Open Sandwich: Akira Ishu

Come along to a Spike Island lunchtime social, and don't forget your sandwich!

Spike Island is pleased to announce that Bolivian–Japanese curator Akira Ishu has been awarded a three-month curatorial fellowship at Spike Island, taking place from March to June 2026. The fellowship is delivered in partnership with Contemporary Bolivian Arts Trust (CBAT) and Fundación RSV.

Conceived as a platform for early-career international curators based in Bolivia, the fellowship reflects a shared commitment to supporting curatorial voices from underrepresented contexts and fostering international exchange between the UK and Bolivian art scenes. During his residency in Bristol, Ishu will undertake curatorial research, participate in professional development opportunities, and engage closely with Spike Island’s community of over 70 resident artists. Read an interview with Akira and more about the fellowship here.

In this lunchtime talk, Akira will talk about his experiences researching, producing and putting up a Simpsons-themed group show. He will discuss the way he interacts and collaborates with local artists, and the importance of collaborative research, as well as his plans to develop more structured artistic practices in Santa Cruz.

Akira will also touch briefly on esports (electronic sports) - a subject of personal interest - and the ways in which this industry is expanding into other industries such as art, merchandising, and production.

About Akira Ishu

Akira Ishu Cabrera is a Bolivian-Japanese curator from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. He co-founded Espacio CACA, an independent contemporary art space, along with artist Benicia Chávez. He works with local artists to develop proposals that resonate with life in the city, with motives of memory and pop culture among Latin America.

www.instagram.com/akiraishu
akiraishu.neocities.org
www.instagram.com/espacio.caca

Image credit: QUERIDA MARGE (2024), installation at KIOSKO Galería. Courtesy Akira Ishu and Espacio CACA. Photo by Bernardo Boehme

Open Sandwiches are an opportunity for Spike Island community members to connect, share and learn from one another. Taking place once or twice a month over lunch, they act as a regular, informal space for open and supportive conversation.

Speakers are invited to introduce themselves, present their practice or a recent project, or even to suggest a topic for discussion or test a new idea.

Open Sandwiches are jointly programmed by Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner (Assistant Curator: Artist Development and Engagement) and Carol Laidler (artist and Spike Island studio holder).

If you have any access requirements that you'd like to discuss, or if there's anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you, please email YXNzb2NpYXRlcyB8IHNwaWtlaXNsYW5kICEgb3JnICEgdWs= or call our reception on 0117 929 2266.

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