Curtis Kulig “PRIZE”

agnès b. galerie boutique

[Image: Curtis Kulig "Born in the Bronx 1946" (2018) graphite, charcoal and acrylic on paper 14 x 14 in.]

This event has ended.

agnès b. presents the solo exhibition “PRIZE” by Curtis Kulig. The artist’s reception takes place on Thursday, October 11 from 6-8pm at the agnès b. Galerie Boutique in New York. This will be the first exhibition at the gallery with the New York-based artist who works primarily in painting, sculpture, drawing and photography.

This new exhibition features an installation that includes more than 30 drawings, ceramics, a large-scale painting, and a 8mm film in which Kulig has invited Aska Matsumiya to develop a soundscape. All of the work captures the nuanced movement of professional boxing. Like dancers, boxers exist in the physical moment—the body is their medium, and every gesture is an articulation of strategy. The end result is exhaustion, and Kulig’s poignant illustrations give the viewer a chance to linger quietly in suspended time. Through ink, pencil, paint and film, the artist honors and toys with the seriousness of boxing. It is only natural that these works—with their reverence for the human form—find a temporary home at the agnès b. Galerie Boutique.

In mid-October, a 96-page artist book will be published by Pacific on the occasion of the exhibition, with an introduction by Curtis Kulig, an essay by Karen Wong and a story by Max Blagg. A companion vinyl album has been curated by Kulig and collaborator DJ Stretch Armstrong and will be released concurrently.

Kulig is best known for his iconic “Love Me” campaign that became a public art sensation and propelled him into the spotlight. With its message of hope and optimism, the slogan took on a life of its own, resulting in worldwide recognition and numerous successful commercial partnerships for the artist.