Kat Chamberlin b. 1981, The Netherlands
Born in the Netherlands and raised in Turkey, Kat Chamberlin is a Brooklyn-based artist. Her work has been exhibited across the U.S and internationally, and featured in exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, The Chicago Cultural Center, Barbara and Steven Grossman Gallery in Boston, TSA and BRIC in New York City. Kat completed her Masters in Fine Art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is the recipient of a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship, the Toby Devan Lewis Award and the William Dole Award.
Like my internet persona, I am a contrarian ferociously in love with love. My work is not about a malevolent patriarchy. I don’t believe in utopias. When I speak of motherhood, I talk about it as a metaphor for authoritarian governance. Parents and children, lovers and friends must negotiate their individuality while balancing dependence. Boundaries are materially delineated; fragile glass as weapon, softly flocked heavy bronze, carved supple walnut, and sharp aluminum. I’m interested in relational materials; an invitation to touch, caress, fondle, rub, step on, or to restrain and repulse. I believe there is value in conflict, and growth through friction. My objects push and pull between materials, demanding me to be aware of how often my body desires what my reasonable mind resists.