Craig Kucia was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He received a BFA from Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio) in 1999 and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts (London) in 2003. Kucia is known for his thought-provoking paintings with intricate and uncanny compositions which explore the visual and psychological spaces that arise between memory and imagination.
Read MoreKucia's paintings integrate references from various historical movements such as Surrealism, Pattern & Decorations, and Cubism, to name a few, as well as draws from his own personal experiences. With varying subjects, the artist explores the possibilities of oil painting by using various techniques within his work by juxtaposing flat and graphic elements with materially rich impasto. Often using universally familiar imagery—such as sperm whales from his signature whale series or motifs of flora and fauna—Kucia's otherworldly paintings contain an allegorical and metaphorical resonance. The unexpected and intriguing narratives Kucia purposes, invites viewers to reflect, question, and create their own stories within each work.
The artist's recent solo exhibitions include a toucan, L21 (Islas Baleares, 2021); whales, The Pit (Glendale, 2021); paintings, AM Gallery (Los Angeles, 2018); and accidental documentaries, Shaheen Modern and Contemporary Art (Cleveland, 2014). His work has also been included in numerous group exhibitions including Wild Frontiers, The Pit (Glendale, 2021); 36 Paintings, Harper's Book (East Hampton, 2021); and L.A. : Views, MAKI Gallery (Tokyo, 2020).
Text courtesy MAKI.
