Ed Kienholz:
Seven T.V.’s

Exhibition Statement

Ed Kienholz was one of the most interesting artists of our time. He was known for the creation of elaborate tableaux which reproduced familiar elements from our environment. Often his work reflected a sense of criticism of American life revealing a hidden truth which lies below the surface of our modern, materialistic society.

This work can be considered a visual satire on the role of television plays in our lives. He took a common object and reconstructed it into a piece of expressionistic sculpture. The seven pieces installed in a museum atmosphere created a strange and mysterious presence which seemed to ask more questions than they answered. Kienholz would have argued that this is a fair assessment of contemporary American life.

Kienholz lived in Hope, Idaho, with his wife and collaborator Nancy during the summers. They spent the remaining nine months each year in Berlin. Ed Kienholz died in 1994 in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Back to Past Exhibitions