Young Joon Kwak has exhibited and performed her art at venues including Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Roxaboxen Exhibitions, ACRE Projects, Hyde Park Art Center, and the MDW Fair in Chicago, NP Contemporary Art Center in NYC, Nada Fair, and Verge Art Fair in Miami. With Xina Xurner, she has performed in cities including Minneapolis, MN, Milwaukee, WI, St Louis, MO, and New Orleans, LA. Kwak received her BFA in Painting & Drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and MA in Humanities at the University of Chicago. She is currently pursuing her MFA at the University of Southern California.
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Young Joon Kwak
Born in Queens, NY. Lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Education:
Master of Fine Arts. University of Southern California.
Master of Arts in the Humanities. University of Chicago. 2010
Bachelor of Fine Arts. School of the Art Institute of Chicago. 2007
Solo & Two-Person Exhibitions & Performances:
Rite of Trans-Mortality . Happy Dog Gallery, Chicago, IL. 2012
Eating Without a Face. Roxaboxen Exhibitions, Chicago, IL. 2010
Tears From My Pussy. Doomsday Building, Chicago, IL. 2010
Makeovers by lil elote. Performance/Installation at Next Art Fair, Chicago, IL. 2009
Amoeboid Protoplasmic Projection. La Espacia, Chicago, IL. 2008
Select Group Exhibitions, Performances, & Screenings:
2012
Suitable Video. Regina Rex Gallery, New York, NY
All Good Things Become Wild & Free (curated by Daniel Orendorff). HF Johnson Gallery of Art, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI.
The Dragon Is The Frame. Gallery 400, Chicago, IL
Lane/Sirianni (sculpture collaborations with Matt Lane). New Capital, Chicago, IL
2011
New Ways: An Exhibition of Ragdale Fellowship Artists (curated by Regin Igloria). Coalition Gallery, Chicago, IL.
Space In, Space Out (exhibition curated by Scott Wolniak). Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago, IL
My Own Worst Enemy: Portraits of Self-Multiplicity (exhibition curated by Emma B. Stein). Milwaukee Ave. Art Fair, Chicago, IL
Please Touch the Artwork (exhibition curated by Emma B. Stein). Chicago, IL.
2010
Black & White & Read All Over. NP Contemporary Art Center, New York, NY.
Death Rites (collaborative performance program). Roxaboxen Exhibitions, Chicago, IL.
Objects & Personification (screening curated by Latham Owen Zearfoss). Chicago Filmmakers.
Gamma Ray Burst 6 (University of Chicago MFA Exhibition). Roxaboxen Exhibitions, Chicago, IL.
2009
DogCat. Swimming Pool Project Space, Chicago, IL.
Boyfriends & Girlfriends. Prak-sis, Chicago, IL.
2008
Giving Space. la espacia, Chicago, IL.
Subprime. Green Lantern Gallery, Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival, Chicago, IL.
Call To Arms. Green Lantern Gallery, NFO XPO/ Version Fest ‘08, Chicago, IL.
2007
Drawings & Writings. Plaines Project, Chicago, IL.
BFA Thesis Exhibition. Gallery 2, Chicago, IL.
Relevant Awards & Appointments:
3Arts Residency Fellowship.Chicago, IL. 2012
Critical Fierceness Grant. Chances Dances, Chicago, IL. 2011
Ox-Bow Scholarship for Sculptors. Funded by the Joan Mitchell Foundation. 2011
Panelist, Visual Arts Review Panel for the CAAP (Community Arts Assistance Program) Grant. Chicago Department of Tourism. 2011
SFAF Grant. University of Chicago. 2010
Thesis Research Travel Grant. University of Chicago. 2010
CAAP (Community Arts Assistance Program) Grant. Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago, IL. 2008
Bergen County Artists’ Guild Award. Department of Parks, Hackensack, NJ. 2002
Residencies:
Ragdale Residency, Lake Forest, IL. 2012
Ox-Bow Fall Arts Residency, Saugatuck, MI. 2011
Harold Arts Residency, Chesterhill, OH & Chicago, IL. 2011
ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions), Steuben, WI & Chicago, IL. 2010
Writing & Lecture:
“In Rotation.” Chicago Reader. May 16, 2012
“Nothing Great Gets Done Alone: No Coast & Roxaboxen,” (collaboration with Aay Preston Myint & Liz McCarthy). AREA Chicago, #10: Institutions & Infrastructure. 2010
http://www.areachicago.org/p/issues/institutions-and-infrastructures/nothing-great-gets-done-alone/
“Repositioning Drag Subjectivity Through the Assemblage.” Paper & Lecture at the Contemporary Art Workshop, University of Chicago. 2010
Tears From My Pussy. Self-published artist book (partially funded by the University of Chicago). 2010
Now It’s Your Turn. Artist book (ed. 100). Green Lantern Press, Chicago, IL. 2009
Bibliography:
“2012: The Year That Was.” Vern Hester, Windy City Times. 2012
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/2012-The-year-that-was/40933.html
“Review: Young Joon Kwak & Josh Minkus at Happy Dog Gallery.” A-J Aronstein, New City. 2012
http://art.newcity.com/2012/07/17/review-young-joon-kwak-and-josh-minkushappy-dog-gallery/
“White Rabbits; Xina Xurner.” Vern Hester, Windy City Times. 2012
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/The-White-Rabbits-Xina-Xurner/37395.html
“In Rotation: Jail Flanagan of Forced Into Femininity on pissed-off diva Xina Xurner.” Jail Flanagan, Chicago Reader. 2012
http://www.chicagoreader.com/gyrobase/musical-obsessions-philip-montoro-jail-flanagan-charles-joseph-smith/Content?oid=5561699&storyPage=2
“In Flux Samples: An Interview with Young Joon Kwak.” Caroline Picard, Art21 Blog. 2011
http://blog.art21.org/2011/01/06/in-flux-samples-an-interview-with-young-joon-kwak/
“This Week’s Picks.” Lauren Weinberg, Time Out Chicago. 2010
“Young Joon Kwak and Doomsday.” Caroline Picard, Lantern Daily. 2010
http://lanternprojects.com/daily/?p=6544
“The Graduates.” Kelsey Gee, Chicago Weekly. 2010
“Best Microscene.” Jessica Hopper, Chicago Reader. 2010
2009
http://monstersanddust.com/fall09/kwak/kwak01.html
Relevant Professional Experience:
Board of Directors. ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions), Chicago, IL. ‘10 – ‘12
Collective Member & Event Organizer. Roxaboxen Exhibitions, Chicago, IL. ‘10 – ‘12
Contributing Editor. Landline Quarterly, Chicago, IL. ‘11 – ‘12
Art Handler. Icon Group, Chicago, IL. ‘10 – ‘12
Exhibitions & Editions Coordinator. No Coast Collective, Chicago, IL.‘09 –‘10
Research Assistant to Art History Professor Rebecca Zorach, University of Chicago. ‘09 –‘10
Exhibitions Coordinator. Green Lantern Gallery & Press, Chicago, IL. ‘08 –‘09
Studio Programs Assistant, Teaching Assistant. Marwen, Chicago, IL. ‘07–‘08
Gallery Assistant. Carl Hammer Gallery, Chicago, IL. ‘04 –‘06
