About
Gabriel Akre (b. Lansing, MI, USA 1998) is a sculptor inspired by the Classical period, the Renaissance, and the great French academics of the 19th century. He uses the figure as his subject and his work aims to capture that life-giving quality that exists between Creator and creation. He endeavors to capture an individual person undergoing a unique, yet universal, human experience. He does this by working from life and actively studying expression and emotion. He believes that the human body reveals the human soul, therefore he observes from nature the infinite varieties within each individual.
In 2017 and again in 2018, Gabriel traveled throughout Italy to study sculpture, painting, and art history, which had a significant impact on his artistic trajectory. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting at the Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis, IN in 2020. Afterwards, he enrolled at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. Gabriel completed the full time Sculpture Program in the spring of 2024 and received the Graduate in Residency for the academic year of 2024-25. Currently he works in a private studio taking commissions and creating personal artwork.
Gabriel has exhibited work in the historic Palazzo Vecchio in Florence and elsewhere in Italy, London, New York City, and Indianapolis. He received two First Place prizes in the 17th Annual ARC Salon competition for his work The Garden in the “Sculpture” and the “Fully from Life” categories, and an Honorable Mention for his work Revelation in the “Sculpture” category. In the 18th Annual ARC Salon his work San Miniato verso il Monte received the Dual Categories award and he participated in the Salon exhibition at Sotheby's New York. He has been published twice in the Fine Art Connoisseur magazine.
Gabriel is self-represented. Instagram: @gabrielakreart
Biography
Installation of the sculpture San Miniato verso il Monte at the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, Italy - San Miniato Project
Artist Residency - Cappella Studio, Atlantic City, New Jersey - August 9-September 4 - Cappella Studio
With Artist Talk, Watch it here!
17th/18th International ARC Salon Exhibition - My sculpture The Garden on display - Art Renewal Center - Sothebys, New York NY - July 17-27
The Life of San Frediano - Presentation of new publication of the Life of Saint Frediano from Latin into Italian and English - Sculpture of San Miniato verso il Monte on display at the church of San Frediano in Cestello - Pneuma Art Foundation - Florence, Italy
18th International ARC Salon competition - Received the Dual Categories Award for the sculpture San Miniato verso il Monte - Art Renewal Center, USA - See it here!
2026
Sacred Art Prize 2025 - Saint Jerome received an Honorable Mention and Saint Hildegard von Bingen and San Miniato verso il Monte were Finalists - Catholic Art Institute, Washington, DC See it here!
Redeeming Beauty through Art with Gabriel Akre - Interview video with the Redeemed Vision Podcast - Watch it here!
PATH TO PARADISE - group exhibition by Pneuma Art Foundation and Frilli Gallery - PALAZZO VECCHIO, Sala d’Arme, Florence, Italy - See it here!
The Gratuitous Beauty of the Human Body with Gabriel Akre - Interview video with the Theology of the Body Institute - Watch it here!
Fine Arts Connoisseur magazine, “Three to Watch” article - July/August Publication - USA
Fine Arts Connoisseur magazine - May/June Publication - USA
FACE 2025 - group exhibition - Society of Portrait Sculptors - The Garrison Chapel, London, UK
17th International ARC Salon competition - Received two First Place prizes for the sculpture The Garden in both the Sculpture and the Fully From Life categories, and received an Honorable Mention for Revelation in the Sculpture category - Art Renewal Center, USA - See it here!
2025
Became Graduate-in-Residence and Instructor at the Florence Academy of Art for the academic year 2024-2025 - Florence, Italy
IN THE LIGHT OF FLORENCE - group exhibition - Pneuma Art Foundation - Florence, Italy - See it here!
David Features Workshop - Taught a three week long sculpture workshop where students learned how to copy the features of Michelangelo’s David in clay - AWS Sculpture Studio, South Bend, IN
Received Second Place for “Sculpture of the Year” at the Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy
Graduated from the Florence Academy of Art Sculpture Program - Florence, Italy
FACE 2024 - group exhibition - Society of Portrait Sculptors - The Garrison Chapel, London, UK
2024
Figurative Sculpture Invitational - Group exhibition - National Sculpture Society - Herron School of Art + Design, Indianapolis, IN - See it here!
45th Elkhart Juried Regional - Group exhibition - Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, IN - See it here!
Won Second Place Prize in the 23rd ARC Scholarship Competition - Art Renewal Center, USA - See it here!
Completed the second year of the Sculpture Program at the Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy
2023
Completed the first year of the Sculpture Program at the Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy
2022
2021
Commenced study at The Florence Academy of Art Sculpture Program - Florence, Italy
Death of a Thesis Show: 2020 Herron Graduates - group exhibition - Sugar Creek Art Center, Thornton, IN
Recent Work by Gabriel Akre: A Solo Exhibition - Barnes & Thornburg Building, Indianapolis, IN
2020
Indiana Chamber of Commerce Summer 2020 Exhibition - solo exhibition - Indiana Chamber of Commerce building, Indianapolis, IN
Graduated Herron School of Art + Design at IUPUI with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, with Highest Distinction - Indianapolis, IN
The Endless Complexities of People & Places: A Senior Thesis Exhibition by Gabriel Akre and Anita Gordon - Harrison Center, Indianapolis, IN - See it here!
Genesis Art Magazine Publication - IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Barnes & Thornburg Spring 2020 Exhibition - group exhibition - Barnes & Thornburg Building, Indianapolis, IN
National Society of Arts and Letters Annual 2020 Exhibition - group exhibition - Bloomington, IN
2019
The Space in Between - Artist Residency Solo Exhibition - StorageSpace Art Gallery, Indianapolis, IN
StorageSpace Summer Artist Residency - StorageSpace Art Gallery, Indianapolis, IN
Frost Brown Todd Summer Exhibition - Two person exhibition - Frost Brown Todd Building, Indianapolis, IN
Featured in IUPUI’s “Indy Impressions” series - IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN - See it here!
Genesis Art Magazine Publication - IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Barnes & Thornburg Spring 2019 Exhibition - group exhibition - Barnes & Thornburg Building, Indianapolis, IN
Monochromatic - Group exhibition - Herron School of Art + Design, Eskenazi Fine Arts Center, Indianapolis, IN
2018
SACI End of Year Student Exhibition - Group exhibition - SACI Studio Arts College International, Florence, Italy
Body Archives - Group exhibition - OnArt Gallery, formerly home to Benvenuto Cellini, Florence, Italy
Barnes & Thornburg Spring 2018 Exhibition - Group exhibition - Barnes & Thornburg Building, Indianapolis, IN
Genesis Art Magazine Publication - IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
2017
Marsh Gallery Painting Exhibition - Group exhibition - Herron School of Art + Design, Indianapolis, IN
Exploring Art in Italy - Group exhibition - Herron School of Art + Design, Eskenazi Fine Arts Center, Indianapolis, IN
DYNAMO - Group Exhibition - Circle City Industrial Complex, Indianapolis, IN