for the Art at the Frontier Award, and a finalist in the 21C Artadia award, among others. His work has been exhibited nationally, and internationally at the Palazzo Mora in Venice, Italy; 5 Manhattan West Building in New York; Plaxall Gallery in Long Island City; Littman Gallery in Portland, OR, and more. Katayama has participated in NARS International Residency in Brooklyn, NY; the Mattress Factory International Residency; the Facebook Artist-in-Residence Program; the Arctic Circle Residency in Svalbard, Norway; the Labverde Amazon Residency in Manaus, Brazil; the International Sculpture Center Residency at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, NJ; Tough Art Residency Program in Pittsburgh, PA, and at the Asia Institute Crane House in Louisville, KY.