Artist’s Statement
Kenneth R. Gerleve
Kenneth R. Gerleve
Artist’s Statement:
First and foremost a storyteller, I use narrative and image to tell stories, which are often darkly humorous. My personal artwork juxtaposes the traditional elements of the Gothic with contemporary culture. I routinely explore the themes of childhood, sexuality, relationships, death and the supernatural. My aim is to create art whose broader agenda is revealed only after a deeper investigation of the details of the work. Visually, my work draws on the graphic symbolism of 16th-19th Century engravings, paintings and domestic arts. I often use Scherenschnitte, or paper-cutting, and dimensional book structures, like Tunnel and Carousel books, to create sculptural scenes reminiscent of the silhouette animations of Lotte Reiniger.
I earned an M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago, and have worked as a graphic designer in marketing and advertising. Currently I am the studio assistant for visual artist and author Audrey Niffenegger. I have also worked as a teaching assistant for artist Andrea Deszö, and made paper for Alison Knowles and Sally Alatalo for Sara Ranchouse Press. My illustration and design work has been featured in previous issues of Pistil Magazine, the Journal of Artists’ Books and Little Bang.
