Christopher Kanyusik was born in Minnesota, received his BFA in Ceramics from The University of Montana, his Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Sculpture from Brandeis University, his MFA in Ceramic Sculpture from The Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MFA in Sculpture from the Academy of Art University.
The first material that Christopher sculpted with was clay. At the onset of its transition from dirt to ceramic stone, clay is runny, squishy, sticky, soft and plastic. Combined with water clay is malleable and moldable and, conversely, when exposed to air or heat it can be stiff and rigid, brittle and delicate, or remarkably resilient and hard. All of those contradictory properties exist within one medium. It is through Kanyusik’s continual experiences with clay and its characteristics at each of the above stages that he became interested in the materiality of different sculptural media, or, simply, the spectrum of physical properties that reside in “stuff”.
In high school Kanyusik was initially exposed to clay as a sculptural medium. The tactility of pliable clay and its potential for modeling forms was an innate draw. From the start his work focused on sculpting the human figure in various styles and through a variety of approaches. Beginning with cartoon figures posed in illustrative scenes, Kanyusik’s interest in the material deepened, as did his investigation of human anatomy. As he furthered his studies, though the appearance of his work evolved, the core of that interest remained. First at the University of Montana, then at Brandeis University, and finally at the Rochester Institute of Technology, integral to his ideas and imagery were clay as the material and the human figure as the subject.
As he progressed, the narrative communicativeness of art, and how that dialogue could be explored, became increasingly central to Kanyusik’s sculptures and concepts. Specifically, he became interested in the relationship and responsibilities of the artist and the viewer in regards to the presentation and perception of an object. Also, the history of art began to inform his work through archetypes such as the male and female figure, as well as iconic imagery from significantly influential periods. A variety of artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Irwin and Juan Munoz greatly impacted his thinking about the purpose and potential of art. Though disparate in their subjects and approaches, elements of their creative philosophies run like a thread through Kanyusik’s understanding of how art functions.
In the course of Kanyusik’s research it became apparent to him that the human figure has an inherent connection to a viewer, especially in regards to the expectation of narrative content. From this realization he became aware of the importance of appreciating, if not emphasizing ambiguity as a means of provoking a viewer’s response. By experimenting with the degree of information provided for an audience, he started to understand his work as an endeavor interested in suggested narrative combined with ambiguous intent. Viewers sufficiently intrigued to supply their own interpretation and content would, and remains to be, the goal.
Kanyusik’s desire to explore sculptures with ambiguous intents has remained constant, while his emphasis on recognizable imagery has waned. He is currently interested in a more abstract suggestion to provoke a viewer to engage with his work. An identifiable human figure, or fragment thereof, is no longer as important to him as it once was. In its place is an exploration of materiality; specifically how different media record certain actions.
Kanyusik’s sculptural work is rooted in an exploration of narrative and the communication that takes place between an art object and a viewer. Beginning with depictions of the human figure, it has expanded to include more abstract, conceptual concerns in the form of repetition, replication and suggested intent. In that regard, his current work is centered on an appreciation for the physical properties of a variety of artistic vehicles, much like the malleability of clay that drew him in at the start.
The first material that Christopher sculpted with was clay. At the onset of its transition from dirt to ceramic stone, clay is runny, squishy, sticky, soft and plastic. Combined with water clay is malleable and moldable and, conversely, when exposed to air or heat it can be stiff and rigid, brittle and delicate, or remarkably resilient and hard. All of those contradictory properties exist within one medium. It is through Kanyusik’s continual experiences with clay and its characteristics at each of the above stages that he became interested in the materiality of different sculptural media, or, simply, the spectrum of physical properties that reside in “stuff”.
In high school Kanyusik was initially exposed to clay as a sculptural medium. The tactility of pliable clay and its potential for modeling forms was an innate draw. From the start his work focused on sculpting the human figure in various styles and through a variety of approaches. Beginning with cartoon figures posed in illustrative scenes, Kanyusik’s interest in the material deepened, as did his investigation of human anatomy. As he furthered his studies, though the appearance of his work evolved, the core of that interest remained. First at the University of Montana, then at Brandeis University, and finally at the Rochester Institute of Technology, integral to his ideas and imagery were clay as the material and the human figure as the subject.
As he progressed, the narrative communicativeness of art, and how that dialogue could be explored, became increasingly central to Kanyusik’s sculptures and concepts. Specifically, he became interested in the relationship and responsibilities of the artist and the viewer in regards to the presentation and perception of an object. Also, the history of art began to inform his work through archetypes such as the male and female figure, as well as iconic imagery from significantly influential periods. A variety of artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Irwin and Juan Munoz greatly impacted his thinking about the purpose and potential of art. Though disparate in their subjects and approaches, elements of their creative philosophies run like a thread through Kanyusik’s understanding of how art functions.
In the course of Kanyusik’s research it became apparent to him that the human figure has an inherent connection to a viewer, especially in regards to the expectation of narrative content. From this realization he became aware of the importance of appreciating, if not emphasizing ambiguity as a means of provoking a viewer’s response. By experimenting with the degree of information provided for an audience, he started to understand his work as an endeavor interested in suggested narrative combined with ambiguous intent. Viewers sufficiently intrigued to supply their own interpretation and content would, and remains to be, the goal.
Kanyusik’s desire to explore sculptures with ambiguous intents has remained constant, while his emphasis on recognizable imagery has waned. He is currently interested in a more abstract suggestion to provoke a viewer to engage with his work. An identifiable human figure, or fragment thereof, is no longer as important to him as it once was. In its place is an exploration of materiality; specifically how different media record certain actions.
Kanyusik’s sculptural work is rooted in an exploration of narrative and the communication that takes place between an art object and a viewer. Beginning with depictions of the human figure, it has expanded to include more abstract, conceptual concerns in the form of repetition, replication and suggested intent. In that regard, his current work is centered on an appreciation for the physical properties of a variety of artistic vehicles, much like the malleability of clay that drew him in at the start.