Using images of architecture and landscape, Kim Beck makes drawings, prints, paintings and installations that survey peripheral and suburban spaces. Her work urges a reconsideration of the built environment - the peculiar street signs, gas station banners, overgrown weeded lots, and self-storage buildings — bringing the banal and everyday into focus.Kim Beck grew up in Colorado and currently lives and works in Pittsburgh and New York. She has exhibited widely including at the Walker Art Center, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Smack Mellon, Socrates Sculpture Park, and Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. A recent participant in the Marie Walsh Sharpe Space Program, she has held other residencies at Yaddo, International Studio & Curatorial Program, Cité Internationale des Arts, Vermont Studio Center, and VCCA. She has received awards and fellowships from ARS Electronica, the Pollock-Krasner, Thomas J. Watson and Heinz Foundations and her artist's book, A Field Guide to Weeds, was published through the Printed Matter Emerging Artist Publishing Program and is in its second edition. Her work is currently on view at moniquemeloche in Chicago and at Mixed Greens and at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in New York. She received her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and BA from Brandeis University.
| 2010 | The High Line, Space Available, New York, NY (upcoming) |
| 2009 | Mixed Greens Gallery, Window Project: Everything Must Go!, New York, NY |
| Julio Fine Arts Gallery, Ownership Society, Loyola College, MD, catalog | |
| Incident Report, Everything Must Go!, Hudson, NY | |
| 2008 | Pentimenti Gallery, they paved paradise, Philadelphia, PA |
| Artists Image Resource, Looked Overlooked, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| 2007 | Printed Matter, Book Launch: A Field Guide to Weeds, New York, NY |
| 2006 | Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Emerging Artist of the Year, PA, catalog |
| Gardiner Art Gallery, Plot, Oklahoma State University,OK | |
| 2005 | Raid Projects, Lot, Los Angeles, CA |
| Sonnenschein Gallery, Lot, Lake Forest College, IL | |
| 2004 | Plane Space, Ideal City, New York, NY, catalog |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Video Screening – Night: Memphis, TN | |
| 2003 | Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, Climate Controlled, Buffalo, NY, catalog |
| 2002 | ArtLab, Coordinates, Art Museum University of Memphis, TN |
| Second Floor Contemporary, Drive, Memphis, TN | |
| 2001 | CEPA Gallery, New Developments, Buffalo, NY, catalog |
| 2000 | Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Suburban Lights, Grand Rapids, MI |
| 1998 | Sol Koffler Gallery, The Angel of History, Providence, RI |
| Market House Gallery, Wise Wicked Simple Naive, Providence, RI | |
| 1997 | Edge Gallery, Self Portraits, Denver, CO |
| Selected Group Exhibitions | |
| 2010 | Indianapolis Museum of Art Paper Landscapes, Indianapolis, IN, curated by Lisa Freiman, (upcoming) |
| 2009 | moniquemeloche, Sign of the Times, Chicago, IL |
| P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Learn to Read Art: A History of Printed Matter, Long Island City, NY | |
| OK Center for Contemporary Art, Prix Ars Electronica Exhibition, Linz, Austria, catalog | |
| Maryland Art Place, In Our Nature, Baltimore, MD, catalog | |
| Badischer Kunstverein, Learn to Read Art: A History of Printed Matter, Karlsruhe, Germany | |
| Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, Printed Matter .Learn to Read Art, León, Spain | |
| Baker Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, Prints about Place, Allentown, PA | |
| Vox Populi, Reanimation Library: Center City Branch, Philadelphia, PA | |
| Yale School of Architecture, Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes, New Haven, CT | |
| Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Augére Pittsburgh, PA | |
| The Space Program, Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, Open Studios, New York, NY | |
| Pentimenti Gallery The Colors of the Week, Philadelphia, PA | |
| Cuchifritos, Data Panic, New York, NY | |
| Pier 94, The Armory Show with Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, NY | |
| 2008 | Aqua Art Miami, with Pentimenti Gallery (Philadelphia), Miami, FL |
| Carnegie Museum of Art, Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Socrates Sculpture Park, Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition, Long Island City, NY | |
| Mattress Factory, Meet the Made, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Allegheny College, 8-Hour Project, Meadville, PA | |
| Walker Art Center, Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes, Minneapolis, MN, catalog | |
| Francis M. Naumann Fine Art, Manufactured Unreality: The Art of Collage, New York, NY | |
| Plane Space, Gangbusters, New York, NY | |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Shuffle, Memphis, TN | |
| Smack Mellon, Kentucky Derby, Brooklyn, NY | |
| Virginia Commonwealth University, Southern Graphics Conference, Are We There Yet?, VA | |
| Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, 2008 Biennial, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| 2007 | Williamson Gallery at Scripps College, LA Live: Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Claremont, CA |
| Artists Image Resource, Cut, Copy, Fold, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Being Open, Grand Rapids, MI | |
| Nashville International Airport, Arts at the Airport, Nashville, TN | |
| Smack Mellon, Kentucky Derby, Brooklyn, NY | |
| 2006 | Aqua Art Miami, with Bank (Los Angeles), Miami, FL |
| Rochester Contemporary, Land Tracking Land, Rochester, NY, catalog | |
| Kontekst Galeriya, Guide with Next Question, Belgrade, Serbia | |
| Smack Mellon, Site 92, Brooklyn, NY | |
| Pierogi 2000 Flat Files, The Armory Show, New York, NY | |
| 2005 | Sherman Gallery, Skyline, Boston University School of Visual Art, Boston, MA |
| Material Art Space, ...and everythings picking up speed..., Memphis, TN | |
| Cornell University, In Exchange, Ithaca, NY | |
| Smack Mellon, Fifteen Paces, Brooklyn, NY | |
| 2004 | Plane Space, Drawing, New York, NY |
| Santa Fe Art Institute, SElections, Santa Fe, NM | |
| 2003 | Art Museum University of Memphis, MAX 2003; curated by Beth Venn, catalog |
| Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University, Photo Album, Jonesboro, AR, catalog | |
| 2002 | Annex Gallery, Mentor, Houston, TX |
| Zeitgeist Gallery, Switchyard, Nashville, TN | |
| 2001 | Central Academy of Fine Arts, Open Source, Beijing, China, travelling show, catalog |
| International Studio & Curatorial Program, New York, NY | |
| SUNY Geneseo Gallery, CIT ’01 Digital Media, Purchase, NY | |
| George Mason University, Media/Matrix, Fairfax, VA | |
| 2000 | George Sherman Gallery, Bon á Tirer, Boston, MA |
| 1999 | Attleboro Museum, New England Printmaking, MA |
| Rhode Island School of Design Museum, MFA Thesis, Providence, RI | |
| Elam School of Art, Works on Paper, Auckland, New Zealand | |
| 1998 | Sol Koffler Gallery, Works on Paper, Providence, RI |
| 1997 | Market House, One-Minute-Limit Video Show, Providence, RI |
| Movimiento Artistico del Rio Salado, Phoenix, AZ | |
| 1996 | Denver Art Museum, Recent Acquisitions, Denver, CO |
| Other Projects | |
| 2009 | The Kitchen, The Kitchen Block Party, New York, NY |
| Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Studio Program Installation, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Selected Awards & Residencies | |
| 2009 | Prix Ars Electronica, Award of Distinction in Interactive Arts, Linz, Austria | 2008 | The Space Program, The Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, New York, NY |
| Emerging Artist Fellowship Program, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY | |
| Visual Artist Fellowship, Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY | |
| 2007 | Publishing Program for Emerging Artists, Printed Matter, New York, NY |
| Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Project with Heinz Endowment Grant | |
| 2006 | Heinz Endowment Creative Heights Production Grant |
| Berkman Development Grant, "Transitional Cities: Pittsburgh & Belgrade" | |
| Emerging Artist of the Year, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts | |
| 2005 | Heinz Endowment Grant, Virginia Center for Creative Arts |
| Center for the Arts in Society Project Grant, Carnegie Mellon University | |
| 2004 | Artist-in-Residence, Plane Space, New York |
| 2003 | Cité Internationale des Arts Residency, Paris |
| 2002 | Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant |
| Vermont Studio Center, Full Fellowship | |
| Tennessee Arts Commission, Professional Artist Support Grant | |
| 2001 | International Studio & Curatorial Program, NYSCA Grant, New York |
| 1999 | RISD Award of Excellence in Printmaking |
| RISD Graduate Studies Award | |
| 1998 | Leopold Schepp Scholarship |
| 1993 | Artist-in-Residence, College of Fine Arts, Sidney, Australia |
| 1992 | Thomas J. Watson Fellowship: Travel Award, “Process & Product in Art: Europe, Australia & Japan” |
| Viewing Programs | |
| Artist Pension Trust, New York | |
| Pierogi 2000 Flat Files | |
| The Drawing Center Viewing Program | |
| Sculpture Center Image Library | |
| White Columns Curated Artist Registry | |
| Public Collections | |
| Carnegie Museum of Art | |
| Denver Art Museum | |
| Northern Territory Museum, Australia | |
| Urban Arts Commission, City of Memphis | |
| Pittsburgh Center for the Arts | |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art | |
| The Capitol Group, Los Angeles | |
| Commissions | |
| Moroso, Outdoor: ICFF, 2009 | |
| Zone 3 Police Station with Office of Public Art & City of Pittsburgh, 2009 | |
| Aufgabe, Journal of Poetry, Issue #8; Litmus Press, 2009 | |
| Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, 2008 | |
| Moroso, Salone Internazionale del Mobil, Milan, Italy, 2008 | |
| Selected Bibliography | |
| New American Paintings, #81, April/May, 2009 | |
| “Five Things in New York” MoLoco, May 21, 2009 | |
| Fabbri, Anne R. "In the Multi-Dimensional City" Broad Street Review. Nov 22, 2008 | |
| Donohoe, Victoria. "Art and Environment" The Philadelphia Inquirer. Nov 21, 2008 | |
| Rosoff, Libby. "The People’s Landscape" Artblog. Nov 11, 2008 | |
| Strauss, R.B. "First Fridays" Philadelphia Weekly Press. Nov 5, 2008 | |
| Levy, Alison. "EAF08 at Socrates" Artslant New York. Sept 21, 2008 | |
| Shaw, Kurt. "Mattress Factory's 'Gestures'" Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Aug 7, 2008 | |
| Oisteanu, Valery. "Prefabricated Art, Undesirable Surreality" The Brooklyn Rail. June 2008 | |
| Flick, Sherrie. "The Re-Examined Life" Pittsburgh City Paper. May 21, 2008 | |
| Miller, Leigh Ann. "Reviews: Pittsburgh / Kim Beck / Center for the Arts" Art in America. Feb 2007 | |
| Kalb, Peggy Edersheim. "Sharing the Wealth" Art + Auction. Fall 2007 | |
| Thomas, Mary. "Best of 2006" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dec 28, 2006 | |
| Thomas, Mary. "Art Review: Beck uses the Mundane..." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Oct 11, 2006 | |
| Shaw, Kurt. "Let there be light" Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Sept 10, 2006 | |
| "Shortlist: Fifteen Paces" Village Voice. May 4-10, 2005 | |
| “Arts & Leisure.” The New York Times. Sunday, Sept 26, 2004 | |
| Karlins, N.F. “Drawing Notebook.” ArtNet Magazine. July 2004 | |
| Anthes, Bill. “Memphis.” Contemporary Magazine. Fall 2004 | |
| Koeppel, Fredric. “Arts Profile” Commercial Appeal. June 26, 2004 | |
| Koeppel, Fredric. “Not Exactly” Commercial Appeal. Memphis, TN, Sept 21 2003 | |
| DeForest, Kate. “Ordinary Objects” Buffalo News. July 11, 2003 | |
| Sparks, Jon. Commercial Appeal. July 20, 2003 | |
| Gaasch, Cynnie. “Reworking Concepts of Beauty” ArtVoice, Buffalo, NY July 2003 | |
| Snodgrass, Daryl. “Interview on New Video Works” WKNO/NPR Memphis, TN Feb 4 2003 | |
| Hall, David. “Reviews: Memphis – Drive” Art Papers, Fall 2002 | |
| “Memphis Top Ten” Number 44. Fall 2002 | |
| Dobbins, Hamlett. “A Conversation” Number 43. Summer 2002 | |
| Catalogue / Book Essays | |
| Prix Ars Electronica, CyberArts 2009 by Hannes Leopoldseder, Christine Schopf, Gerfried Stocker. Published: Hatje Cantz: Austria, 2009 |
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| The Network for Art Technology and Society: The First 30 Years by Leopoldseder, Schopf, Stocker. Published: Hatje Cantz: Austria, 2009 |
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| Julio Fine Arts Gallery, Loyola College. Kim Beck and the New Disownership Society, 2009. Baltimore, MD. Text by Heather Pesanti. |
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| Manufractured: The Conspicuous Transformation of Everyday Objects by Steven Skov Holt & Mara Holt Skov. Published: Chronicle Books, 2008. |
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| Walker Art Center. Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes, 2008. Minneapolis, MN. Text by Andrew Blauvelt. | |
| Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Finding "Other Spaces," 2006. Pittsburgh, PA. Text by Heather Pesanti. | |
| Plane Space. Ideal City, 2004. New York, NY. Text by Chad MacDermid and Bryson Brodie. | |
| Art Museum at University of Memphis. MAX, 2003. Memphis, TN. Text by Beth Venn. | |
| Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. Climate Controlled, 2003. Buffalo, NY. Text by John Massier. | |
| Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University. Photo Album, 2003. Jonesboro, AR. Text by Les Christensen. | |
| Central Academy of Fine Arts, Open Source, 2001. Beijing, China. Text by Gerar Edizel. | |
| CEPA Gallery, New Developments, 2001. Buffalo, NY. Text by Anne Ellegood. | |
| Curatorial Projects | |
| 2007 | Artists Image Resource, Cut, Copy, Fold, Pittsburgh, PA, catalog |
| Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Phantasm Redux, Pittsburgh, PA | |
| 2003 | Delta Axis @ Marshall Arts, Not Exactly, Memphis, TN, catalog |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Video Screening, Memphis, TN | |
| Public Lectures / Visiting Artist | |
| 2009 | School of Visual Arts, NYC |
| Ars Electronica, Prix Forum II: Interactive Art, Linz, Austria | |
| Artists Opportunity Workshop, Dumbo Arts Center, Brooklyn, NY | |
| New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan, NY | |
| Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY | |
| 2008 | University of California, Santa Barbara, CA |
| 2007 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2006 | Frick Art & Historical Center, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Outside Project, Faculty of Fine Arts, Belgrade, Serbia | |
| College Art Association, Boston | |
| Oklahoma State University | |
| 2005 | Scripps College, Los Angeles |
| Boston University, School of Art | |
| FedEx Institute, University of Memphis | |
| Simmons College, Boston | |
| Lake Forest College, Chicago | |
| 2004 | Parsons School of Design, Paris |
| Memphis College of Art | |
| Appointments | |
| 2004-present | Assistant Professor, School of Art, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2004-2002 | Assistant Professor & Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Memphis College of Art, TN |
| 2000-2001 | Visiting Assistant Professor of Print Media, Alfred University, Alfred, NY |
| Education | |
| 1999 | Rhode Island School of Design, MFA, Painting, Drawing & Printmaking |
| 1992 | Brandeis University, BA, Visual Arts-Studio and Theatre Arts |
| 1991 | Yale University Summer School of Art at Norfolk |