BIO
Ryan Takaba is a material artist whose work uses materials like flowers, wax, ash, and ceramics to create pieces that explore themes of chance and unpredictability. He experiments with the properties and functions of different materials in solving problems and changing aesthetics. He also has teaching experience, and currently teaches at Arizona State with his wife. He is of Japanese, Chinese, and Okinawan descent, and has lived in several different US states, including Texas. This interview covers his childhood in Hawai’i, his process of finding art during college and subsequent schooling, and his career as an artist. He also describes his experience with his identity in Hawai’i versus the mainland US, and how his background has shaped his life.