KITT PEKARIK
Bio: Christopher (Kitt) Pekarik, b. 1965 U.S.A., B.A. Columbia College, 1995. M.F.A. University of Delaware, 1997. Kitt has been living in Taiwan for the last 18 years. He veers away from provincial symbols which may be loaded with meaning that misconstrues the intention of the work. KItt has been a painter since 1988.He began taking art classes at the Ohio State University in 1991 until 1993. Then he moved to Chicago and studied under Hollis Sigler and McArthur Binion. His work was narrative and imagist at the time. In grad school, it became political and dealt with issues about A.I.D.S., homophobia, and general oppression, including racism.
Artist’s statement: Kitt’s current body of work addresses internal discordancy and expansion. The world as a tumultuous theater is an incorrectly perceived notion because it is usually our reasoning that interprets the influx of information as annihilative. The artist uses the open backgrounds as a tableau to embody the external world (outside of the psyche). Kitt does not use obvious symbols that can be loaded with cultural or historical context, but relies on shapes and colors to express the way a person situates themselves, their psyche, to the outside world. This latest body of work he encapsulates with these words. "pareidolia leads to apophenia." When you see what you want to, you will convince yourself to believe that what you have seen is real. The artist deplores the profligation of conspiracy theories as factual. Racism, oppression, and homophobia are still very relevant, just give him a minute. The artist has been living and teaching in Taiwan for the last 18 years and has excitedly begun a new body of work this year.
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Exhibitions:
Hyde Park Art Center: Chicago, Group show 1994
Columbia College: Hokin Gallery in 1995
Columbia College:10th Floor gallery, 1995.
Lollapolooza, Chicago 1995
University of Delaware: Clayton Hall, New Graduate Students work, 1995
Delaware Flower Show: Wilmington, DE. Hotel DuPont, paintings, 1996
University of Delaware: Graduate Painters final exhibition, Old College Hall, 1997
Metropolitan Gallery: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Solo exhibition, 1999
Columbia College: Returning Alumni Group Exhibition, 2001
City designs: Asbury Park, NJsolo exhibition, 2002
Education
1991-1993
The Ohio State University
1994-1995
Columbia College, Chicago
1995-1997
The University of Delaware
Kitt attended OSU from 1991-1993. There he completed his core requirements and declared an art major. He spent equal dedication to ceramics and painting. He worked with M.J. Bole and Stephen Pentak.
Kitt attended Columbia College from 1993-1995 and graduated with honors with a B.A. Here he dedicated his focus to the discipline of painting. He worked under the instruction of Hollis SIgler and McArthur Binion. His work was imagist/narrative as was the tone for the Chicago scene.
Kitt attended the University of Delaware from 1995-1997 to obtain an MFA in painting and graduated with honors. There his work became more political, dealing with issues of homophobia and racism. At the University of Delaware Kitt worked with Profs Larry Holmes and Robert Straight.
