Kris Kuksi Transforms The Ordinary Into Surreal Gothic Sculptures

Kris Kuksi garners recognition and acclaim for the intricate sculptures that result from his unique and meticulous technique. A process that requires countless hours to assemble, collect, manipulate, cut, and re-shape thousands of individual parts, finally uniting them into an orchestral-like seamless cohesion that defines the historical rise and fall of civilization and envisions the possible future(s) of humanity. Each sculpture embodies the trademarks of his philosophy and practice, while serving as a testament to the multifaceted nature of perception – From timeless iconic references of Gods and Goddess, to challenging ideas of organized religion and morality, to the struggle to understand, and bend, the limits of mortality. None is complete without a final and brilliant touch of satire and rebuke all conceived in the aesthetic essence of the Baroque fused with the modern day industrial world.In personal reflection, Kris believes that in today’s world many of humanity is often frivolous and fragile, driven mainly by greed and materialism. He hopes that his art exposes man’s errors by revealing a new level of consciousness to the viewer. His work has received several awards and distinctions and has been featured in more than 100 exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world, including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Kris’ art can also be seen in a number of international art magazines, book covers and theater posters.

Finding forgotten objects in the streets and turning them into sublime works is the challenge of a very talented artist who uses these findings to make impressive sculptures, where every detail is important …
Kris Kuksi is an exceptionally talented artist who creates sculptures that are about 50 centimeters long and can, for some, be one meter long. Others even exceed this size! The Gothic universe of the artist takes a completely different scale with these sculptures. The most surprising thing is that he uses only objects found on the street or elsewhere. In the greatest attention to detail, Kris Kuksi makes gargantuan works in front of which it is necessary to stop several minutes to discover a multitude of details all as surprising ones as the others. Not to mention the fact that these achievements are made to perfection.
The famous director Guillermo Del Toro (to whom we owe Pacific Rim) has even been of his little word (very colorful) to describe the work of the artist: “Kris Kuksi obsessively arranges characters and architectures in asymmetrical compositions , with an exquisite sense of dramaturgy. Instead of using stones and shells, he uses screaming plastic soldiers, miniature engine pieces, piling arrows and debris to form these landscapes.
Kris Kuksi obsessively collects and arranges a variety of cultural flotsam and jetsam – figurines, model parts, collectibles, craft parts, and jewelry. The carefully curated and protracted collection process required for each piece renders each and every item a precious and integral object in these apocalyptic dioramas. The political, spiritual, and material conflicts captured within these shrines expose Kuksi’s disenchantment with the past, present, and future state of the world.

At Mark Moore Gallery

H/T:lastritesgallery / canalblog/ WSimag.com