b. 1980, Okazaki, Japan
Aki Torii is a visual artist who resides and works in Philadelphia, PA, USA. At age 19, she moved to the U.S. and earned a BFA degree in painting at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) and a MFA degree in interdisciplinary art at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia, PA). Her current work revolves around the theme of "home" as an endlessly transformative idea and entity. She has participated in Reel Venus Film Festival (New York, 2008), also group shows such as Instance, Instants, and Distance at Skybox Galley (Philadelphia, 2008), and Solitary Pleasure at Slought Foundation (Philadelphia, 2010).
Currently, she teaches foundation design courses at Delaware Collage of Art and Design in Wilmington, DE. In addition, she is a teaching artist at Philadelphia Museum of Art's Delphi Art Programs, Print Center's Artist-in-School Program, and Family Arts Academy Workshops/Summer Art Camp at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts School and Museum, Philadelphia, PA.
EDUCATION
2008 MFA, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) / Philadelphia, PA
2005 BFA (Painting), Indiana University / Bloomington, IN
- Minor in Art History, Dean’s List
Indiana University Summer Abroad Program / Florence, Italy
2004 Indiana University Oversea Program / Giverny, France
Two/Three PERSON EXHIBITION
2024 UPCOMING SHOW, Aterier Gallery/Philadelphia, PA
2022 Family Meeting, Seirakusha/Toyota, Japan
2021-22 Inner Workings, Gamut Gallery / Evansville, IN
SELECTED EXHIBITION
2022 Family Meeting, Seirakusha / Toyota, Japan
2015 The Freedom Gallery for Girls Art Exhibition, Gryphon Café / Wayne, PA
2014 From the Studio: Eighteenth Annual Faculty Exhibition, Delaware College of Art and Design / Wilmington, DE
2013 Artists Ourselves, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Dear Fleisher 4x 5 inches of Art, Fleisher Art Memorial / Philadelphia, PA
2012 Flash Flood, Little Berlin / Philadelphia, PA
2010 Solitary Pleasure, Slought Foundation / Philadelphia, PA
2009 Instance, Instants, and Distance, Skybox Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
Flesh Blood, Slought Foundation / Philadelphia, PA
New Work, Slought Foundation in Port Richmond / Philadelphia, PA
Quintuplets, Blink Art Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
2008 5th Annual Reel Venus Film Festival, Reel Venus Film Festival / New York, NY
20/20, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts / Philadelphia, PA
2007 All in, Blink Art Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
79th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Art Association of Harrisburg / Harrisburg, PA
(Curated by Alex Baker) – Voted Best of Show
2005 International Show, SoFA Gallery / Bloomington, IN
2004 Design Festa Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2014 - Current Teaching Artist, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
2011 – Current Artist In Residence, Print Center’s Artists-in-Schools Program, Philadelphia, PA
2009 – Current Adjunct Professor in Foundation design, Delaware College of Art and Design, Delaware, DE
2007 –Current Teaching Artist , Sunday Workshops for Family, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
2010 – 2021 Instructor, Young Artist Program at DCAD, Delaware, DE
2008 – 2020 Art Camp Instructor, Summer Art Camp, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
ART RESIDENCY
2016 July Shizuoka City Creators' Village Model Program Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan
2015 June Gealt Art Residency Spencer, IN
PUBLICATION
2015 Natalie Mcdonald, “10 Philadelphia female artists you need to know”, PhillyVoice, April 13, 2015.
2010 [^] Land, London, England
LECTURE
2015 Lecture/Presentation/Workshop, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, February 23.
OTHER ACCOLADES
2021 & 2022 Nominated for Best Artist category in Best in Philly, Metro Philadelphia
2008 MFA, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) / Philadelphia, PA
2005 BFA (Painting), Indiana University / Bloomington, IN
- Minor in Art History, Dean’s List
Indiana University Summer Abroad Program / Florence, Italy
2004 Indiana University Oversea Program / Giverny, France
Two/Three PERSON EXHIBITION
2024 UPCOMING SHOW, Aterier Gallery/Philadelphia, PA
2022 Family Meeting, Seirakusha/Toyota, Japan
2021-22 Inner Workings, Gamut Gallery / Evansville, IN
SELECTED EXHIBITION
2022 Family Meeting, Seirakusha / Toyota, Japan
2015 The Freedom Gallery for Girls Art Exhibition, Gryphon Café / Wayne, PA
2014 From the Studio: Eighteenth Annual Faculty Exhibition, Delaware College of Art and Design / Wilmington, DE
2013 Artists Ourselves, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Dear Fleisher 4x 5 inches of Art, Fleisher Art Memorial / Philadelphia, PA
2012 Flash Flood, Little Berlin / Philadelphia, PA
2010 Solitary Pleasure, Slought Foundation / Philadelphia, PA
2009 Instance, Instants, and Distance, Skybox Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
Flesh Blood, Slought Foundation / Philadelphia, PA
New Work, Slought Foundation in Port Richmond / Philadelphia, PA
Quintuplets, Blink Art Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
2008 5th Annual Reel Venus Film Festival, Reel Venus Film Festival / New York, NY
20/20, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts / Philadelphia, PA
2007 All in, Blink Art Gallery / Philadelphia, PA
79th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Art Association of Harrisburg / Harrisburg, PA
(Curated by Alex Baker) – Voted Best of Show
2005 International Show, SoFA Gallery / Bloomington, IN
2004 Design Festa Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2014 - Current Teaching Artist, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
2011 – Current Artist In Residence, Print Center’s Artists-in-Schools Program, Philadelphia, PA
2009 – Current Adjunct Professor in Foundation design, Delaware College of Art and Design, Delaware, DE
2007 –Current Teaching Artist , Sunday Workshops for Family, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
2010 – 2021 Instructor, Young Artist Program at DCAD, Delaware, DE
2008 – 2020 Art Camp Instructor, Summer Art Camp, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
ART RESIDENCY
2016 July Shizuoka City Creators' Village Model Program Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan
2015 June Gealt Art Residency Spencer, IN
PUBLICATION
2015 Natalie Mcdonald, “10 Philadelphia female artists you need to know”, PhillyVoice, April 13, 2015.
2010 [^] Land, London, England
LECTURE
2015 Lecture/Presentation/Workshop, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, February 23.
OTHER ACCOLADES
2021 & 2022 Nominated for Best Artist category in Best in Philly, Metro Philadelphia