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Artist information:
Jimmy Kuehnle
Saint Louis, MO
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Jimmy Kuehnle is showing at:
The Old Federal Building The Old Federal Building
155 N Division Ave
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
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Jimmy Kuehnle
Artist bio: Jimmy Kuehnle received an MFA in Sculpture in 2006 from the University of Texas at San Antonio and continues to make sculpture and performance work. In 2008 he researched public art and worked in the studio as a Fulbright Graduate Research Fellow and artist in Japan. In the summer of 2009 he is a resident artist at Atelje Stundars in Vaasa, Finland. In the fall of 2009 he will be the Philip C. Curtis Artist in Residence at Albion College in Albion, Michigan. Upcoming exhibitions include "I Don't Like Cold Weather" at the Bobbitt Visual Arts Center and a solo exhibition of new work at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. In the summer of 2010 Kuehnle will be a resident artist at Sculpture Space in Utica, New York. His work have been featured in nationally and internationally and has received critical acclaim in magazines, newspapers and television. Currently PrimeEights Design is making a short film about his work. Please visit http://www.jimmykuehnle.com/
Artist statement: The simultaneous proximity and distance of people in urban centers motivates the core of my art practice. Members of society are disconnected from one another despite almost daily contact in a monotonous cycle of daily tasks. I seek to challenge the public in order to break it out of its repetitive cycle. Humans are very adept at assimilating the world around them to the point that unusual experiences quickly become commonplace. Many wonders and sublime experiences are overlooked. I make sculpture and performance props using materials ranging from heavy steel to light inflatable fabric to create novel experiences for the viewer. The work is a hybrid of sculpture, performance, new media and interactive practices. My recent inflatable suits have allowed me to take the work into the streets for direct contact with the public. My sculpture and performances are intentionally absurd to the point that traffic stops, pedestrians gather, and interactions occur.
About the work:
Title: You Wear What I Wear

Art form: 3-D, Performance

Medium: inflatable nylon

Year created: Work not created yet

Description of work: The work will consist of scheduled and impromptu performances throughout the duration of ArtPrize by Jimmy Kuehnle. Many public locations will be used to afford maximum exposure and accessibility to the viewers. The performances will be made with inflatable suits and movable props. Kuehnle will clog the sidewalks and reach for the electric lines in his towering inflatable suits. The suits are powered by 12v blower motors, which frees Kuehnle to cram in-between ArtPrize attendees and the infrastructure of Grand Rapids. The bright colors of the suits attract the attention of pedestrians making nonsense of common sense. The handmade inflatable suits are huge yet glide along the ground with surprising agility.

Work statement: The performances continue Jimmy Kuehnle's message of, “Stop. Talk to me. We are both people.” Kuehnle makes his art 50% for himself and 50% for the viewer. It is an examination of the human condition and the absurdity of life.

Technical details:
Work width: 120 inches
Work height: 140 inches
Work depth: 130 inches
Required venue ceiling: 5 inches
Required venue door height: 72 inches
Required venue door width: 24 inches
Required wall linear footage: n/a
Required venue square footage: 100 sq. ft.
Additional considerations:
Audio/video needed: No
Electrical needed: Yes
Lighting needed: No
Internet access needed: No
Ground floor access needed: No
Indoor space needed: Yes
Outdoor space needed: No
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