Kirk Henriques

​Kirk Henriques (b. 1982, BFA SCAD 2004; MFA Cornell University 2021) devotes his studio practice to exploring figuration and abstraction as an investigation into landscapes, time, and memory. His work explores power structures embedded in the construction and definition of spatial and temporal narratives. Each space has its own protocols and constructs that are in opposition to blackness. How do black people take up space? How are rhythm, posture, and style an integral part of how black people explore their own being and presence? The surfaces of his paintings are not perfect or pristine, rather they are built up and then scraped down. For the artist this process is a metaphor for resilience—it is an act of personal resourcefulness to use discarded scraps to make something whole and new. Henriques' use of unconventional materials is a way to challenge traditional painting and expand on his personal and historical narratives. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design and a Master of Fine Arts from Cornell University. Henriques has been featured in online and print publications including New American Paintings #147, AXA prize finalist, and Art Maze Magazine. His solo exhibition includes,  Rareviews  at Residency Gallery, A Spectacle Following Every Miracle at Charles Moffett gallery, Traditions of Men at Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, and Like Watermelon for Chocolate at UNREPD Los Angeles. Recent group exhibitions include In Good Taste, at Dinner Gallery, How to Build an Ocean at Jack Hanley Gallery, All Dressed up and Nowhere to go, Steven Zevitas Gallery, AXA Prize, and Badminton Tournament at Bridget Donahue. Henriques lives and works between Mexico, Atlanta, and Trinidad & Tobago with his family.