S I N G U L A R I T Y C H R I S T O P H E R K U R T Z

S I N G U L A R I T Y

C H R I S T O P H E R K U R T Z

∙ ∙ ∙

C H R I S T O P H E R K U R T Z

in this new exhibition, “singularity”, i have created a number of sculptures made

up of constructed and carved pieces of wood. the forms appear to elongate and

stretch out into dynamic compositions. the effect is that of structures appearing

to be elastic, and held in a delicate balance. the forms often evoke rays of light, as

well as more tangible structures. the pieces may be understood on an intimate scale,

referring to forms such as spider webs, cracked ice, or thorns from a locust tree.

equally, the sculptures suggest expanses of space that are greater than our human

experience: interstellar events, the collapse and explosions of stars, and light

traveling infinitely through space.

in either case, the physical proportion of each sculptural form relates back to

the scale of the human body. whether the pieces are suspended from the ceiling,

free standing on the floor, perched atop a pedestal, or mounted on the wall,

they all consider balance and gesture that is familiar to this world. nature is an

inevitable inspiration for any creative process, and sources of nature can be found

in all of this work. i am much more preoccupied with the built environment; how

humans manipulate and refine materials, and how we interact with the world. the

methods of how structures are designed and built - and then the way they inevitably

surrender to gravity over time, is an endless source of inspiration. i also look at

dance, ballet in particular, in a s imilar way. to leap and to land on p oint, to stretch

and elongate an arm or a leg, to hold the position, and yield to gravity with grace,

is the essence of my interest in sculpture. the act of making sculpture is a protest

against gravity. to erect something and make it stand up is an act of hubris - but it is

essential to humans affirming their existence.

my medium is wood, and my approach to sculpture is one of restraint and

discipline. i have chosen to limit my medium to this material, and limit my studio

to a relatively simple set of tools. i mostly work alone and my richest hours of

creativity are very early in the morning, usually before dawn. the sculpture

pieces are typically a combination of construction and carving. the structures

are carpentered and joined, often with an armature holding the composition in

place. there are many hours of work where the forms are being built, and taken

apart to carve, and re-assembled. in this process of building, carving, and un-

building, unexpected pieces will emerge. each piece starts with a sketch or a

wire model, but in order for each work to be successful, something surprising

and unexpected must be discovered along the way, giving way to an unscripted

object. within these guidelines, i have found a deep and concentrated way of

exploring sculpture. the grounding sense of place that the studio provides is also

paramount to my process. within this controlled environment, i feel the freedom

to take risks.

2013

W O R K S

S I N G U L A R I T Y

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d a n d m i l k p a i n t

h 8 1 ” x w / l 1 4 4 ” x d 3 6 ”

“There are many hours of work where the forms

are being built , and taken apart to carve, and

re-assembled. In this process of building,

carving, and un-building, unexpected pieces wil l

emerge.”

A C T T O G E T H E R

c e d a r r o o t , h a n d c a r v e d c e d a r , m a p l e a n dm i l k p a i n t

h 8 0 ” x w / l 2 3 ” x d 6 2 ”

A L LO N G E ( S M A L L )

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d a n d p a i n t

h 3 0 ” x w / l 1 2 ” x d 1 0 ”

A L LO N G E

h a n d c a r v e d b l a c k w a l n u t

h 9 1 . 5 ” x w / l 4 0 ” x d 2 4 ”

U N T I T L E D ( FA L L E N S TA R )

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d a n d p a i n t

h 2 8 ” x w / l 2 7 ” x d 2 7 ”

U N T I T L E D

h a n d c a r v e d w a l n u t

h 3 0 ” x w / l 1 5 . 5 ” x d 7 ”

M E R I D I A N

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d a n d p a i n t

h 3 6 ” x w / l 3 1 ” x d 1 6 ”

U N T I T L E D

h a n d c a r v e d r e d w o o d

h 8 3 ” x w / l 7 ” x d 8 ”

U N T I T L E D ( L I G H T )

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d a n d m i l k p a i n t

h 2 1 ” x w / l 2 1 ” x d 2 1 ”

M A N Y S TA R S

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d , p a i n t a n dm o n o f i l a m e n t

h 4 5 ” x w / l 1 8 ” x d 1 5 ”

E N P O I N T E

h a n d c a r v e d b a s s w o o d , m i l k p a i n t a n dm o n o f i l a m e n t

h 6 4 ” x w / l 4 0 ” x d 4 0 ”

U N T I T L E D

h a n d c a r v e d r e d w o o d

h 7 3 ” x w / l 1 . 5 ” x d 5 . 5 ”

n y s c c s c h o o l o f a r t a n d d e s i g n, a l f r e d u n i v e r s i t y b . f. a . a l f r e d , n y

h a r va r d u n i v e r s i t y g s d c a r e e r d i s c o v e r y p r o g r a m , c a m b r i d g e , m a

k a n s a s c i t y a r t i n s t i t u t e , k a n s a s c i t y, m o

c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z s t u d i o , s c u l p t u r e / f u r n i t u r e

n e w y o r k f o u n d a t i o n f o r t h e a r t s ( n y f a ) , a d v i s o r i n t h e f i e l d o f c r a f t s

n e w y o r k f o u n d a t i o n f o r t h e a r t s ( n y f a ) , g u e s t p a n e l i s t

s t u d i o a s s i s t a n t t o a r t i s t m a r t i n p u r y e a r , h u d s o n va l l e y, n y

h e d g e g a l l e r y, s a n f r a n c i s c o , c a

t o m l i n s o n k o n g c o n t e m p o r a r y, n e w y o r k , n y

a r t wa r e e d i t i o n s , n e w y o r k , n y

m a t i n g a l l e r y, l o s a n g e l e s , c a

r o s w e l l m u s e u m a n d a r t c e n t e r , r o s w e l l , n m , c a t a l o g u e

m a i d e n l a n e e x h i b i t i o n s p a c e , n e w y o r k , n y

“a n e l l i p s i s w i t h i n a p a r e n t h e s i s ,” a l f r e d u n i v e r s i t y, a l f r e d , n y

“a g a i n s t t h e g r a i n : w o o d i n c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t, c r a f t a n d d e s i g n ” m u s e u m o f a r t

a n d d e s i g n, n e w y o r k , n y

“ p u l s e m i a m i ” t o m l i n s o n k o n g , m i a m i , f l

“ h o u s t o n f i n e a r t f a i r ” t o m l i n s o n k o n g , h o u s t o n, t x

“ p u l s e n e w y o r k ” t o m l i n s o n k o n g , n e w y o r k , n y

“ t h e a r m o r y s h o w ” t o m l i n s o n k o n g , n e w y o r k , n y

“ b o f f o s h o w h o u s e ” r e p r e s e n t e d b y h e d g e g a l l e r y a t t h e m a d i s o n j a c k s o n

b u i l d i n g n e w y o r k , n y

“ p u l s e m i a m i ” t o m l i n s o n k o n g , m i a m i , f l

“ s f 2 0 / 2 1 a r t f a i r ” r e p r e s e n t e d b y h e d g e g a l l e r y, s a n f r a n c i s c o , c a

“ m a t t e r m a d e n e w a m e r i c a , c o l l e c t i o n n o . 2 ” m a t t e r n e w y o r k , n y

“a r t wa r e e d i t i o n s g r o u p s h o w a t n e w b o w e r y l o c a t i o n ”, n e w y o r k , n y

“ d a l l a s a r t f a i r ” r e p r e s e n t e d b y h e d g e g a l l e r y, d a l l a s , t x

E D U C AT I O N

1998

1994-1996

P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R I E N C E

2005 - Present2010 2009 1999-2004

S E L E C T E D S O L O E X H I B I T I O N S

2013201220092007200520041998

S E L E C T E D G R O U P E X H I B I T I O N S

2012

2011

2010

2009

2006 2005 2004

2002

“ p u l s e a r t f a i r ” r e p r e s e n t e d b y a r t wa r e e d i t i o n s , n e w y o r k , n y

“ m a t t e r m a d e c o l l e c t i o n n o . 1 ” m a t t e r , n e w y o r k , n y

“ t h e a r m o r y s h o w ” r e p r e s e n t d b y a r t wa r e e d i t i o n s , n e w y o r k , n y

“ k i p s b a y s h o w h o u s e ” n e w y o r k , n y

“ b o d a n n a k r a f t ” b o d a n n a , n e w y o r k , n y

“ t h e r e a l w o r l d ” a t t h e d e l i s t o r e r o o m , b r o o k l y n, n y

“ s q u a r e o n e : i n a u g u r a l g r o u p e x h i b i t i o n ”, t h e a r t m i n e , p o r t h a d l o c k , wa s h i n g t o n, d c

“ z o o ,” l a k e g e o r g e a r t s p r o j e c t, l a k e g e o r g e , n y

“ r o s w e l l a r t i s t i n r e s i d e n c e f o u n d a t i o n : c u r r e n t f e l l o w s ,” s a n t a f e c o m m u n i t y

c o l l e g e , s a n t a f e , n m

“ l i n e s a n d f a b l e s : c a r l a n d c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z ,” d o l p h i n g a l l e r y, k a n s a s c i t y, m o

“ 2 0 t h a n n u a l j u r i e d e x h i b i t i o n,” p l e i a d e s g a l l e r y, n y

“ h u d s o n va l l e y a r t i s t s ”, s a m u e l d o r s k y m u s e u m o f a r t , n e w p a l t z , n y

v i s i t i n g a r t i s t , l e c t u r e r , g u e s t c r i t i c , k a n s a s c i t y a r t i n s t i t u t e , k a n s a s c i t y, m o

n e w y o r k f o u n d a t i o n f o r t h e a r t s f e l l o w s h i p ( l i l y a u c h i n c l o s s f e l l o w )

l o u i s c o m f o r t t i f f a n y b i e n n i a l a wa r d

r o s w e l l a r t i s t i n r e s i d e n c e f e l l o w s h i p, r o s w e l l , n m

v i s i t i n g a r t i s t i n r e s i d e n c e , b e n n i n g t o n c o l l e g e , b e n n i n g t o n, v t

n e w y o r k s t a t e c o u n c i l o n t h e a r t s , s t r a t e g i c o p p o r t u n i t y g r a n t

c u m l a u d e , a l f r e d u n i v e r s i t y, a l f r e d , n y

d i v i s i o n a l h o n o r s , o u t s t a n d i n g s e n i o r , a l f r e d u n i v e r s i t y, a l f r e d , n y

t h e f e d e r a l r e s e r v e b a n k , k a n s a s c i t y, m o

a n d e r s o n m u s e u m o f c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t, r o s w e l l , n m

r o s w e l l m u s e u m a n d a r t c e n t e r , r o s w e l l , n m

s p r i n t c o r p o r a t e c o l l e c t i o n, k a n s a s c i t y, k s

h a l l m a r k c o l l e c t i o n, k a n s a s c i t y, m o

A W A R D S / R E S I D E N C I E S

20092007200520042002

1998

P U B L I C C O L L E C T I O N S

n i c o l e g a t e s a n d e r s o n, “ t w o b y t w o ” m o d e r n m a g a z i n e , w i n t e r

s i m s a n d k i r r a n e , “a g a i n s t t h e g r a i n : w o o d i n c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t, c r a f t a n d d e s i g n ” m u s e u m o f a r t s a n d d e s i g n, n e w

y o r k . c a t a l o g u e , m o n a c e l l i p r e s s

k a r e n g r o v e r , “ c a r p e n t r y a t t h e s e r v i c e o f a r t : c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z a t t o m l i n s o n k o n g , a r t c r i t i c a l , ( s e p t 1 2 . )

r o b e r t c . m o r g a n, “ l o n g h a n d ” t h e b r o o k l y n r a i l , s e p t e m b e r 1

a l l e s e t h o m s o n, “ c r i t i c ’s p i c k s . l o n g h a n d r e v i e w ”, a r t f o r u m . c o m , a u g u s t 2 9

e d i e c o h e n, “ b a l e t a l e ” i n t e r i o r d e s i g n, n u m b e r 3 2 0 1 2

k a t e b u t l e r , “ s c u l p t u r e a n d s e a t ”, m o d e r n m a g a z i n e , s p r i n g

k a t h e r i n e b r o o k s , “ 2 0 1 2 b o f f o s h o w h o u s e a t t h e m a d i s o n j a c k s o n ”, h u f f i n g t o n p o s t , m a y 3 1

l a n c e e s p l u n d , “a - r o d c a g e s o w e n w i l s o n a m i d u g l y h o o k e r s a t m i a m i b a s e l ”, b l o o m b e r g n e w s , d e c e m b e r 5

j a v i e r a b i o , “ n e x t i n t e r i o r s ”, n e o 2 , j u l y 2 0 1 1

a n i t a h a c k e t h a l , “ r e d e m p t i o n t a b l e ”, d e s i g n b o o m , j u l y 2 0 1 1

r e g i n a c o n n e l l , “ p r o f i l e : c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z ”, h a n d f u l o f s a l t , j u n e 2 0 1 1

r i m a s u q i , “ b r i d g i n g t h e w o r l d s o f a r t a n d c o m m e r c e ”, n y t i m e s , m a y 5 , 2 0 1 1

r i m a s u q i , “ t h e n e w y o r k t i m e s h o l i d a y g i f t g u i d e ”, n y t i m e s , d e c e m b e r 2

“ m a t t e r m a d e , n e w y o r k d e s i g n w e e k ”, d w e l l , o c t o b e r 2 0 1 0

j i l l s i n g e r , “a m a t t e r o f s t y l e ”, w m a g a z i n e , s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0

f r a n c e s c a f o r n a s a r i , “ d e l i c i o u s ”, va n i t y f a i r i t a l i a

s a r a h e c k e l , “ c o l d w e a t h e r c o m f o r t ”, m a r t h a s t e wa r t l i v i n g

j o r d a n k u s h i n s , “ d w e l l p e o p l e ”

a r i a n n e n a r d o , “ c o v e t ”, i n t e r i o r s m a g a z i n e

s a n d r a b a l l e n t i n e , “ i n - s t o r e , m i n i c o o p e r ”, n e w y o r k t i m e s s t y l e m a g a z i n e

a l i s o n a r i e f f, “ t h e s c u l p t u r e o f c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z ”, h o m e b y s u n s e t

j o a n n e m o l i n a , “ e x h i b i t i o n s b e v e r l y h i l l s . c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z ”, t h e c u r a t e d o b j e c t

j o y c e l o v e l a c e “ l o s a n g e l e s : a h e a d o f t h e c u r v e o n c r a f t ”, a m e r i c a n c r a f t m a g

b o g g s , j . d . “ r e d i s c o v e r i n g r o s w e l l ”, n e w m e x i c o m a g a z i n e

t h e l o u i s c o m f o r t t i f f a n y f o u n d a t i o n, 2 0 0 5 a wa r d s c a t a l o g u e

k u r t z , c h r i s t o p h e r , “ c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z : n e w m e x i c o s c u l p t u r e s ” a r t i s t ’s b o o k i n a n

e d i t i o n o f 4 0 , w i t h s u p p o r t f r o m t h e a n d e r s o n m u s e u m o f c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t, r o s w e l l , n m

l a u r a m a l b e r t, “a n e w k i n d o f z o o ,” t h e l a k e g e o r g e m i r r o r

c a t h d e d e , “ z o o a t l a k e g e o r g e a r t s p r o j e c t,” l a k e g e o r g e c h r o n i c l e

m e l i s s a h i l g e m a n, “ r o s w e l l a r t i s t i n r e s i d e n c e ,” r o s w e l l d a i l y r e c o r d

e l i s a b e t h c o o k - r o m e r o , “ l o o k w h a t l a n d e d i n r o s w e l l ,” p a s a t i e m p o

m e l i s s a h i l g e m a n, “ r e s i d e n c y a r t w o r k i n s a n t a f e , r o s w e l l d a i l y r e c o r d

r i c h a r d t o b i n, “ r a i r s h o w,” t h e m a g a z i n e

c h r i s t o p h e r l e i t c h , “ f a t h e r a n d s o n : c o m m o n p a t h s , i n d i v i d u a l e n d s ”, r e v i e w

r o b i n t r a f t o n, “ f a t h e r - s o n e x h i b i t m e l d s f o r m , d i m e n s i o n,” t h e k a n s a s c i t y s t a r

k a t e h a c k m a n, “ l i n e s a n d f a b l e s : c a r l a n d c h r i s t o p h e r k u r t z ”, r e v i e w

b l a i s e s c h w e i t z e r , “ h u d s o n va l l e y a r t s h o w c a s e d ,” d a i l y f r e e m a n, k i n g s t o n, n y

S E L E C T E D B I B L I O G R A P H Y

2013 2012

2011

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2002

W W W . H E D G E G A L L E R Y . C O M

H E D G E5 0 1 p a c i f i c a v e n u es a n f r a n c i s c o , c a 9 4 1 3 3

: 4 1 5 . 4 3 3 . 2 2 3 4

: 4 1 5 . 4 3 3 . 2 2 3 3

: t u e s d a y - f r i d a y 1 1 - 6 s a t u r d a y 1 1 - 5

f

t

h