Kerry Skarbakka
The Struggle to Right Oneself: A Survey
December 19 - January 30
Irvine Contemporary is pleased to present an exhibition of Kerry Skarbakka's ongoing photographic project, The Struggle to Right Oneself. In his second solo exhibition with Irvine Contemporary, Skarbakka will present a survey of works from the series, including new works exhibited for the first time. Opening reception with the artist, Saturday, December 19, 6:00PM.
In Kerry Skarbakka's ongoing project, the artist stages himself in scenes of losing balance and control, especially at a crucial tipping point, the moment when balance and equilibrium are lost and a fall begins. His arresting photographs appear at the intersection of performance and artist's portraits, and each composition dramatizes one of the deepest human themes--the anxiety over losing balance and the struggle to regain it, both personally and socially.
Kerry Skarbakka's photographs are actual shots of the artist in the scene, and only the rigging or wires used by the artist for staging the shot are removed from the final print. The photographs also record a deep sense of risk-taking and physical danger for the artist, who continually seeks out physically demanding locations and sets in the search of the right arresting image. Presenting his performative personae as "everyman" figures that represent the human condition, the artist creates images that compel viewers to identify emotionally with the scene and the moment captured.
About the Artist
Kerry Skarbakka has an MFA in Photography from Columbia College, Chicago, IL, and has received numerous awards and commissions, including a Creative Capital Foundation Grant, a Light Work artist's residency, and a public art commission by the City of Seattle. His work been been exhibited internationally, including gallery exhibitions in Chicago, Seattle, Antwerp, Belgium, New York, and Los Angeles, and in major art fairs (Photo London, Paris Photo, PhotoMiami, and The Armory Show). Kerry Skarbakka now lives and works in Pittsburgh, PA.
View images of artist's works
Resume (pdf)
Exhibition press release (pdf)
[Image above: Kerry Skarbakka, Window Crash, 2009. C-print mounted on aluminum, 50 x 60 in.]
