/ Art and Art History Department

Borgeson Artist in Residence 2018

Caleb Kortokrax

Gang Chant
De Pree Gallery, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
August 22–September 21, 2018

  • A view of a gallery space featuring paintings by Caleb Kortokrax. On the left wall, there are two small, brightly colored abstract paintings, one orange and one pink. On the right wall, there are five larger paintings with intricate, illuminated manuscript-inspired designs in shades of blue and purple. The room has a polished concrete floor and an upper level with glass windows overlooking the exhibition space.
  • Five vibrant paintings by Caleb Kortokrax hang on a beige gallery wall under the title "EXHIBITION STATEMENT GANG CHANT." The artwork features a blend of abstract and literal descriptions, inspired by illuminated manuscripts from the Romanesque era in England, displayed in shades of blue and pink. The paintings reinterpret spacial conventions and merge historical motifs with contemporary abstraction.
  • A painting by Caleb Kortokrax titled "GANG CHANT" features an abstract design with a central arch shape in deep red, surrounded by shades of pink and orange. Blue wavy lines cut across the arch, adding a sense of motion and depth. The artwork reinterprets spatial conventions and draws inspiration from illuminated manuscripts of the Romanesque era.
  • A colorful painting by Caleb Kortokrax titled "GANG CHANT," featuring a central abstract motif with earthy tones surrounded by a vibrant, multi-colored frame including green, red, pink, and yellow sections. The painting combines elements of both abstract and literal description, influenced by illuminated manuscripts of the Romanesque era.
  • A square-shaped painting with a deep red-orange color, featuring a recessed, indented center that creates a shadow effect, hanging on a light-colored wall.
  • A vibrant pink and purple abstract painting by Caleb Kortokrax, featuring geometric shapes and layered depth, part of the "GANG CHANT" exhibition at Hope College.
  • A painting by Caleb Kortokrax featuring abstract geometric shapes and patterns. The artwork includes a central dark blue area with star-like symbols and red dots, surrounded by a border of pink and blue checkerboard patterns. The outer edges have a gradient of purple tones. The painting merges abstract and literal descriptions, reinterpreting spatial conventions and inspired by illuminated manuscripts of the Romanesque era.

Exhibition Statement

GANG CHANT, an exhibition of new paintings by Caleb Kortokrax, reinterprets spacial conventions through merging abstract and literal description in his motifs. Kortokrax reanimates the idiosyncratic language of illuminated manuscripts of the Romanesque era in England by expanding its pictorial depth and putting it in conversation with his own notion of abstraction, perception, and experiential color. The paintings incant song that harkens back to their own historical lineage; being objects of the present, they unconsciously speak in cryptic terms.

Hope CollegeArt and Art History Department

De Pree Art Center275 Columbia AvenueRoom 138Holland, MI 49423

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