Positive Space: Conversation In Art Foundations

Rethinking creativity and being truly open to opportunities - even if they are unfamiliar & across the globe - marks only the beginning of our thoughtful chat with artist and educator Chris Kienke, Chair of the Foundations Curriculum at the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Chris outlines how his evolving artistic practice has been informed by places/spaces while teaching abroad in the middle east. In addition, we discuss the state of foundations, advise for emerging educators and the navigating the politics of higher education. Chris Kienke is a visual artist who works with painting, installation and photography. His current project utilizes iconic visual images of Americana. Ideas about patriotism, citizenship and freedom – are represented through these images, which are themselves reflective of class, race, and gender. They shape our beliefs about what American values are and who gets to share in those values. Kienke’s work has been exhibited in over 70 shows