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| Christopher Kurtz and Singularity, 2012 Hand-carved basswood and milk paint. 81" x 144" x 36". Photograph by Kirstie Tweed. |
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Christopher Kurtz: Orchards
October 2, 2015 – January 23, 2016
Opening Reception, Friday, October 2, 6-9 PM
Belger Crane Yard Gallery
2011 Tracy Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64108
mbaxley@redstarstudios.org, 816-474-7316
Belger Crane Yard Gallery presents Christopher Kurtz’ Orchards, an exhibition of meticulously crafted wood sculptures and contemporary furniture. Kurtz, a native of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, showcases his passion for clean lines and solid construction while suggesting narratives about materiality, mechanization and the history of wood in art. According to ArtForum Magazine, Kurtz’s virtuosic displays of technical skill “emphasizes the human quality of craftsmanship as a genre.” |
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| Christopher Kurtz, (A)Typical Windsor Form, 2004, Steam bent ash, white oak, pine and milk paint, 40" x 52" x 22". Photograph by Lauren Coleman. |
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Artist Biography:
Christopher Kurtz was born in 1975 in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute (1994-96), Career Discovery Program in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University (1998), and received his BFA in Sculpture from NYSCC School of Art and Design from Alfred University. After college, Kurtz served as the studio assistant to Martin Puryear, a sculptor known for his devotion to traditional craft. During this time, Kurtz refined his woodworking skills, mastering both technique and design. Kurtz has been exhibiting his work continuously since 1998 in numerous group and solo shows. He has received a number of grants and awards including a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Crafts (2007), Louis Comfort Tiffany Biennial Award (2005), Roswell Artist in Residence Fellowship (2004), New York State Council on the Arts Special Opportunity Stipend (2002), Visiting Artist in Residence, Bennington College (2002). In 2005 Kurtz set up his studio in the Hudson Valley of New York State where he has expanded his practice to include furniture design.
The Belger Crane Yard Studios art complex is conveniently located between Belger Arts Center, in the Crossroads Arts District, and Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. This four-building facility, constructed between 1908 and 1918, has become a destination for artists and art lovers. It houses the Belger Crane Yard Gallery, a contemporary art gallery; the Red Star Artist in Residence program; studios for ceramic artists; Asheer Akram Metalworks, a metal workshop; the Lawrence Lithography Workshop, a lithography gallery and workshop; The Random Lab ceramic studios; and Crane Yard Clay, a ceramic equipment and supply business. This exhibition takes place at Belger Crane Yard Gallery. Exhibitions are also scheduled at Belger Arts Center at 2100 Walnut Street. For more information, please contact Michael Baxley, Gallery Manager, mbaxley@redstarstudios.org or 816-474-7316.
Image 2: Christopher Kurtz, (A)Typical Windsor Form, 2004, Steam bent ash, white oak, pine and milk paint, 40" x 52" x 22". Photograph by Lauren Coleman.
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