Kris Martin

Kris Martin (born 1972 in Kortrijk)^[1] is a Belgian conceptual visual artist.^[2] His work consists of monumental^[3]^[4] and small-scale sculptures,^[5]^[6] drawings and interventions.

Recurring themes in his work are the notion of time, history and the transience of human existence. His artwork also explores the relationship between the creators and the consumers of art,^[7] and combines elements of contemplation with humour and playfulness.^[8]^[9]

Among his best known works are 'Mandi XVIII', a plaster cast of the Laocoon group with the snakes omitted,^[10] and '100 years' a sculpture that will explode in 100 years from its conception. Martin has worked with curators Jan Hoet and Jens Hoffmann.

Martin held his first solo show in 2000. Since then he has mounted many solo exhibitions, and his work has been included in dozens of group exhibitions.

In 2020, a retrospective of Martin's work was held at S.M.A.K Ghent titled EXIT. The exhibition gathered many well known works amongst which the iconic Altar (2004), with recent additions such as Water (2020), a spread of vessels holding the life sustaining liquid.^[11]

Solo shows

2000 - Wahnsinn, Garden of Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle
2004 - Beaulieu Gallery, Wortegem-Petegem
2005 - Neuer Aachener Kunstverein, Aachen; Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf
2006 - Deus ex machina, Johann König, Berlin
2007 - MoMA PS1, New York; My Private 5, Piazza San Marco, Venedig; Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf; Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
2009 - Aspen Art Museum, Aspen; Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf; Johann König, Berlin
2010 - FESTUM, White Cube, London; T.Y.F.F.S.H., K20 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf; Almine Rech Gallery, Brüssel/Brussels
2011 - Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf; Marc Foxx, Los Angeles; The Magnificent Seven: Hammarby!, Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco
2012 - Every Day of the Weak, Kestnergesellschaft, Hannover, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau; Mandi VIII, Lehmbruck-Museum, Duisburg; DO NOT CROSS THE RED LINE, Kunst-Station Sankt Peter, Köln; Festum II, Theseustempel, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien
2013 - Somebody, Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf; White Cube, London; Künstlerraum, K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
2016 - König Galerie, Berlin.^[12]
2020 - EXIT, S.M.A.K, Ghent.

References

^ "Kris Martin Goes From Eros to Eternity at König Galerie Berlin". Blouin Art Info, BY Lisa Contag | July 20, 2016
^ Harriet Baskas (1 October 2013). Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-1-4930-0161-3.
^ "MCA exhibition ‘S, M, L, XL’ engages with all shapes, sizes". DePauline, By Tiffany Freeman on May 17, 2015
^ Michael K. Corbin (December 2011). Art for the People: A Collector's Journal. AuthorHouse. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-1-4567-2964-6.
^ "The Most Frequently Stolen Artwork in History Is…On the High Line?". Observer, Noah Charney September 30, 2015
^ "Laugh At Death: Kris Martin on Mortality, Silent Bells and the Skeleton He Buried in an Art Museum's Front Lawn". Huffington Post, May 18 2014
^ "Sizing the Immaterial: S, M, L, XL at MCA". ArtSlant, 5/12/2015 by Stephanie Cristello
^ "At the Jewish Museum, Kris Martin Riffs on Retail". ArtNetNews. Blake Gopnik, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
^ "The Shape of Things to Come, Saatchi Gallery / John Chamberlain, Gagosian Gallery, review". The Telegraph, Alastair Sooke, 30 May 2011
^ Camila Maroja; Caroline Menezes (26 June 2014). The Permanence of the Transient: Precariousness in Art. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 23–. ISBN 978-1-4438-6288-2.
^ "Kris Martin "EXIT" S.M.A.K / Ghent |". Flash Art. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
^ "Gallery Hopping: Kris Martin at König Galerie, Berlin". ArtNet News, Hili Perlson, August 5, 2016

External links

[1] "Kris Martin Goes From Eros to Eternity at König Galerie Berlin". Blouin Art Info, BY Lisa Contag | July 20, 2016

[Baskas2013-2] Harriet Baskas (1 October 2013). Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-1-4930-0161-3.

[3] "MCA exhibition ‘S, M, L, XL’ engages with all shapes, sizes". DePauline, By Tiffany Freeman on May 17, 2015

[Corbin2011-4] Michael K. Corbin (December 2011). Art for the People: A Collector's Journal. AuthorHouse. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-1-4567-2964-6.

[5] "The Most Frequently Stolen Artwork in History Is…On the High Line?". Observer, Noah Charney September 30, 2015

[6] "Laugh At Death: Kris Martin on Mortality, Silent Bells and the Skeleton He Buried in an Art Museum's Front Lawn". Huffington Post, May 18 2014

[7] "Sizing the Immaterial: S, M, L, XL at MCA". ArtSlant, 5/12/2015 by Stephanie Cristello

[8] "At the Jewish Museum, Kris Martin Riffs on Retail". ArtNetNews. Blake Gopnik, Tuesday, June 16, 2015

[9] "The Shape of Things to Come, Saatchi Gallery / John Chamberlain, Gagosian Gallery, review". The Telegraph, Alastair Sooke, 30 May 2011

[MarojaMenezes2014-10] Camila Maroja; Caroline Menezes (26 June 2014). The Permanence of the Transient: Precariousness in Art. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 23–. ISBN 978-1-4438-6288-2.

[11] "Kris Martin "EXIT" S.M.A.K / Ghent |". Flash Art. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2021-10-23.

[12] "Gallery Hopping: Kris Martin at König Galerie, Berlin". ArtNet News, Hili Perlson, August 5, 2016

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]