‘Kris Kuksi: Divination and Delusion’ Signed Book
- Publisher : BeinART Publishing; 2nd edition (December 12, 2010)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 140 pages
- Item Weight : 2.45 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.25 x 0.75 x 12.25 inches
Asking USD$125. SIGNED
(Handwritten in silver metallic pen: “For Guy, Thanks for the support, Kris Kuksi, 5-4-11”)
Kris Kuksi’s sculptures, rendered in immaculate detail, evoke a grandeur reminiscent of the Baroque era. Kuksi successfully merges this sumptuous echo of the past with a satirical and critical commentary of our modern industrial world. These finely crafted sculptures employ images of Gods and Goddesses from past and present mythologies and examine religious belief and iconography. Despite the frequent portrayal of corruption, violence, chaos and degeneration, the works in this book challenge aspects of our beliefs and question whether or not humans have the ability to improve the world’s prosperity.
The creation of these sculptures spans the last five years and embodies Kuksi’s personal view of our turbulent world. These beautiful assemblages grace the walls of galleries and museums throughout the world and are displayed in the homes of numerous celebrities. This stunning volume allows the wider public to examine and appreciate these artworks in exquisite detail for the first time. Introduction by Corinne Faith Leita.
BIO:
Born March 2, 1973, in Springfield Missouri and growing up in neighboring Kansas, Kris spent his youth in rural seclusion and isolation along with a blue-collar, working mother, two significantly older brothers, and an absent father. Open country, sparse trees, and alcoholic stepfather, all paving the way for an individual saturated in imagination and introversion. His propensity for the unusual has been a constant since childhood, a lifelong fascination that lent itself to his macabre art later in life. The grotesque to him, as it seemed, was beautiful.
Kris Kuksi garners recognition and acclaim for the intricate sculptures that result from his unique and meticulous technique. A process that requires countless hours to assemble, collect, manipulate, cut, and re-shape thousands of individual parts, finally uniting them into an orchestral-like seamless cohesion that defines the historical rise and fall of civilization and envisions the possible future(s) of humanity. Each sculpture embodies the trademarks of his philosophy and practice, while serving as a testament to the multifaceted nature of perception – From timeless iconic references of Gods and Goddess, to challenging ideas of organized religion and morality, to the struggle to understand, and bend, the limits of mortality.
None is complete without a final and brilliant touch of satire and rebuke all conceived in the aesthetic essence of the Baroque fused with the modern day industrial world.
In personal reflection, Kris feels that in the world today much of mankind is oftentimes frivolous and fragile, being driven primarily by greed and materialism. He hopes that his art exposes the fallacies of Man, unveiling a new level of awareness to the viewer. His work has received several awards and prizes and has been featured in over 100 exhibitions in galleries and museums worldwide including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Kris’ art can also be seen in a number of international art magazines, book covers and theatrical posters. Kris’ art is featured in both public and private collections in the United States, Europe, and Australia that include individuals such as Mark Parker (Nike CEO), Kay Alden (three time Emmy award winning writer for Young and the Restless & Bold and the Beautiful), Fred Durst (musician, and film director), Chris Weitz (movie director The Golden Compass & Twilight: New Moon) Guillermo del Toro (movie director Pan’s Labyrinth & Hell Boy 2) and Robin Williams (Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actor).
REVIEW:
Divination and Delusion is a mesmerizing book.
There are some pretty good art books in 2010 but this probably tops them all.
Kris Kuksi’s intricate assemblages are surreal. I was fortunate to see one of them on display. Seeing them is a surreal experience itself.
Thanks to beinArt Publishing, now we have a book that all can enjoy. It’s a 140-page hardcover without any dust jacket. The print quality is very good. It collects not just the assemblages but some paintings as well.
The photos of the assemblages are printed one per page, sometimes across two pages. The overview photos are very sharp and there are so much detail that I wish it was a larger book. There are closeups on selected areas but they aren’t quite as sharp and not all areas are in focus because of the lens blur.
Kris Kuksi is the ultimate Rococo master. His assemblages are highly ornamental and florid. His inspiration comes from mythology, religion and events from our time, the war, corruption, death and degeneration. That’s the common theme you’ll see throughout.
The works are exquisite and reminds me of sculptures from Renaissance masters, except with a twist. For example, the Churchtank is his way of highlighting contradictions in religion – the cannon pointing out from the entrance is brilliant. Many pieces feature new and old military icons mixed with just about everything. You have a rooster with a Roman soldier’s head, or a soldier with a tank’s head, or the god Mars holding a machine gun.