BIOGRAPHY
Born in Chicago in 1955, Kevin Kuenster is an American artist known for his narrative and surreal imagery. Influenced by 20th-century female surrealists like Leonora Carrington, Dorothea Tanning, along with other artists such as Paul Delvaux and Balthus, Kevin’s art weaves dreamlike fantasy into thought-provoking narratives.
Raised by bohemian parents who exposed him to museums and diverse art at a young age, Kevin’s early immersion fueled a lifelong journey of creative exploration. He studied graphic design at University, then transitioned into operating a successful cosmetics and fashion photography studio in New York City for many years. Always the frustrated artist, Kevin began devoting all his creative energy to visual art about ten years ago.
He has experimented with various mediums, including photography, sculpture, fresco, and now, painting. Exploring themes around humanity’s connection to the natural world, his work has been featured in exhibitions and publications throughout the United States and Europe, earning recognition and awards.
In Kevin’s art, viewers are prompted to reflect on the delicate balance between reality and dreams, echoing the influences of the surrealists who have left an indelible mark on his artistic vision. Continually pushing the boundaries of his creative spirit, Kevin looks forward to every day in his studio, an old barn situated in the breathtaking Hudson Valley of New York State.
CV
EDUCATION
1978 BFA, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
EXHIBITIONS
2014 Emerging Artists 2014, The Limner Gallery Hudson, NY
2014 Less is More: Small Works in a Great Space, The Mitchell Gallery Annapolis, MD
2015 4th Annual National Show, The East End Arts Gallery Riverhead, NY
2015 5th Annual Clay National Exhibition, Workhouse Arts Center gallery Lorton, VA
2016 Small Works 2015, The Limner Gallery Hudson, NY
2017 Malamegi Lab.7, Imagoars Art Gallery, Venice, Italy
2017 Small Works-Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2018. The Bitters 2: We’re Fucked, Whitdel Arts, Detroit, MI
2018 Superstition Review, literary magazine, spring issue
2018 The Age of Anxiety, Arts Guild of Sonoma, Sonoma, CA
2018 A Generous Kingdom, Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
2019 Small Works, The Limner Gallery Hudson, NY
2020 “XPOSED – NAKED AND NOT AFRAID” Knox Contemporary Gallery of Art, Calgary, Canada
2021 Fun House: Art of the Surreal, Fantastic and Bizarre, The Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
2021 Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize, THIRD PRIZE for painting, Potenza, Italy
2021 Petit: Smaller Sized Art, Emerge Gallery, Saugerties, NY
2021 Art in the Time of Corona, DAB Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2022 Prisma Art Prize FINALIST, Rome, Italy
2022 Strange Paradise: A Window into Surrealism, Annmarie Sculpture & Arts Center, Solomons, MD
2022 Altered Dreams, Royal Society of American Artists, Brooklyn, NY
2022 Voyage, ARC Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2023 Freedom Aphrodisiac, The Musonium Gallery, Tampa, FL
STATEMENT
In my art, I explore the absurdity of humanity. Imagining exaggerated features like huge ears and symbolic animal skulls, I invite viewers to contemplate our collective folly. These surreal elements serve as a whimsical reflection, highlighting our societal and environmental transgressions. The visual narrative, balancing humor and gravity, encourages introspection and the contemplation of these consequences, hopefully altering just a bit, the way we perceive, and move within, our fragile world.
