Josh Kline Work | Artist Statement & CV | Return to Artist List
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Artist Statement
My work is currently concerned with labor, lifestyle, branding, recognition, and products. Starting off with the basic assumption that all communication in a capitalist society is advertising (clothing, magazine articles, Facebook profiles, text messaging, deodorant, HBO dramas, celebrity faces, etc.), I have become interested in finding ways to diffuse or alter the impact of brand recognition. The economic value of the brand depends on its mass-recognizability. What happens when you deliberately confuse or remove that recognition? Can you pull the curtain back in front of all this stuff?
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In my sculptures, I alter or augment design-dependent products (Mac Computers, plastic water bottles, ergonomic toothbrushes). I use paint in some sculptural works to apply obsolete aesthetics to contemporary design or vice versa, creating brand-based anachronisms (for example: Mac computers from 2010 painted to mimic the first generation of candy-colored iMacs). Another body of sculptural work involves altering products in ways that are based on common consumer fears (for example: hand-sanitizer dispensers full of bacteria-laden agar gel).
Choosing images of celebrities who look alike or are the same “type” of actor, I composite their faces together in Photoshop. The resulting “typecasting” portraits tamper with celebrities’ most important assets–their faces–leveling and blurring their identities and producing a visceral sense of confusion in many viewers.
Video and performance (often undertaken in collaboration with my collective Circular File) offer me a space in which to work with procedures and processes borrowed from the creative and lifestyle industries (for example: using intern interviews or casting sessions as a medium). These projects, documented on video, allow me to get up close, personal, and complicit with our system of labor and its questionable practices.
My work is currently concerned with labor, lifestyle, branding, recognition, and products. Starting off with the basic assumption that all communication in a capitalist society is advertising (clothing, magazine articles, Facebook profiles, text messaging, deodorant, HBO dramas, celebrity faces, etc.), I have become interested in finding ways to diffuse or alter the impact of brand recognition. The economic value of the brand depends on its mass-recognizability. What happens when you deliberately confuse or remove that recognition? Can you pull the curtain back in front of all this stuff?
- - -
In my sculptures, I alter or augment design-dependent products (Mac Computers, plastic water bottles, ergonomic toothbrushes). I use paint in some sculptural works to apply obsolete aesthetics to contemporary design or vice versa, creating brand-based anachronisms (for example: Mac computers from 2010 painted to mimic the first generation of candy-colored iMacs). Another body of sculptural work involves altering products in ways that are based on common consumer fears (for example: hand-sanitizer dispensers full of bacteria-laden agar gel).
Choosing images of celebrities who look alike or are the same “type” of actor, I composite their faces together in Photoshop. The resulting “typecasting” portraits tamper with celebrities’ most important assets–their faces–leveling and blurring their identities and producing a visceral sense of confusion in many viewers.
Video and performance (often undertaken in collaboration with my collective Circular File) offer me a space in which to work with procedures and processes borrowed from the creative and lifestyle industries (for example: using intern interviews or casting sessions as a medium). These projects, documented on video, allow me to get up close, personal, and complicit with our system of labor and its questionable practices.
CV
JOSH KLINE
joshklinejoshkline@gmail.com
lives and works in New York, NY
born 1979, Philadelphia, PA
Selected Exhibitions
2011
I Feel Like I’m Disappearing, Getting Smaller Everyday, group exhibition, West, The Hague
I don’t know if it makes any sense–I feel quite dizzy and a little drunk due to the blow. I will return with more info shortly…, group exhibition curated by Howie Chen and Tim Saltarelli, IMO, Copenhagen
Skin So Soft, group exhibition, Gresham’s Ghost, New York
HOW DO YOU DO, group exhibition organized by Margaret Lee, NOMA Gallery, San Francisco
2010
179 Canal Anyways, group exhibition organized by Margaret Lee, White Columns, New York
Sculpture Sabbath, group exhibition curated by Bridget Donahue, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City
Loveless Marriages, two-person exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
Big Apple, group exhibition, Clifton Benevento, New York
2009
Magic Jackpot, group exhibition, Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich
The living and the dead, group exhibition curated by Darren Bader, Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York
TIME-LIFE Part II, group exhibition, Taxter & Spengemann, New York
Today and Everyday, group exhibition curated by Margaret Lee, X Initiative, New York
Nobodies New York, group exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
Cleopatra’s: Trade Secrets, group exhibition, John Connelly Presents, New York
If The Dogs Are Barking, group exhibition, Artists Space, New York
On From Here, group exhibition, Guild & Greyshkul, New York
2008
Workspace, group exhibition curated by Antoine Catala, Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich
O Natural, group exhibition, 400 Morgan, Brooklyn
Cube Passerby 2008, group exhibition, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise at Passerby, New York
2007
The Poster Project, group exhibition curated by Devon Costello and Ilya Lipkin, installed at Participant Inc. and Printed Matter, New York
Selected Screenings and Events as part of Circular File (art collective)
2009
CIRCULAR FILE CHANNEL, 3 episode cable access TV Show, Commisioned by Tairone Bastien, Performa, for the Performa 09 Biennial, New York. Broadcast in Manhattan on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN).
CIRCULAR FILE CHANNEL VIDEOS (looks best in HD on Vimeo):
Episode 2005 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7544395
Episode 2006 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7717117
Episode 2007 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7544395
http://www.youtube.com/user/circularfilechannel
2008
Art Swap Meet 2008, installation, organized by Amy Yao and Wendy Yao, High Desert Test Sites CB08, Joshua Tree, California
Performance Laboratory organized by Shana Moulton, continuous video program, Broadway 1602, New York
2007
Circular File Casting #2: Sleepwalkers by Doug Aitken, screening and installation, Commonspace, New York
Selected Curation
2011
Skin So Soft, group exhibition, Gresham’s Ghost, New York
Charlemagne Palestine: Running Outburst, screening, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2010
Amnesia, film and video program, curated in collaboration with Rebecca Cleman, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York
Bruce + Norman Yonemoto: Made In Hollywood, screening and conversation, Migrating Forms Festival, Anthology Film Archives
2009
Made in Photoshop, online exhibition, Why + Wherefore: www.whyandwherefore.com
Nobodies New York, group exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
2008
Clean Cut, group video screening, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
Michael Smith: Baby Ikki Birthday Party, performance, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2007
Curious Green, screening, Circus Gallery, Los Angeles
Values, one day exhibition of video curated with Anthony Marcellini, Art in General, New York
Shana Moulton: Body ÷ Mind + 7 = Spirit, performance, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2006
Action Adventure, group video exhibition curated with Melissa Brown and Michael Williams, Canada Gallery, New York
2005
Precious Moments, group exhibition, Joymore, Brooklyn
Publications
2010
New Century Modern Surface Magazine, essay for IMG MGMT Series, Art Fag City (http://www.artfagcity.com)
http://www.artfagcity.com/2010/10/21/img-mgmt-new-century-modern-surface-magazine/
2009
Today And Everyday, Used Future 45
Luxury Reborn/Live Like a Rockefeller, Party Like a Rockstar, Amy Yao Curates for The Kingsboro Press, The Kingsboro Press, Issue 5
Bibliography
2011
Scott, Andrea. Goings on About Town: Art, “Skin So Soft,” The New Yorker, June 27, 2011
Rutland, Beau. Critics’ Picks: “Skin So Soft”, artforum.com, June 17, 2011
2010
Chamberlain, Colby. Critics’ Picks: “179 Canal / Anyways”, artforum.com, Nov. 18, 2010
Kitnick, Zak. not so autonomous maybe: 179 Canal at White Columns, Idiom (www.idiommag.com), November 10, 2010
Gartenfeld, Alex. Malls for America: Devon Dikeou at 179 Canal, interviewmagazine.com, May 19, 2010
Fiduccia, Joanna. Critics’ Picks: Josh Kline and Anicka Yi, artforum.com, April 20, 2010
2009
Moss, Ceci. Circular File Channel, Rhizome (www.rhizome.org), December 8, 2009
Smith, Roberta. Unspooling Time Loops, The New York Times, August 7, 2009
Robinson, Walter. Weekend Update, artnet (www.artnet.com), July 22, 2009
Cook, Mary. Haberdashery Anyone?, art:21 blog (http://blog.art21.org), June 5, 2009
2005
Krudy, Catherine. Precious Moments, Flavorpill (www.flavorpill.com), August 30, 2005
Davis, Ben. August Company, Artnet Magazine (www.artnet.com), August 26, 2005
Cotter, Holland. Precious Moments, The New York Times, August 19, 2005
Guest Lecturing
2011
Parsons The New School for Design, New York, lecture
2010
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
2009
City College, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
JOSH KLINE
joshklinejoshkline@gmail.com
lives and works in New York, NY
born 1979, Philadelphia, PA
Selected Exhibitions
2011
I Feel Like I’m Disappearing, Getting Smaller Everyday, group exhibition, West, The Hague
I don’t know if it makes any sense–I feel quite dizzy and a little drunk due to the blow. I will return with more info shortly…, group exhibition curated by Howie Chen and Tim Saltarelli, IMO, Copenhagen
Skin So Soft, group exhibition, Gresham’s Ghost, New York
HOW DO YOU DO, group exhibition organized by Margaret Lee, NOMA Gallery, San Francisco
2010
179 Canal Anyways, group exhibition organized by Margaret Lee, White Columns, New York
Sculpture Sabbath, group exhibition curated by Bridget Donahue, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City
Loveless Marriages, two-person exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
Big Apple, group exhibition, Clifton Benevento, New York
2009
Magic Jackpot, group exhibition, Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich
The living and the dead, group exhibition curated by Darren Bader, Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York
TIME-LIFE Part II, group exhibition, Taxter & Spengemann, New York
Today and Everyday, group exhibition curated by Margaret Lee, X Initiative, New York
Nobodies New York, group exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
Cleopatra’s: Trade Secrets, group exhibition, John Connelly Presents, New York
If The Dogs Are Barking, group exhibition, Artists Space, New York
On From Here, group exhibition, Guild & Greyshkul, New York
2008
Workspace, group exhibition curated by Antoine Catala, Galerie Christine Mayer, Munich
O Natural, group exhibition, 400 Morgan, Brooklyn
Cube Passerby 2008, group exhibition, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise at Passerby, New York
2007
The Poster Project, group exhibition curated by Devon Costello and Ilya Lipkin, installed at Participant Inc. and Printed Matter, New York
Selected Screenings and Events as part of Circular File (art collective)
2009
CIRCULAR FILE CHANNEL, 3 episode cable access TV Show, Commisioned by Tairone Bastien, Performa, for the Performa 09 Biennial, New York. Broadcast in Manhattan on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN).
CIRCULAR FILE CHANNEL VIDEOS (looks best in HD on Vimeo):
Episode 2005 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7544395
Episode 2006 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7717117
Episode 2007 (2009): http://vimeo.com/7544395
http://www.youtube.com/user/circularfilechannel
2008
Art Swap Meet 2008, installation, organized by Amy Yao and Wendy Yao, High Desert Test Sites CB08, Joshua Tree, California
Performance Laboratory organized by Shana Moulton, continuous video program, Broadway 1602, New York
2007
Circular File Casting #2: Sleepwalkers by Doug Aitken, screening and installation, Commonspace, New York
Selected Curation
2011
Skin So Soft, group exhibition, Gresham’s Ghost, New York
Charlemagne Palestine: Running Outburst, screening, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2010
Amnesia, film and video program, curated in collaboration with Rebecca Cleman, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York
Bruce + Norman Yonemoto: Made In Hollywood, screening and conversation, Migrating Forms Festival, Anthology Film Archives
2009
Made in Photoshop, online exhibition, Why + Wherefore: www.whyandwherefore.com
Nobodies New York, group exhibition, 179 Canal Street, New York
2008
Clean Cut, group video screening, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
Michael Smith: Baby Ikki Birthday Party, performance, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2007
Curious Green, screening, Circus Gallery, Los Angeles
Values, one day exhibition of video curated with Anthony Marcellini, Art in General, New York
Shana Moulton: Body ÷ Mind + 7 = Spirit, performance, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York
2006
Action Adventure, group video exhibition curated with Melissa Brown and Michael Williams, Canada Gallery, New York
2005
Precious Moments, group exhibition, Joymore, Brooklyn
Publications
2010
New Century Modern Surface Magazine, essay for IMG MGMT Series, Art Fag City (http://www.artfagcity.com)
http://www.artfagcity.com/2010/10/21/img-mgmt-new-century-modern-surface-magazine/
2009
Today And Everyday, Used Future 45
Luxury Reborn/Live Like a Rockefeller, Party Like a Rockstar, Amy Yao Curates for The Kingsboro Press, The Kingsboro Press, Issue 5
Bibliography
2011
Scott, Andrea. Goings on About Town: Art, “Skin So Soft,” The New Yorker, June 27, 2011
Rutland, Beau. Critics’ Picks: “Skin So Soft”, artforum.com, June 17, 2011
2010
Chamberlain, Colby. Critics’ Picks: “179 Canal / Anyways”, artforum.com, Nov. 18, 2010
Kitnick, Zak. not so autonomous maybe: 179 Canal at White Columns, Idiom (www.idiommag.com), November 10, 2010
Gartenfeld, Alex. Malls for America: Devon Dikeou at 179 Canal, interviewmagazine.com, May 19, 2010
Fiduccia, Joanna. Critics’ Picks: Josh Kline and Anicka Yi, artforum.com, April 20, 2010
2009
Moss, Ceci. Circular File Channel, Rhizome (www.rhizome.org), December 8, 2009
Smith, Roberta. Unspooling Time Loops, The New York Times, August 7, 2009
Robinson, Walter. Weekend Update, artnet (www.artnet.com), July 22, 2009
Cook, Mary. Haberdashery Anyone?, art:21 blog (http://blog.art21.org), June 5, 2009
2005
Krudy, Catherine. Precious Moments, Flavorpill (www.flavorpill.com), August 30, 2005
Davis, Ben. August Company, Artnet Magazine (www.artnet.com), August 26, 2005
Cotter, Holland. Precious Moments, The New York Times, August 19, 2005
Guest Lecturing
2011
Parsons The New School for Design, New York, lecture
2010
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
2009
City College, New York, lecture
School of Visual Arts, New York, lecture
It’s clean, it’s natural, we promise, installation views, 2011, 35 Duane Reade plastic water bottles boiled in their own water, plastic-infused water, dimensions variable.
Share The Health (Assorted Probiotic Hand Gels), 2011, mixed media. L-R: Dispenser #1: acidophilus in mango coconut flavored nutrient gel in plastic dispenser, Dispenser #2: G Train culture in nutrient gel in plastic dispenser, Dispenser #3: Chase ATM machine culture in nutrient gel in plastic dispenser
Indoor Tans, 2011, installation view, 2011, L’Oreal bronzer on archival pigment print on canvas, each 8” x 11”
Smells Like Surface Magazine 2003 (#3), 2010, Axe body wash on canvas, 16” x 20”
installation, White Columns, New York, 2010, 4 framed digital c-prints, each 20"x30” and For Your Health, 2010, 30 3-liter Poland Spring plastic water bottles and plastic-infused spring water, dimensions variable.
For Your Health, 2010, installation details, 30 3-liter Poland Spring plastic water bottles boiled in their own water, plastic-infused spring water, dimensions variable.
Facebook Friends, 2010, Digital C-Print, 20” x 30”
Canadian Brunettes, 2010, Digital C-Print, 20” x 30”
Citizen Dick/Hurl Jam/Guess Jeans, 2010, Digital C-Print, 20” x 30”
Bravo Presents: Seattle Story, 2010, Digital C-Print, 20” x 30”
Break Room Titanium (Brushed Metal), installation view, 2010, white Mac iBook laptops, wood table and stools, SmartWater, Kashi Go Lean cereal, digital C-Prints, acrylic and housepaint, Polad Spring water jugs
Titanium iMac (express yourself), 2010, Mac Laptop and acrylic, 13” x 9” x 9” and Smart Water (Titanium), 2010, Smart Water and acrylic, 3” x 3” x 11.75”
Workstation: TNG, installation view, 2010, Mac G3 tower and monitor, Mac keyboard and mouse, houseplant and ceramic pot from Ikea, cordless phone, ergonomic mesh task chair, acrylic and housepaint, dimensions variable
Workstation 1 (blueberry), installation view, 2010 and What happens when things get real?, 2010, housepaint on wall, dimensions variable
installation view: Blueberry iMac G5 (off), 2010, iMac G5 and acrylic, 16.5"x 7” x 17” and Blueberry iKeyboard, 2010, Mac keyboard and acrylic, 17.5” x 5” x 1.25” and Blueberry iMouse, 2010, Mac mouse and acrylic, 5” x 2.5” x 1”
Fake Aeron Chair (blueberry), 2010, ergonomic task chair and acrylic, 27” x 27” x 38”
Blueberry iMouse, 2010, Mac mouse and acrylic, 5” x 2.5” x 1”
Tooth Final Conflict, 2010, Ikea glass, Oral B toothbrushes, Crest tooth paste
video stills from: This Is Our Tsunami, 2009, 8:29 min, HD video, sound (collaboration with Tatiana Kronberg and Greg Edwards for Circular File) - http://www.youtube.com/user/circularfilechannel#p/c/065BDECEC7A8A393/1/9hT5WDAJyrQ
video stills from: Intern Promises, 2009, 15 min, HD video, sound (collaboration with Tatiana Kronberg for Circular File) - http://vimeo.com/7544395