Jump to content

Draft:Brad R. Kunkle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brad R. Kunkle (b. March 26, 1978) is an American artist and musician known for the use of gold and silver leaf in figurative oil paintings. His works have been shown at numerous exhibitions in the United States and Europe. They were also used for the opening title sequence of the Netflix show Ann with an E. [1]

Early life and education

[edit]

Kunkle was born to Bill and Cindy Kunkle in 1978, in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. His earliest published drawings were for his uncle's nature conservancy newsletter, Wildlife Activist. Kunkle cites the natural world as an early influence.[1]

Kunkle earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kutztown University, studying under George Sorrels.[2] Originally, Kunkle studied art education, with the dream of becoming a part-time fantasy book-cover artist, but after illustrator Donato Giancola spoke at his school, Kunkle switched to concentrate full-time on Fine Arts.[3]

Kunkle's passion for pre-Raphaelite paintings led to the development of his own style of grisaille or "the use of a limited color palette that was also used by Flemish masters Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin."[4]

Following his formal education, Kunkle experimented with various mediums and styles. During this period, he discovered his love for gold leaf during a trip to the Louvre (Paris) in 2007. Kunkle was inspired by the gilded ceilings, set as backdrops to the figurative bas-relief moldings of the massive rooms, and began to incorporate gold and silver into his paintings.[5]

Career

[edit]

Upon moving to New York City, Kunkle sought gallery representation. He was offered a place in a group show at Arcadia Contemporary in 2009 called International Introductions and sold all of his works on display. This success led to his first solo show at Arcadia Contemporary called Against Nature, which also sold out, on opening night, in 2010. Since then, he has had five additional shows at Arcadia Contemporary in New York City and Los Angeles.

Themes

[edit]

Kunkle's paintings often feature female figures adorned with gold leaf set against natural landscapes with silver-leafed skies or backdrops.[6] His compositions explore themes of femininity, nature, and the passage of time.[7]

Over the course of his career, Kunkle has garnered international acclaim for his distinctive style. He has a widespread social media following, and his works have been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums worldwide. His work has appeared in Lapham's Quarterly, Huffington Post, and the Lunar Codex, currently anchored to the moon. Kunkle's paintings and processes are also featured in the film A BEHOLDEN PURPOSE from Brennan Stasiewicz.

In an interview for American Art Collector, Kunkle said, "Whether someone is a practicing witch or a catholic priest, or even just someone who believes in serendipity, the commonality is that they all believe that there is an invisible world that can affect their lives. Magical thinking is a strong force that has been a part of the human story since the dawn of time, and it's an endless source of inspiration for me."[8]

Kunkle's ideas are strongly influenced by the writings of Joseph Campbell. The two men also share the same date of birth (March 26).[9]

In High Fructose, J. L. Schnabel quoted Kunkle as saying, "I love the fact that the precious metals create a reflective surface that actually brings the environment of the viewer into the painting . . . The paintings become interactive and the viewer becomes part of creating what they are seeing. For me, it's like the world I've created and the world the viewer stands in, are having this dance, choreographed by the viewer."[10]

Exhibitions

[edit]

Museum - Institution

2020 The New Salem Museum. Permanent Collection

2016 Et in Arcadia Ego, group exhibition. New Museum Los Gatos

2015 Transmissions, group exhibition. William Roland Gallery of Fine Art. California Lutheran University.

2015 Kwan Fong Gallery of Art & Culture. Artist in Residence. California Lutheran University.

2013 MESA Contemporary Arts Museum.

Solo

[edit]

2024 Palisades. Arcadia Contemporary, New York City.

2020 alkәmē. Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles.

2016 In/visible. Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles.

2014 The Belonging. Arcadia Contemporary, New York City.

2012 Gilded Wilderness. Arcadia Contemporary, New York City.

2010 Against Nature. Arcadia Contemporary, New York City.

Group

[edit]

2017 Context Art Miami. Arcadia Contemporary

2017 The New Baroque. Booth Gallery, NYC

2015 Context Art Miami. Jonathan Levine Gallery

2015 Paintguide Exhibition. The Unit London

2013 Small Works. Arcadia Contemporary, New York NY

2013 Singlefare 3. RH Gallery, New York NY

2012 Resolve. Joushua Liner Gallery, New York NY

2011 Dark Water. Group Exhibition, Copro Gallery, Los Angeles.

2011 Singlefare. Sloan Fine Art, New York NY

2010 To Sleep Like Ghosts. Strychnin Gallery, Berlin.

2010 Small Works. Arcadia Gallery, New York NY

2009 Small Works. Arcadia Gallery, New York NY

2009 International Introductions. Arcadia Gallery, New York NY

References

[edit]
  1. ^ J. L. Schnabel, "Against Nature: The Paintings of Brad Kunkle," Hi Fructose vol. 25, 2010, page 106
  2. ^ Samantha Levin, "Interview with Brad Kunkle," Beinart Gallery, January 2015.
  3. ^ Micki Cavanah, "Brad Kunkle: The Masterful Use of Gold & Silver Leaf in Fine Art," The Gilder's Tip (vol 29, no 1), Winter 2015, pages 11-12.
  4. ^ J. L. Schnabel, "Against Nature: The Paintings of Brad Kunkle," Hi Fructose vol. 25, 2010, page 106
  5. ^ Micki Cavanah, "Brad Kunkle: The Masterful Use of Gold & Silver Leaf in Fine Art," The Gilder's Tip (vol 29, no 1), Winter 2015, pages 11-12.
  6. ^ Caro, "Brad Kunkle's Gold Leaf Paintings Featured in New Short Film," Hi Fructose March 15, 2016.
  7. ^ Samantha Levin, "Interview with Brad Kunkle," Beinart Gallery, January 2015, https://beinart.org/blogs/articles/interview-brad-kunkle
  8. ^ Michael Clawson, "The Alchemist: Brad Kunkle turns lead into silver and gold for his newest show at Arcadia Contemporary," American Art Collector, April 2020.
  9. ^ Joshua Rose, "Belonging & Becoming: Brad Kunkle offers a Multimedia Investigation into the Journeys and Paths of One's Life," American Art Collector, December, 2014, pages 68-71.
  10. ^ J. L. Schnabel, "Against Nature: The Paintings of Brad Kunkle," Hi Fructose vol. 25, 2010, page 106