Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art
Cover art: Amy Kligman
January
Acrylic on canvas 30” x 32”
Gallery director: Sherry Leedy Sherryleedy@sherryleedy.com
Catalog design: Elise Gagliardi elisegagliardi@sherryleedy.com
SHERRYLEEDY.COM
IG: @sherryleedycontemporaryart
FB: @sherryleedycontemporaryart
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art Presents: Amy
APRIL 7th - MAY 20, 2023
ArtistStatement
Inthisseries,Iamthinkingalotaboutcyclesandseasons,milestones,andritual.Howdowemarktime,whatdowecelebrate. Whydocertaingestures–likelightingacandle,seemtogiveimportancetoamoment?Manyofthesetraditionsareresidual echoesfrompracticesthatwereobscuredandabsorbedintopatriarchalmonotheisticreligionstocreatepalatablevehiclesfor controlandpower.WhileIpersonallydonotcosignthedogmaassociatedwiththesereligions,Idorecognizethepowerthey holdandtheimpacttheritualandbeautyhasonpeople.Ibelievetheimpactofthatritualandbeautycanexistinaspacewithout dogma,withoutnarrativesofGodsandMonsters.Thesepaintingsaremeditationsinthatspace,offeringsofintentandreflection.
Iamalsoconsideringtheoppressionofthefeminine-femininegesture,feminineaesthetic,vulnerability,compassion,emotion. Ithinkaboutwomeninhistory-inarthistory,inhistorywritlarge,whoseworkenthrallsbutwhosestoriestroubleme.Ithink aboutAnaMendieta,ZeldaFitzgerald,HenriettaLacks,SylviaPlath,HilmaafKlint.IthinkaboutthewayIoperateintheworld andhowlongittookformetounderstandhowrecentlythefreedomsIhavenowcametobe.Iconsiderhowlongittookfor metounderstandthebarriersthatstillexist,perhapsbettercloakedthanbefore.IthinkabouthowmanytimesIchangedmy naturalinclinationsordesirestofitwhatIthoughtotherswanted-andbyothers,Imeanwhite,cis,heterosexual,meninplaces of decision-makingpower.Ithinkofhowmanytimesthatworked,andIcringe.
Forthisreason,Iembraceaestheticsandwaysofmark-makingthathavenotheldthesameesteemasothersintheEuro-centric fineartcanonthatIknow.Iembracefolkartinfluences,thatcamefromdecorativepracticesthatwerethebeautifulandlaborious creativeactsofanonymouswomen(includingmyownmother,grandmother,andgreat-grandmother).Iembracethecolorpink. Iembracenodstocakedecorating,flowerarrangement,quiltmaking,textilepatternandsurfacedesign,objectcollections,and theaestheticsofdomesticspaces.Iseethesegesturesasasortofinheritance,fromwomeninmyownlineagelivinglessthan glamorouslives,attemptingtobringlightandbeautytotheworldinthepracticalwaysthesocialandeconomicboundariespermitted.
Altarsarecreatedtomanifestaction,tocreatechange,ortoremember,tohonor.Myaltarsarenodifferent,inthatregard.They arepoolsofreflection,ofmeditation,ofthinkingaboutthewaythingsareandthewayIwanttooperateasahumanmoving forward.
-AmyKligman,2023
January , 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 30” x 32”
Pause , 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 60” x 44”
WishfulThinking , 2021, Acrylic on linen, 12” round
Makingit , 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 10” x 8” CreationStories, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 50” x 27”
JustUs, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 17” x 11”
November, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 9”
Reflection , 2021, Acrylic on linen, 24” x 16”
ThingsFallApart/ThingsComeTogether(withgratitudetoLeeKrasner) 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 22” x 20”
WhileweallAchetobeWhole(withrespecttoHilmaAfKlint)
2022, Acrylic on canvas, 50” x 40”Tomorrow,Tomorrow,Tomorrow
, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 19” x 17”
BreathingRoom , 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 12” round
EverythingyouNeed
, 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 34” x 31”
FreshStart, 2022, Acrylic on linen, 15” x 14”
2023 Offerings/ Solo Exhibition / Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art/ Kansas City, MO
2020 Sanctuaries / Solo Exhibition / Guildner Gallery at the Central Library / Kansas City, MO
2018 Everyday/ Solo Exhibition / Haw Contemporary / Kansas City, MO
2018 Party Car / KC Streetcar Public Art Commission/ Art in the Loop / Kansas City, MO
2017 Sparkle Motion / Installation Commission / Plug Projects / Kansas City, MO
2017 Not Normally a Sign Girl, but Geez / Solo Exhibition / the Residential / Des Moines, IA
2016 The Glory Days Will Not Last Forever / Solo Exhibition / Subterranean Gallery / Kansas City, MO
2015 Party! Party! / Missouri Bank Artboard / Public Art Billboard / Kansas City, MO
2014 Charlotte Street Award Fellows Exhibition / Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art / Overland Park, KS.
2014 Interruptions / Solo Exhibition & Installation / the Hown’s Den / Kansas City, MO
2013 You’re Invited / Solo Exhibition / 1522 St Louis. / Kansas City, MO
2012 Special / Solo Exhibition / Lawrence Art Center. / Lawrence, KS
2011 Here We Are / Solo Exhibition / Kansas City Artists’ Coalition, Malin Gallery / Kansas City, MO
2010 Thoughts Before Sleeping / Solo Exhibition / Leedy-Voulkos Art Center / Kansas City, MO
2004 Happy Endings / Solo Exhibition / 1300 Gallery/ Cleveland OH
2004 Peter Pan Complex / Solo Exhibition / Pr1mary Space Gallery / Detroit, MI
2023 In light of Color / group exhibition / Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA
2021 The Secret Life of Plants/ group exhibition / FADS Gallery / Overland Park, KS
2021 Kansas City Flat Files/ group exhibition / H&R Block Artspace / Kansas City, MO
2018 Stomach Acid Reflux / Group Exhibition / White Columns / www.whitecolumns.org (digital exhibition)
2016 Thump...Dump, Clump, Lump...Bump / group exhibition / Bonfoey Gallery / Cleveland, OH
2015 Inaugural Exhibition /group exhibition / James May Gallery / Algoma, WI
2013 You, Me, Florida? / group exhibition / Beverly / St Louis, MO
2013 Kansas City Flat Files / group exhibition / H&R Block Artspace / Kansas City, MO
2012 Mix / group exhibition / A Chapman Gallery, Kansas State University / Manhattan, KS
2012 Here and Nowhere / with Misha Kligman / Harry Krug Gallery, Pittsburg State University / Pittsburg KS
2011 Future Perfect in Past Tense / group exhibition / Gray Duck Gallery / Austin, TX
2011 Have I Been Here Before / group exhibition / la Esquina Gallery, Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2011 Togethers / group exhibition / Wonder Fair Gallery / Lawrence, KS
2010 Visual Territories / group exhibition / Harry Krug Gallery, Pittsburg State University / Pittsburg, KS
2009 Kansas City Flat Files / group exhibition / H&R Block Artspace / Kansas City, MO
2009 Collections as Evidence of Now / group exhibition / Zygote Press / Cleveland, OH
2008 Parallax / with Minerva Ortiz & Amy Casey / Project Space, Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2008 I Think We’re Making Progress / group exhibition / Wonder Fair / Lawrence, KS
2008 Anniversary Invitational / POV Evolving Gallery / Los Angeles, CA
2008 Journey Through Bookland / group exhibition /Together Gallery / Portland, OR
2007 Community + Loneliness / group exhibition / Paragraph Gallery, Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2007 Dream+ Reality / group exhibition / About Glamour Gallery / Brooklyn, NYC
2007 River Market Regional Exhibition / Kansas City Artists’ Coalition / Kansas City, MO
2007 Pentimenti / with Misha Kligman / Wootlex Gallery / Cleveland, OH
2006 3 Artists / with Amy Casey & Liz Maugans. / E.Gordon Gallery. / Cleveland, OH
2006 Group Exhibition / Genuine Imitation Gallery / Portland, OR
2006 Annual Juried Exhibition / Kelly Randall Fine Art / Tremont, OH
2005 Sayonara / Group Exhibition / E.Gordon Gallery / Cleveland, OH
2005 Group Exhibition / Studio 16 / Columbus, OH
2005 Group Exhibition / Limbo Fine Arts. / San Diego, CA
2004 Multiple Group Exhibitions / Pr1mary Space / Detroit, MI
2004 Group Exhibition / E.Gordon gallery / Cleveland, OH
2004 Multiple Group Exhibitions / 1300 Gallery / Cleveland, OH
2004 Worlds Apart / Buzz Gallery / Cleveland, OH
2003 Mixed Metaphor / with Anna Cangialosi / 1300 gallery / Cleveland, OH
2003 Art Array / Group Exhibition / Pr1mary space / Detroit, MI
2003 Group Exhibition / Objex Artspace / Miami, FL
2003 Group Exhibition / Muse Gallery / San Diego, CA
2017 The Luminary Artist Residency / St Louis, MO
2015 ArtsKC Inspiration Grant
2015 Charlotte Street Foundation Visual Artist Award granted by Bruce Hartman (Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art), Danny Orrendorff (CSF curator in residence), Gilbert Vicario (Des Moines Art Center), and Lumi Tan (the Kitchen, NYC)
2015 Charlotte Street Foundation Byron C. Cohen Award granted by Bruce Hartman (Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art), Danny Orrendorff (CSF curator in residence), Gilbert Vicario (Des Moines Art Center), and Lumi Tan (the Kitchen, NYC)
2011 Charlotte Street Foundation Rocket Grant (awarded for Plug Projects Collaboration)
2010 Juror’s Award: Best of Show / Visual Territories Exhibition / Pittsburgh State University granted by Sherry Leedy /Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art
2008 Juror’s Choice Award / River Market Juried Exhibition / Kansas City Artist Coalition granted by Dominic Molon of Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
White Columns / http://registry.whitecolumns.org
New American Paintings / https://www.newamericanpaintings.com/artists
Culturehall / http://culturehall.com
Charlotte Street Foundation / http://charlottestreet.org/artists/
2001 Bachelor of Fine Arts / Ringling College of Art & Design
SELECT PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA
2018 KC Studio / Neil Thrun / http://kcstudio.org/amy-kligman-everyday-haw-contemporary/
2016 Cultural Reproducers / http://www.culturalreproducers.org/2016/06/
2014 Kansas City Star / Tanya Hartman / profile of charlotte street visual artist award winners
2012 BOOOOOOOM / https://www.booooooom.com/2012/09/03/amy-kligman/
2012 New American Paintings / Issue #101 / Midwestern Edition
juried by Lisa Freiman (Indianapolis Museum of Art)
2010 Kansas City Star / Nick Malewski / image and review of solo show
2010 Little Paper Planes
/http://blog.littlepaperplanes.com/amy-kligman-at-leedy-voulkos-art-center-kansas-city-missouri/
2010 Pitch Magazine / Chris Packham / image, highlighted as part of group show
2010 Kansas City Star / Lori Waxman / image, review of solo work as part of 60-minute art critic project
2008 Review Magazine / Winter issue / cover, image only
2007 Cleveland Free Times / Douglas Max Utter / image and review of 2 person show
2007 Cleveland Magazine / Calender Image / highlighted two persons show
2007 The Plain Dealer / Dan Tranberg / image and article
2004 Real Detroit Weekly / Natalie Haddad / image and review of solo show
2003 Detroit Hour Magazine / calender image, highlighted solo show.
2015-Present Executive Artistic Director / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2023 Kansas City Artist Assembly / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2022 Joy and Other Feats of Strength / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2022 25/ 25 years of Charlotte Street Fellows / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2021 Who We Are, Who We Were, Who We Will Be / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2018 Welcome to the Neighborhood / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2016 I am Prepared for Amazing Things to Happen / Charlotte Street Foundation / Kansas City, MO
2011-2015 Collaboratively Conceptualized and Produced around 30 exhibitions, plus recurring programming including crit nights, book fair, and arts publication / Plug Projects / Kansas City, MO
2010 Pages: Books as Medium, Catalyst, and Venue / Paragraph Gallery / Kansas City, MO
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art Sherryleedy.com