Joseph Kinnebrew Retrospective catalogue

1997 First Edition

68 pages

11.25″ x 11.25″

signed 

This book is only available from Kinnebrew Studios

$65.00 hard cover

$30.00 soft cover

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The late New York Times art critic William Zimmer wrote that Joseph Kinnebrew is, “The 800 pound gorilla in the room, impossible to ignore.”

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 Description:

Curator’s Acknowledgments

To create art, Joseph Kinnebrew has remarked, is as much a matter of environment as it is of genetic disposition. He considers himself privileged to be a product of Grand Rapids, Michigan – his “incubator,” as he describes this community from his early 20s, the formative years of his artistic development. While Kinnebrew has for more than a decade resided in Sun Valley, Idaho he continues to be nurtured  by his Grand Rapids experience. Likewise Grand Rapids, and indeed West Michigan and beyond, are enriched by the sculptural and graphic design legacies that Kinnebrew produced here. We have only to consider  such lasing monuments as his nationally-renowned Grand Rapids River Sculpture and Fish Ladder; his interior, exterior, and landscape designs for the Howard Miller Clock Company in Zeeland; and his logo for Grand Rapids, seen on letterhead, street signs, and city vehicles, to understand how Kinnebrew‘s contributions are a source of identification and pride for this region.

Kinnebrew: One Man, Many Visions brings the artist home. The Frederik Meijer Gardens and The Grand Rapids Art Museum have joined their collective resources to document Kinnebrew’s current work through an exhibition of fifty fabricated steel, bronze, and cast-iron sculpture, as well as surrealist, social commentary, and loral paintings – a medium that the artist has turned to relatively recently with great intensity. Such a collaborative endeavor between institutions, organized over time and distance great and small, is the result of the combined efforts of many. We are grateful to the individuals across the country who have lent works to the exhibition, thereby enhancing a representative presentation of works at both sites.

A very special note of thanks is due to The Dexter Foundation whose generosity in underwriting this publication provided the opportunity to expand upon the scope of the exhibition and further address Kinnebrew’s creative impulse to. Pursue many artistic avenues. I also wish to thank the contributors to the catalogue, Johns Hopkins University professor of psychiatry and author of Touched with Fire, an acclaimed book on the artistic temperament, Kay Redfield Jamison; Chicago art critic Michaele Bulka; Portland State University art historian and specialist in contemporary art, Sue Taylor; and long-time mentor of Kinnebrew’s, Duncan Littlefair, have together positioned the artist in significant contexts beyond his Midwestern roots Their participation in defining Kinnebrew’s work to larger audiences has been one of the particularly memorable dimensions of this project.

As importantly, Sally Littlefair, Caleb Brennan, and Karen Burns of the Meijer Gardens, and Kathleen Ferres, Amy Heiney, and Anne Armitage of the art museum, have been a delightful and dedicated team to work with.

Most of all, I sincerely wish to acknowledge the Kinnebrews for a most rewarding partnership. Joe and Ellen’s goodwill and enthusiasm at every turn, as well as Alex and Toby Kinnebrew’s participation, have assisted me through the many pathways of bringing the exhibition to fruition. Their genuine friendship and kind hospitality are deeply appreciated.

1. Jane Connell

Curator of Collections and Exhibitions

The Grand Rapids Art Museum