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Artist Statement
Configurations of Chance and Circumstance
“You won’t be finished until the most unexpected and surprising things happen”. – Philip Guston
Shawn Kuruneru’s dot drawings are composed of distinct marks, susceptible to chance, combined and distilled to form intricate arrangements. These initial drawings later led to the conception of three dimensional floor works, comprised of groupings of inky black beads. Positive and negative space in these floor works is dictated by situation, inverting, depending on placement. Although the dot works assert their abstraction, the configurations of inky beads beckon interpretation; to look at them is to reckon with a Rorschach in motion.
DIY DIA(2012), a recent iteration in this body of work, temporarily sited at Dia:Beacon, is situated at a threshold. Independently initiated as an unsolicited project by the artist, it occupies a curious stance. Positioned outside of an institution laden with the lineage of process art, but only just, and still ensconced within its landscaped grounds, it sits in this interstice – outside, but within. Though Kuruneru’s work owes something to the history of scatter strategies engaged by Robert Smithson, Barry Le Va, and Richard Serra, it exists at a different moment, resisting a direct genealogy. The same ink beads acquire a different valence here then on the ice of the Saint Lawrence River where they were sited previously. What does it mean for a drawing to overlay a site, gesturing toward a conversation with art history and yet to fall where it may?
Inside Dia:Beacon, Agnes Martin’s work fills several galleries lit by skylights; Martin’s works shift with the changes in the clouds. Kuruneru’s meristems (2012), a series of white dot drawings on wood board, change with the subtlest shifts in light. Martin has written of her work “They are light, lightness, about merging, about formlessness, about breaking down form.” The subtlety of mark making that avails itself to the variance of light, swiftly shifting with the passage of clouds, is shared in Kuruneru’s practice, which has been profoundly influenced by Martin’s work and writings. The dot drawings are neither squarely about form nor are they about formlessness; instead they press upon the relationship between the two.
The white drawings are emergent and shift with variations in the light. The floor works transform in response to the surfaces that they rest on. Mutable, and susceptible to uneven land, the breeze, or the touch of curious passersby, they are shaped by chance and circumstance.
Sitting somewhere between surface and object, the floor works exist in a state of becoming. Unfixed, these works are ephemeral and vary over time. They are drawings but they are also forever being drawn, erased and drawn and re-drawn. Drawing is pulling. Drawing performed. Each touch shifts the drawing and draws. Kuruneru’s open invitation to animate the work complicates the authorship of the work touching on another affinity with Martin, who has emphasized the life of the work’s dependence on the observer. The floor drawings are parasitical, appearing less disruptive for their lack of permanence and openness to adaptation, yet interrupting the fabric of their host nonetheless. They are chaotic, scattered and dirty but organized bodies – observing, tracking and tracing surface and action.
“We who draw do so not only to make something observed visible to others, but also to accompany something invisible to its incalculable destination” writes John Berger. Kuruneru’s recent floor works are both nouns and verbs: drawings and being drawn, existing solidly in the realm of things, but in motion towards an incalculable destination.
Clara Halpern 2012
Configurations of Chance and Circumstance
“You won’t be finished until the most unexpected and surprising things happen”. – Philip Guston
Shawn Kuruneru’s dot drawings are composed of distinct marks, susceptible to chance, combined and distilled to form intricate arrangements. These initial drawings later led to the conception of three dimensional floor works, comprised of groupings of inky black beads. Positive and negative space in these floor works is dictated by situation, inverting, depending on placement. Although the dot works assert their abstraction, the configurations of inky beads beckon interpretation; to look at them is to reckon with a Rorschach in motion.
DIY DIA(2012), a recent iteration in this body of work, temporarily sited at Dia:Beacon, is situated at a threshold. Independently initiated as an unsolicited project by the artist, it occupies a curious stance. Positioned outside of an institution laden with the lineage of process art, but only just, and still ensconced within its landscaped grounds, it sits in this interstice – outside, but within. Though Kuruneru’s work owes something to the history of scatter strategies engaged by Robert Smithson, Barry Le Va, and Richard Serra, it exists at a different moment, resisting a direct genealogy. The same ink beads acquire a different valence here then on the ice of the Saint Lawrence River where they were sited previously. What does it mean for a drawing to overlay a site, gesturing toward a conversation with art history and yet to fall where it may?
Inside Dia:Beacon, Agnes Martin’s work fills several galleries lit by skylights; Martin’s works shift with the changes in the clouds. Kuruneru’s meristems (2012), a series of white dot drawings on wood board, change with the subtlest shifts in light. Martin has written of her work “They are light, lightness, about merging, about formlessness, about breaking down form.” The subtlety of mark making that avails itself to the variance of light, swiftly shifting with the passage of clouds, is shared in Kuruneru’s practice, which has been profoundly influenced by Martin’s work and writings. The dot drawings are neither squarely about form nor are they about formlessness; instead they press upon the relationship between the two.
The white drawings are emergent and shift with variations in the light. The floor works transform in response to the surfaces that they rest on. Mutable, and susceptible to uneven land, the breeze, or the touch of curious passersby, they are shaped by chance and circumstance.
Sitting somewhere between surface and object, the floor works exist in a state of becoming. Unfixed, these works are ephemeral and vary over time. They are drawings but they are also forever being drawn, erased and drawn and re-drawn. Drawing is pulling. Drawing performed. Each touch shifts the drawing and draws. Kuruneru’s open invitation to animate the work complicates the authorship of the work touching on another affinity with Martin, who has emphasized the life of the work’s dependence on the observer. The floor drawings are parasitical, appearing less disruptive for their lack of permanence and openness to adaptation, yet interrupting the fabric of their host nonetheless. They are chaotic, scattered and dirty but organized bodies – observing, tracking and tracing surface and action.
“We who draw do so not only to make something observed visible to others, but also to accompany something invisible to its incalculable destination” writes John Berger. Kuruneru’s recent floor works are both nouns and verbs: drawings and being drawn, existing solidly in the realm of things, but in motion towards an incalculable destination.
Clara Halpern 2012
CV
Shawn Kuruneru
b. 1984 Toronto, Canada
Education
2003-2006
Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Bachelors in Fine Arts
Solo Exhibitions:
2012
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland, "A White Hand Slowly Turning Green"
2010
Night Gallery, Los Angeles, California "Midnight Cowboy"
Baltimore Artscape Festival, Baltimore, Maryland "Ceremony"
USA BAR, New York, NY "Cantorage"
2008
435 Broadway, Brooklyn, New York, “DW.NLB”
Select Group Exhibitions
2012
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, "Gift Show"
Ecole des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, "You'll dance to anything"
Blackston Gallery, New York, NY, "Simultaneity"
2011
Kidd Yellin, Brooklyn, NY, "160 km"
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, "Special Guests"
Phillips De Pury & Company, New York, NY "Drawing Gifts"
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland "Summer meltdown"
Mark Wolfe Contemporary San Francisco, California "Sight Unseen"
Battat Contemporary, Montreal, Quebec, "Call it a good marriage" (curated by Grier Edmundson)
107 Shaw, Toronto, Ontario, "Shangri-La Seven"
2010
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland, "Abstract and Traces"
POVevolving Gallery, San Francisco, California, " Dissonance" (curated by Alexis Ann Mackenzie)
The Drawing Center, New York, NY "Day Job" with catalogue (curated by Nina Katchadorian)
Temporary Storage, Brooklyn, New York, "After We Met" (curated by Claudia Eve Beauchesne)
2009
C.R.E.A.M. Projects, Greenpoint, New York, "Whitney's Biennial" (curated by Davida Nemeroff)
Asian Song Society, New York, NY "Group Show"
HKJB, Brooklyn, New York, "Personal Abstraction"
Printed Matter, New York, NY "One Size Fits All"
2008
Division Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, “Images of Romantic Distress and Consolation”
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, “Gifts by artists”
205 29th St, Manhattan, New York, “Eat Wet Records” (with Bozidar Brazda)
2007
Le Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, “Shangri-Lost” (with Jesse Harris and Jimmy Limit)
2006
VA Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, “Never-Weres” (with Sofi Brazzeal)
2005
Galerie Accidentelle, Montreal, Quebec "Alcoholocaust" (with Luke Painter)
Select Publications
2012
"Deciding when a pet has suffered enough", New York Times, New York, NY, September 22
"Scott Ritter's Other War", New York Times Magazine, New York, NY, February 26
"Interview" Columbia: Journal of Literature and Art, New York, NY February 28 by Ella Delany
2011
"Northern Exposure" interview Magazine, New York, NY, October 8 by Ashely Simpson
"Artis's Bands" Artnet.com, New York, NY, August by Bozidar Brazda
"Day Job" The New York Times, New York, NY, January 20 by Ken Johnson
2010
"Best In Show" The Village Voice, New York, NY, by Robert Shuster, December Vol. LV No. 51
"No Joy" Sexbeat Records, Copenhagen, Denmark, November
"Spot drawing" The New York Times Magazine, New York, NY, April
"Interview" Laura, Sweden, by Johanna Issue 4
2009
"Cover and feature" DOMUS, Milan, Italy, December
"Six Heurs Vingt" Enroute Air Canada Magazine, Montreal, Quebec, March
"Interview" Hearty Magazine, Manhattan, New York, by Hana May, May, No.2
2008
“Etc. Girls” Neue Probleme, Berlin, Germany, by Elizabeth Moch, August No. 3
“Shawn Kuruneru” Color Magazine, Vancouver, British Columbia, by Nick Brown, July No. 6.3
“Zines” The Journal, New York, NY, No.XXI
2007
"Shawn Kuruneru - Mega Zines" Border Crossings, Winnipeg, Ontario by Robert Enright, December, No.104
“Azabache.” The Believer, San Francisco, Califronia, edited by Andrew Leland, May No. 47
"The Strange World of Canadian Artist Shawn Kuruneru." Tokion, New York, NY by Maxwell Williams, March No.57
"Critics' Pick: Shangri-Lost." Artforum.com, by Jennifer Allen, February
2006
“zine review.” Broken Pencil, Toronto, Ontario, by Sarah Evans No. 35
“Teenagers Mind” Walrus Magazine, Toronto, Ontario
“Skunks” Ascent Magazine, Montreal, Quebec
Awards
2012
Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant
Experience
2010
Artist Talk, Drawing Center, New York, NY, December
Shawn Kuruneru
b. 1984 Toronto, Canada
Education
2003-2006
Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Bachelors in Fine Arts
Solo Exhibitions:
2012
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland, "A White Hand Slowly Turning Green"
2010
Night Gallery, Los Angeles, California "Midnight Cowboy"
Baltimore Artscape Festival, Baltimore, Maryland "Ceremony"
USA BAR, New York, NY "Cantorage"
2008
435 Broadway, Brooklyn, New York, “DW.NLB”
Select Group Exhibitions
2012
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, "Gift Show"
Ecole des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, "You'll dance to anything"
Blackston Gallery, New York, NY, "Simultaneity"
2011
Kidd Yellin, Brooklyn, NY, "160 km"
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, "Special Guests"
Phillips De Pury & Company, New York, NY "Drawing Gifts"
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland "Summer meltdown"
Mark Wolfe Contemporary San Francisco, California "Sight Unseen"
Battat Contemporary, Montreal, Quebec, "Call it a good marriage" (curated by Grier Edmundson)
107 Shaw, Toronto, Ontario, "Shangri-La Seven"
2010
Ribordy Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland, "Abstract and Traces"
POVevolving Gallery, San Francisco, California, " Dissonance" (curated by Alexis Ann Mackenzie)
The Drawing Center, New York, NY "Day Job" with catalogue (curated by Nina Katchadorian)
Temporary Storage, Brooklyn, New York, "After We Met" (curated by Claudia Eve Beauchesne)
2009
C.R.E.A.M. Projects, Greenpoint, New York, "Whitney's Biennial" (curated by Davida Nemeroff)
Asian Song Society, New York, NY "Group Show"
HKJB, Brooklyn, New York, "Personal Abstraction"
Printed Matter, New York, NY "One Size Fits All"
2008
Division Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, “Images of Romantic Distress and Consolation”
Art Metropole, Toronto, Ontario, “Gifts by artists”
205 29th St, Manhattan, New York, “Eat Wet Records” (with Bozidar Brazda)
2007
Le Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, “Shangri-Lost” (with Jesse Harris and Jimmy Limit)
2006
VA Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, “Never-Weres” (with Sofi Brazzeal)
2005
Galerie Accidentelle, Montreal, Quebec "Alcoholocaust" (with Luke Painter)
Select Publications
2012
"Deciding when a pet has suffered enough", New York Times, New York, NY, September 22
"Scott Ritter's Other War", New York Times Magazine, New York, NY, February 26
"Interview" Columbia: Journal of Literature and Art, New York, NY February 28 by Ella Delany
2011
"Northern Exposure" interview Magazine, New York, NY, October 8 by Ashely Simpson
"Artis's Bands" Artnet.com, New York, NY, August by Bozidar Brazda
"Day Job" The New York Times, New York, NY, January 20 by Ken Johnson
2010
"Best In Show" The Village Voice, New York, NY, by Robert Shuster, December Vol. LV No. 51
"No Joy" Sexbeat Records, Copenhagen, Denmark, November
"Spot drawing" The New York Times Magazine, New York, NY, April
"Interview" Laura, Sweden, by Johanna Issue 4
2009
"Cover and feature" DOMUS, Milan, Italy, December
"Six Heurs Vingt" Enroute Air Canada Magazine, Montreal, Quebec, March
"Interview" Hearty Magazine, Manhattan, New York, by Hana May, May, No.2
2008
“Etc. Girls” Neue Probleme, Berlin, Germany, by Elizabeth Moch, August No. 3
“Shawn Kuruneru” Color Magazine, Vancouver, British Columbia, by Nick Brown, July No. 6.3
“Zines” The Journal, New York, NY, No.XXI
2007
"Shawn Kuruneru - Mega Zines" Border Crossings, Winnipeg, Ontario by Robert Enright, December, No.104
“Azabache.” The Believer, San Francisco, Califronia, edited by Andrew Leland, May No. 47
"The Strange World of Canadian Artist Shawn Kuruneru." Tokion, New York, NY by Maxwell Williams, March No.57
"Critics' Pick: Shangri-Lost." Artforum.com, by Jennifer Allen, February
2006
“zine review.” Broken Pencil, Toronto, Ontario, by Sarah Evans No. 35
“Teenagers Mind” Walrus Magazine, Toronto, Ontario
“Skunks” Ascent Magazine, Montreal, Quebec
Awards
2012
Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant
Experience
2010
Artist Talk, Drawing Center, New York, NY, December
1. DIY DIA 2012ink on post card
6 x 4 inches
2. DIY DIA 2012performance, ink beads on wood planks
variable dimensions
3. The Object is Freedom 2012ink beads on hardwood floor
variable dimensions
4. The Object is Freedom 2012ink beads on hardwood floor
variable dimensions
5. You'll Dance To Anything 2012kids on ink beads on carpet
variable dimensions
6. St. Lawrence Ice 2012ink beads on snow
variable dimensions
7. Newmarket Fairy Lake 2012ink beads on found wood
variable dimensions
8. Studio 2012ink beads on floor with enamel paint
variable dimensions
9. Process 2012ink beads on canvas
48 x 36 inches
10.Virgin (Blue Bend) 2012ink on board
14x 11 inches
11. Virgin (Constellation I) 2012ink on board
14 x 11 inches
12. Virgin (Constellation II) 2011ink and acrylic on canvas
20 x 18 inches
13. Virgin (Colours) 2012ink on board
14 x 11 inches
14. Virgin (Dawn) 2012ink on board
14 x 11 inches
15. Virgin (Texture) 2011ink on canvas
18 x 14 inches
16. Virgin (Black & Blue) 2012ink on canvas
14 x 11 inches
17. after image 2012ink and acrylic on canvas
14 x 11 inches
18. after image 2012ink and acrylic on canvas
14 x 11 inches
19. after image 2012ink and acrylic on canvas
14 x 11 inches
20. after image 2012ink and acrylic on canvas
14 x 11 inches