Anya Gallaccio (1963, Paisley, United Kingdom) often incorporates organic material in her work such as fruit, vegetables, plants, ice, and sand. Often these materials change during the course of the exhibition. Once they have left the artist's atelier nature takes over control. Flowers wither, grass grows, ice melts, fruit rots. In other works the natural course of transformation is stopped. Sprouting potatoes and broad bean pods, branches and whole tree trunks are reproduced in bronze, their lives prolonged indefinitely.
Anya Gallaccio studied at the Kingston Polytechnic and the Goldsmith College both situated in London. Gaining early international recognition with her participation in Damian Hirst's 'Freeze' exhibition Anya Gallaccio has participated in countless international solo - and groupshows such as at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh (2019), Austin Contemporary, Austin (2017), Thomas Dane Gallery, London (2017), Silas Marder Gallery, Bridgehampton (2015), Lehmann Maupin, New York (2015), Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego (2015), Headlands Center for the Arts, Sansalitos California (2014), Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh (2014), Artspace, San Antonio (2013), the Eastshire Museums in Scotland, Kilmarnock (2010), Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (2009), Camden Arts Centre, London (2008), Sculpture Center, New York (2006) and many other.
In 2003 she was nominated for the Turner Prize of the Tate Britain, London. She is a Professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of California, San Diego.