Guest artist consumes Depree gallery

The Depree Art Gallery is currently filled with pieces created by Caleb Kortokrax from August 22nd to September 21st, 2018. Kortokrax is an American painter working in Baltimore, Maryland as well as a Borgeson Artist-In-Residence who has opened the school year with an exhibit titled “Gang Chant.”

In this exhibit, Kortokrax uses images that are seen in architectual stain glass from the Romanesque era in England and styled them with neon colors as if they were under a black-light. A collection of his paintings include scenes from the Bible with thick brush strokes and textile design bordering each painting. More specifically, these scenes are depicted through five paintings, showing the progression of the three Magi in their journey from leaving Herod in his palace, to having a vision from an angel to find baby Jesus. His other pieces in the exhibit comment on his talent in abstraction and shadow and continue the theme of using bright colors.

In the Depree Art Gallery, Kortokrax’s biography includes “in the process of making a painting, he re-samples quality material traditions of the past into the current omnidimensional state of imagery.” Kortokrax uses historical art pieces and refines them through his artistic style to make them works of the present, yet allows viewers to see his work as a taste of the past.

Kortokrax graduated from Valparaiso University in 2011 with a BFSA in Fine Art and Education and received his MFA in 2014 from Maryland Institute College of Art at the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting. Some of his previous solo exhibitions include “Quiet Process” at Carroll Community College in Westminster, Maryland and “Ghost of the Host” at Stevenson University in Stevenson, Maryland. In the future, Kortokrax has an upcoming solo exhibition at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida. Before Kortokrax departs from Hope College, he will be delivering an artist’s talk about his exhibition on Friday, September 21st, the last available day to view his work. Admission is free for the public to attend this event and can give full perspective on the work that has been created.