Biography
Jacob Ashba is a multidisciplinary artist who utilizes numerous mediums to develop artwork that speaks to a shared sense of humanity, and a love for what makes every individual unique. He believes that art acts as a physical representation of an artist's state of mind; their inner mode of self manifesting through visual language. He believes that all artwork is a pure form of self-portraiture. Jacob is currently attending Michigan State University in pursuit of a MFA in Fine Arts, and received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts and a Minor in Photography from Columbia College Chicago. He has displayed in numerous exhibitions across the midwest, notably two solo shows at the Holland Area Arts Council (Holland, MI) and Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI).
Artist Statement
My art questions the phenomenon of personhood. Through processes that synthesize surrealist automatism and symbolic representation, I reflect on the existential nature of life. Using imagery as a means to explore the relationship that I hold with my sense of humanity, each work is made through visceral negotiation between materials and emotions. While my earlier work utilized representational imagery to establish a visual narrative, my current practice has moved toward a more material-heavy process. This shift reflects an evolution from emotional inference to physical presence, focusing on sculptures and paintings that not only capture an essence of my state of being, but also provide others an opportunity to converse with the art as its own entity. Each medium used maintains elements of its nature and actively works both with and against me. This tension generates organic moments of interaction between my artistic choices and the materials' intrinsic traits. In this sense, the art maintains its individualism and inherits a sense of humanity within its visual language.
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Photography minor, Columbia College Chicago (2023)
MFA in Studio Arts (pending) Michigan State University
Exhibitions
2026:
Shooting Stars, Struk Studio, East Lansing MI
Coalesce, Kresge Art Center, East Lansing MI
The Human Form, Buckham Gallery, Flint MI
Meat Bone Spirit, Kresge Art Center (solo), East Lansing MI
Tales From a World Beyond, Holland Area Arts Council (solo), Holland MI
But Just Now... Kresge Art Center, East Lansing MI
TwentySomethings Exhibit, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland MI
Preface MFA Exhibition, Kresge Art Center, East Lansing MI
Invitation to Impermanence, COMMON Canvas Studio, Chicago IL
Out of the Basement, Glass Curtain Gallery, Chicago IL
Make No Small Plans: A Small Works Show, Alcove Gallery, Chicago IL
Open Studios, 1104 Studios, Chicago IL
2025:
(Solo) Meat Bone Spirit , Kresge Art Center, East Lansing, MI
(Solo) Tales From a World Beyond, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
But Just Now…, Kresge Art Center, East Lansing, MI
2024:
TwentySomethings Exhibit , Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Preface MFA Exhibition, Kresge Art Center, East Lansing, MI
2023:
Invitation to Impermanence , COMMON Canvas Studio, Chicago, IL
Out of the Basement, Glass Curtain Gallery, Chicago, IL
2022
Make No Small Plans: A Small Works Show, Alcove Gallery, Chicago, IL
Open Studios ,1104 Studios, Chicago, IL