Merryn Omotayo Alaka
merrynalaka2@gmail.com
merrynalaka.com
Education
2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Printmaking, Arizona State University
Solo & Two Person Exhibitions
2022
(Upcoming) Lehman Emerging Artist, Phoenix, AZ
2021
Things We Carry, Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix AZ
2020
In Memory, Palabra, Phoenix AZ
2019
Orisun, Evolve, Phoenix AZ
2018
Material Culture, Xico Inc, Phoenix AZ
It’s Mine, I Bought It, Xico Inc, Phoenix AZ
Selected Exhibitions
2022
Wear You Love Like Heaven, Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Femme, FLXST Contemporary, Chicago, IL
Luster and Light, Arizona State University Ceramic Research Center
2021
Forever Becoming, Scottsdale Museum of Art, Scottsdale, AZ
NOMAD, Torrence Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
2020
Blue, Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix AZ
Viewpoints, Gallery at Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts, Scottsdale AZ
2019
No Center Line, Mount Sequoyah, Fayetteville AR
Messages in Ink: Women in Print, Civic Center Public Gallery, Tempe AZ
Alptraum: The Wandering Show, Fine Art Complex, Tempe AZ
Contemporary Craft, Mesa Contemporary Art Center, Mesa AZ
Artlink 31st Annual Gala, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix AZ
11th Edition, Practical Arts, Phoenix AZ
Entangled, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale AZ
Americana, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Spatial Blanks, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Juried Undergrad Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Tempe AZ
In, On, and Of Paper, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix AZ
2018
Hands on/Hands off, Gallery 100, Tempe AZ
Primero, Gallery 100, Tempe AZ
In Your Own Backyard, Xico Inc, Phoenix AZ
imPress Juried Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Tempe AZ
Arizona Biennial, Tuscan Museum of Art, Tuscan AZ
Contemporary Culture, Xico inc, Phoenix AZ
Collections
Tucson Museum of Art
Curated Exhibitions
2022
Call us who we left behind. Artists: Alison Auditore, Amirah Chatman, Antoinette Cauley, Brianna
Noble, Philip Gabriel Steverson. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
2021
Reflecting and Recollecting (Co- Curated by Jeff Chabot). Artists: Antoinette Cauley, Miguel Angel
Godoy, Ed Gomez, Douglas Miles, Brandi Reed, Amy Simmons, Luke Watson. Modified Arts,
Phoenix, AZ
Homeland Insecurity. Artists: Gloria Martinez- Granados, Karen Nazario, Elizabeth Pineda, Yvette
Serrano. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Elementae Naturae. Artists: Aimee Ollinger. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Only Hope. Artists: Philip Gabriel Steverson. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Ryan Ko “Peggy” + Steffi Faircloth “Nuestro Barrio”. Artists: Ryan Ko, Steffi Faircloth, Modified Arts,
Phoenix, AZ
Archival Boundaries (Co- Curated by Meli Nava). Artists: Diana Calderon, Meli Nava, R. Treshawn
Williamson. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Future Intercept. Artist: Douglas Miles. Modified Art, Phoenix, AZ
Watching You, Watching Me. Artists: Emily Sarten, Samantha Pesqueira. Modified Arts, Phoenix,
AZ
Soul of a Woman (Co- Curated by Zhane’l Speaks) . Artists: Ashley Baker, Asia Dorty, Brianna
Noble, Zhane’l Speaks Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
2020
Oracles of the Other. Artists: Qualesha Wood, Granville Caroll, AJ McClenon, Mahari Chabwera,
Tay Butler, Bee Spiderman, Jasilyn Anderson. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
2019
A Fine Line, Artists: Kathryn Hratko, Isabella Castillo, R. J. Cole Tipton, Aimee Ollinger, Yuyu
Shirotori, Alexis Raindery, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Americana, Artists: Mia B Adams, Kareem Ferreira, Brianna Noble, Kennady Schieder, Papay Solomon, Jonathan Wright. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Assistant Director
2022
Kin. Artist: Rodrigo Del Toledo. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Tense. Artists: Chris Jagmin, Ann Morton, Safwat Saleem. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ.
Larry Kornegay + Bill Timmerman Paintings and Photographs. Artists: Bill Timmerman, Larry
Kornegay. Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
2019
Kindred + Anasazi Blues: Margaret Zox Brown & Geoffry Bohm. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Squares and Gestures: Paul Lorenz. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Climate of Unrest. Artist: Jeff Chabot, Sean Deckert, Luis G Hernandez, Molly Koehn, Carolyn Lavender, William LeGoullon, Andrew Manning, Lizzy Taber. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
A Fine Line. Artists: Kathryn Hratko, Isabella Castillo, R. Cole Tipton, Aimee Ollinger, YuYu Shiratori, Alexis Rainery. Modified Art, Phoenix AZ
The Flourishing Harvest + Discovery: Jason Adkins & Brad Nuorala. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Depth Perception: Lena Klett & Louise Fisher. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Douglass Miles: Everyday Sacred. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Americana. Artists: Mia Adams, Kareem Ferreira, Briana Noble, Kennady Scheider, Papay Solomon, Jonathan Wright. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
2018
Low Data. Artist: Emily Irwin, Sam Pesqueira, Emily Sarten, Miguel Angel Monzon, Brandon Meged, Ethan Roads, John McVay. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Headspace: Kenosha Drucker & Chelsi Rossi. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Transfer: Jerry Jacobson. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
VGivarium Foras + Polyflora: Ryan Para & Emily Ritter. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Prep Show. Artist: Jason Adkins, Brian Boner, Abby Christensen, David Dauncey, Turner Davis, Daniel Funkhouser, Frank Gonzales, Lena Klett, Gregory Manley. Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Professional Experience
2022-Current
Public Art Specialist, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ
Public Art Assistant, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ
Gallery Director & Curator, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
2020-2021
Public Art Specialist, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ
Public Art Assistant, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ
Gallery Director & Curator, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Studio Assistant to John Randall Nelson, Tempe AZ
Make it! Teaching Artist, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ
Under Pressure, Teaching Artist, Vision Gallery, Chandler, AZ
2019
Assistant Gallery Director & Assitant Curator, Modified Arts, Phoenix AZ
Artwork Coordinator, Phoenix City Hall, Phoenix AZ
Artwork Guide, Wonderspaces Arizona, Scottsdale AZ
Teaching Artist, Make It!, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ
Artist Talk, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale AZ
Gallery Attendant, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ
2018
Lithography Studio Assistant & Shop Tech, Arizona State University
Awards & Grants
2022
Lehman Emerging Artist Award, Phoenix, AZ
2020
Night Bloom Artist Grant, MOCA Tucson and Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
2019
Juror’s Award, Mesa Contemporary Art Center, Mesa AZ
2018
Honorable Mention, Juried Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Tempe AZ
Press
2021
Southwest Contemporary - Beauty Suppliers
JAVA Magazine -The Politics of Presence and Presentment: New Works by Merryn Alaka, Sam
Fresquez, & Angela Ellsworth
Phoenix Art Museum- Merryn Omotayo Alaka, In Her Own Words
2019
JAVA Magazine- Merryn Alaka and Miguel Monzon: Modified Arts Turns 20 and Looks Forward
AZ PBS Art in the 48- First Friday Offers Community Connection
Phoenix New Times- Arizona Artist Present in ‘In and On Paper’ at Bentley Gallery
Phoenix New Times- Arizona Biennial Exhibits Explores Life in Between Two Worlds