In the heart of Kansas in the 1970’s there was a boy who had learned to make his own delights. Growing up in the seclusion of vast, rural country, his mother worked often, and left in the presence of an alcoholic step-father and two much older brothers, the boy evolved to grow his imagination within the isolation that surrounded him. His talent expanded and opened the door to a world of complex, darkly spectacular creations. His name is Kris Kuksi.
One of the most striking features of Kuksi’s work is how vastly intricate each of his sculptures are, often exploring grand themes of religion or politics, mixing these with Baroque and modern elements. Created from a multitude of figures and pieces, Kuksi will spend many hours patiently creating each sculpture. His meticulous process involves spending time collecting each individual plastic figurine before cutting and manipulating each piece in order to bring them together within his final sculptures. The results are breathtaking. Each sculpture beckons the viewer to become lost in the mass of amalgamated scenes being played out before their eyes, making Kuksi’s unique creations a trademark style that has enraptured the world.
On closer inspection it’s clear there is more to the scenes Kuksi puts together. With a larger focal point such as the ancient gods and goddesses within shrine-like surroundings, the viewer is first hit with an initial reaction to the scenes they portray. Often, the darker undertones creep out within his tiny figurines – the guns they hold take the spotlight, the chains rise to become the focus. Kuksi’s shares his view of the world, and we are invited in. Kuksi’s biography reads:
In personal reflection, Kris feels that in the world today much on mankind is oftentimes frivolous and fragile, being driven primarily by greed and materialisation. He hopes that his art exposes the fallacies of Man, unveiling a new level of awareness to the viewer.
Alongside his sculptures, Kuksi also draws and paints. Still taking the viewer to a place of wonder and darkness, Kuksi’s talent reflects some of the Baroque connotations within his sculptures whilst also bringing refreshingly different styles to the surface. From beautiful and raw portraits to fantastical scenery, Kuksi keeps producing. His most recent solo show Revival, shown at the Joshua Liner Gallery in New York, was another great success, and with the level of popularity that Kuksi has achieved around the world, we can only wait for his next exhibition to be unveiled very soon. In the meantime, you can enjoy a deeper insight into the artist in the September 2013 Issue of beautiful.bizarre magazine.
