Kharis Kennedy
Headdress by McQueen (from the "White Collar Goes Black" series), 2013, Oil mixed with glue on linen on board, 24 x 24 inches
ARTIST'S BIO
I was raised internationally but have been a U.S.- based artist since 1999. I create because I am a materialist – I love objects and create them as a means of exploring values. Systems of government, celebrity, measurement, education, religion …all of these constructs and the values surrounding them fascinate me.
I paint using an intuitive, layering process; I build and shift layers of opaque and transparent pigments until the composition I have been searching for finally begins to emerge. The finished pieces are highly textural and, in certain areas, carry the surface allure of glazed ceramic.
In addition to solo exhibitions in both New York City and Seattle, I have also participated in both collaborative and curatorial projects. My work has been included in numerous juried exhibitions and I was awarded the A.I.R. Gallery Fellowship in 2007-2008. Recent exhibitions include the Bowery Gallery in New York City. In February 2014, I traveled to New Mexico to further focus on my current series, “White Collar Goes Black,” at the Starry Night Residency Program.
I hold a BFA in Painting and Drawing and a BA in Art History from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Since 2011 I have lived and worked on the island of St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
View the artist's exhibition here.
khariskennedy.com