Biography
Cloud Man (each/together) 2017-2019 FRP, acrylic, wood, steel 240x239x71cm
Akira the Hustler was born in Tokyo in 1969 and received his MFA in Painting from Kyoto City University of Arts in 1995. Since his student days, he has been active as an activist, notably through the AIDS Poster Project (APP), and has continued to create works addressing a wide range of social issues including HIV/AIDS, sexuality, nuclear power, and racial discrimination.
Recent exhibitions include STREET JUSTICE: Art, Sound and Power, Galaxy Gingakei, Tokyo (2018); Reborn-Art Festival 2017, Ishinomaki, Miyagi (2017); and Love’s Body: Art in Search of a Fundamental Sexuality, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (2010). His works are held in collections such as the Collection Lambert and the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo.
Works
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Akira the HustlerTools of Hope: Grab Your Hope, 2021Acrylic on canvas30 x 21.5 cm -
Akira the HustlerTools of Hope: Silence ≠ Life, 2021Acrylic on canvas30.2 x 21.7 cm
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Akira the HustlerIslands (And People) in an Ocean Current, 2020monotype print, oil pastel, oil on paper72.5 x 84.2 cm
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Akira the HustlerIndividualist (The peaks we're climbing), 2020Wood, stone modeling clay, acrylic gouacheDimension variable
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Akira The HustlerEACH / TOGETHER, 2019Woodblock print on paper84.6 x 84.6 cm (paper) / 110.5 x 110.5 cm (frame)A.P. Edition of 3
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Akira The HustlerTools of Hope: No Hate Under The Rainbow, 2018Acrylic on canvas215 x 148 cm
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Akira The HustlerCloud Man (each / together), 2017 - 2019FRP, acrylic, wood, steelDimensions variable (sculpture size: H240 x 239 x 71 cm)
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Akira The HustlerUnceasing Anger, (Fountain), 2017
Installation shots
Akira The Hustler, individualists, islands, Ota Fine Arts Tokyo, 2021
Video
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DJ TASAKA 『Bass of Hope』Video Mix
”Individualists” by Akira the Hustler | Shot by yui hasegawa | Edited and Directed by DJ TASAKA | from the album 『Goodie Bag』| UpRight Rec.(URRCD-002) 2 Oct 2021”Individualists” by Akira the Hustler Shot by yui hasegawa Edited and Directed by DJ TASAKA from the album 『Goodie Bag』 UpRight Rec.(URRCD-002)Read more -
Akira the Hustler | Individualist | 2020
25 May 2021Read more
Exhibitions
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Being
Akira the Hustler, BuBu de la Madeleine, Tomoko Kashiki, Nobuaki Takekawa, Ming Wong 22 Mar - 14 May 2025 SingaporeOta Fine Arts Singapore is delighted to present 'Being', a group exhibition featuring Akira the Hustler, BuBu de la Madeleine, Tomoko Kashiki, Nobuaki Takekawa and Ming Wong. These artists, in...Read more -
Animal Garden
Maria Farrar, Akira the Hustler, Hilmi Johandi, Yayoi Kusama, BuBu de le Madeleine, Soe Yu Nwe, Chris Huen Sin-Kan, Tomoko Kashiki 13 Dec 2024 - 25 Jan 2025 TokyoOta Fine Arts is delighted to announce our winter group exhibition, 'animal garden' . Closely connected to our lives, some animals live as pets that are as intimate as family,...Read more -
Here’s Your Playground
Akira the Hustler 25 Feb - 28 Apr 2023 7CHOME (Tokyo)Last year, a group of people was publicly prosecuted for staging sit-in protests on public roads. This news triggered Akira to think about "liberated areas. Where can we find such places that allow individuals to engage freely? This was a question that came to Akira’s mind only after the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a time of extreme mental and physical stagnation. The exhibition title, "Here's Your Playground" is Akira's message to this exclusive and closed society suggesting that "it is okay to play here".Read more -
Be There
Akira the Hustler, Hilmi Johandi, Jong YuGyong, Nobuaki Takekawa 15 Jul - 4 Sep 2022 SingaporeOta Fine Arts Singapore is delighted to present “Be There”, a group exhibition featuring four artists: Akira the Hustler, Hilmi Johandi, Jong YuGyong, Nobuaki Takekawa. The exhibition explores how each...Read more -
Gallery Collection
¥ouada, Tetsuya Umeda, Akira The Hustler, BuBu de la Madelaine + Yoshiko Shimada, Zai Kuning, Hiraki Sawa, Cheng Ran, Takao Minami, Tang Dixin, Hilmi Johandi, Masanori Handa 18 Jun - 6 Aug 2022 TokyoRead more -
Flame
Akira The Hustler, Liu Chuang, Tsuyoshi Hisakado, Tomoko Kashiki, Nam Jun Paik, Yoshiko Shimada, Nobuaki Takekawa, Jong YuGyong, Zai Kuning, Zhang Enli 22 Feb - 26 Mar 2022 TokyoRead more -
islands
Akira the Hustler, Nobuaki Takekawa, Tang Dixin, Masanori Handa, Hiraki Sawa, Tomoko Kashiki, Yuken Teruya 9 Jan - 13 Feb 2021 TokyoOta Fine Arts is delighted to present a group exhibition 'islands', focusing on small works on paper. The title of the exhibition suggests the Asian archipelago which is close in...Read more -
When many pass one way…
Akira the Hustler, Chen Wei, Jong YuGyong and ¥ouada 20 Jun - 22 Aug 2020 ShanghaiOta Fine Arts Shanghai is delighted to present 'When many pass one way...' a group exhibition featuring bold and dynamic artists from China and Japan. The title of this exhibition...Read more -
Gallery Collection
Nobuaki Takekawa, Akira the Hustler, Chen Wei, Tsuyoshi Hisakado, Jason Lim, Zhou Yilun 3 Dec 2019 - 1 Feb 2020 TokyoRead more -
Desert Garden
Akira the Hustler, Etsu Egami, Masanori Handa, Jong YuGyong, 17 Aug - 12 Sep 2019 ShanghaiOta Fine Arts Shanghai is delighted to present 'Desert Garden', a group exhibition featuring eight artists from China, Japan, Korea and Singapore. Through the diversity of works presented, the exhibition...Read more -
Welcome to the Parade
Akira the Hustler + Jong YuGyong 27 Apr - 29 Jun 2019 TokyoOta Fine Arts is pleased to announce 'Welcome to the Parade', a duo exhibition by Akira The Hustler (b. 1969) and Jong YuGyong (b. 1991). While Akira was already attracting...Read more -
Present Progressive
Nobuaki Takekawa, Yoshiko Shimada, Akira the Hustler, Bubu de la Madeleine, Hiraki Sawa, Tang Dixin, Maria Farrar, Andy Warhol, Nam June Paik, Wang Zhibo, other 19 Mar - 20 Apr 2019 TokyoExhibited artists: Nobuaki Takekawa Yoshiko Shimada Akira the Hustler Bubu de la Madeleine Hiraki Sawa Tang Dixin Maria Farrar Andy Warhol Nam June Paik Wang Zhibo otherRead more -
Crossroads
Akira the Hustler, Chen Wei, Cheng Ran, Masanori Handa, Zai Kuning, Yayoi Kusama, Hiraki Sawa, Guo-Liang Tan, Tang Dixin 21 Sep - 3 Nov 2018 SingaporeCoinciding with Gillman Barracks Art After Dark x 6th Anniversary Celebrations, 21 September 2018, 7pm till late Ota Fine Arts Singapore is delighted to present 'Crossroads', a group exhibition by...Read more -
Be there
Akira the Hustler, Kiri Dalena, Yoshiko Shimada, Nobuaki Takekawa, Yuken Teruya 15 May - 7 Jul 2018 TokyoOta Fine Arts is delighted to announce 'Be there', a group exhibition featuring artworks that connote socio-political messages. 'Be there' is a slogan used to encourage people to participate in...Read more -
Gallery Collection
Akira the Hustler, Rina Banerjee, Manami Koike, Hiraki Sawa 26 Aug - 9 Sep 2017 TokyoRead more -
primal lines
26 Jan - 20 Feb 2016 TokyoOta Fine Arts is pleased to announce 'primal lines', an exhibition of drawings by various artists, including new works and works which will be presented in Japan for the first...Read more -
Gallery Collection
8 Dec 2015 - 16 Jan 2016 TokyoYayoi Kusama Yuken Teruya Takao Minami Akira the Hustler Jay Flores Ticar Rina Banerjee Zhang EnliRead more -
Akira the Hustler "Ordinary Life"
8 Sep - 13 Oct 2012 TokyoOpening live performance by the following artists will start at 18:00 on 8 September. MC: ATS, Akuryo / Sound: i Zoom i Rockers *Admission FreeRead more -
Sculptures
Zhan Wang, Yee Sookyung, Rinshiro Fujiki from SHINCHIKA, Yuken Teruya, Akira the Hustler, Yayoi Kusama, Haniwa Human Figure 22 May - 3 Jul 2010 TokyoFrom East to West, China to Iran, this exhibition will follow the cultural belt of Asia. It has selected three-dimensional works with wide-range Asian tones. Born in Qazvin, Iran in...Read more -
SLOGAN
Naoya Inose, Yuken Teruya, Yoshiko Shimada, Akira the Hustler 7 Sep - 10 Oct 2009 TokyoRead more -
Akira the Hustler presents. "Living Together"
Akira the Hustler 22 Jan - 16 Feb 2008 TokyoWhoever we are HIV-positive or not, we're already living together.This is the concept of Living Together Project, it has started in 2003. The treatments have made an innovative advance in...Read more -
Gallery Collection
Mio Shirai, Tomomi Maekawa, Yayoi Kusama, Akira the Hustler, BuBu de la Madeleine, Yuken Teruya 6 Dec 2005 - 27 Jan 2006 TokyoRead more -
COUPLE
Nobuaki Takekawa, BuBu and Yoshiko Shimada, Akira the Hustler, Yayoi Kusama, Dennis Oppenheim, GI JOE 22 Jun - 10 Jul 2004 TokyoRead more -
Akira the Hustler
Akira the Hustler 21 May - 19 Jun 2004 TokyoRead more -
Gallery Artists
BuBu de la Madeleine, Akira the Hustler, Yayoi Kusama, Tsuyoshi Ozawa 6 - 28 Jun 2003 TokyoRead more -
Akira the Hustler
28 Sep - 20 Oct 2001 TokyoRead more -
Akira the Hustler
27 Aug - 18 Nov 2000 TokyoRead more -
The Bitters "Whores on Holiday"
BuBu de la Madelaine, Akira the Hustler, Mikado 9 Jul - 7 Aug 1999 TokyoRead more
News
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Akira the Hustler
Talk and Book Signing "A Whore Diary" Republication, On Sundays, Tokyo, Japan 7 Dec 20242000年に初版（ワタリウム美術館／OTA FINE ARTS）、2018年に韓国（SUNNY BOOKS）でも出版された、アキラ・ザ・ハスラーの『売男日記 / A Whore Diary』がリニューアル復刊されることを記念し、トーク＆サイン会を開催します。 新刊『売男日記 / 妓男日記 / 남창 일기 / A Whore Diary』 日本語、中国語（繁体字）、韓国語、英語 サイズ：138mm × 210mm、ページ数：160p 税込価格：3,300円 タイトル： アキラ・ザ・ハスラー『売男日記...Read more -
Akira the Hustler
Talk and drag show event at Koiwa BUSHBASH, Tokyo 9 Oct 2024Akira the Hustler will participate in a talk and drag show event 'こどくにおどるクィアの集い３' as a drag queen MELODIAS. Title: 'こどくにおどるクィアの集い３ ' Dates: 2024.10.19(Sat.) Open/Start 18:00...Read more -
Akira the Hustler
Talk "Love Positive 30 Art of AIDS in Yokohama 1994→2024”, ZOU-NO-HANA TERRACE, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan 21 Aug 2024Akira the Hustler participates in a talk programme, 'Love Positive 30 Art of AIDS in Yokohama 1994→2024', at ZOU-NO-HANA TERRACE, Yokohama Title: 'Love Positive 30...Read more -
Akira the Hustler
"This is our playground." tata bookshop / gallery, Koenji, Tokyo, Japan 26 Aug 2022Akira the Hustler participates in the two artists show, 'This is our playground.' with Rody Shimazaki at tata bookshop / gallery in Koenji in Tokyo...Read more
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