ON THE HARP

Ackeem Salmon is an internationally recognized art director, educator, and interdisciplinary artist from Kingston, Jamaica, now based in Detroit, MI. His diverse practice spans photography, painting, drawing, music composition, harp performance, film, projections, and site-specific installations. Ackeem’s work explores postcolonial theories, human individuality, collectivity, and the influence of cultural history on contemporary identities. Through these explorations, he creates immersive experiences that resonate with audiences on both intellectual and emotional levels.

A graduate with honors from the College for Creative Studies and with additional studies at the Paris College of Art, Ackeem has also been mentored by prominent musicians and instrumentalists from Detroit and internationally throughout his academic and professional career. He blends visual and musical artistry in his interdisciplinary approach. His personal experiences—growing up in Jamaica and living in various cultural contexts—inform his work, often focusing on the transient nature of life, memory, and identity. His music, particularly through the harp, explores the interplay of physics, space, time, and human emotions, blending improvisation with structured compositions to create compelling sonic narratives.

Ackeem has performed at prominent venues such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall, Théâtre Douze in Paris, and the Faena Forum in Miami. He has exhibited at renowned spaces including Sotheby’s Auction House in New York, the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, Galerie Joseph in Paris, and Val de Vie Estate in South Africa. His contributions to the arts have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2024 Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award, the 2023 Gilda Snowden Award for Interdisciplinary Work from the Kresge Foundation, and the 2021 National Dr. Jesse M. Colson Award from the Pierians Foundation, among others.

Beyond his artistic practice, Ackeem is a passionate advocate for equity and access in the arts and education. As a former Teach for America Fellow (2021-2023) and public school teacher, he continues to foster dialogues on learning, identity, and social progress through both his art and collaborative works.

Centaurs Become Human, 2023

A Night in Blue, 2023