Joe Nanashe was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He began his studies at the University of Akron as a painter, but soon moved on to sculpture, performance and video. The post-industrial landscape of Akron and its emphasis on manual labor became a major influence on the repetitive task driven nature of his work.

Joe received his BFA from the University of Akron in 2003, and began attending Rutgers University that fall. During his graduate studies, he further blended performance, video and installation into works that confront the viewer with issues of violence, control and question the nature of perception. He received his M.F.A. in Visual Arts and the Paul Robeson Emerging Artist Award in the spring of 2005.

His work has shown at the New York Underground Film Festival, the Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Underground Film Festival. He has exhibited internationally in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Canada, and Argentina. Currently, Joe lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.