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Kenneth Price

  • About
  • Works in the Kenneth E. Tyler Collection
  • Chronology
  • Further Reading

Black and white portrait photo of Kenneth Price

Ken Price, 1965. Image courtesy Ken Price Studio

Kenneth Price was born in California in 1935 and is noted primarily for his work in ceramics, though he also established a reputation as a printmaker. Price worked at Gemini GEL between 1970 and 1971 where he created his Figurine cup series, from which several prints feature in the Kenneth Tyler collection. Price's creative influences range from Mexican and indigenous American Indian folk pottery, to Japanese ceramics. His print and ceramic work features bright, pure colour.

This is well demonstrated by the Figurine cup series, in which bold colour is employed in geometric patterns reminiscent of Mexican weaving. Drawing inspiration from his ceramic practice, Price slyly included a ceramic cup with an erotically posed female nude acting as its handle against these geometric backdrops.

Emilie Owens

Works in the Kenneth E. Tyler Collection


  • Ken Price, Kenneth Tyler, Kenneth Tyler, Jeffrey Wasserman, Robert Dressen, Gemini G.E.L., Gemini G.E.L.

    Texas turtle cup
    1971

  • Ken Price, Gemini G.E.L., Kenneth Tyler, Kenneth Tyler, Bob Blair, Adolf Rischner

    Figurine cup III
    1970

  • Ken Price, Gemini G.E.L., Kenneth Tyler, Kenneth Tyler, Daniel Freeman, Ronald McPherson

    Figurine cup V
    1970

Browse all works by Kenneth Price

Chronology


1935 Born in Los Angeles, California, United States of America; as a child becomes fascinated with Mexican folk pottery and Oriental ceramic art

1956 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles; attends Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles to study with Peter Voulkos

1959 Masters of Fine Arts, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University

1962 Included in exhibition, Fifty Californian artists, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, New York; travels to Japan to study Japanese ceramic methods

1968 Makes first prints at Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles

1969 Solo exhibition, at Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City

1970 Included in exhibitions: Contemporary American sculpture, Whitney Museum of Art; Nine print portfolios, Museum of Modern Art, New York City; completes Figurine cup series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles

1971 Included in exhibitions, Contemporary ceramic art, National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan; Technics and creativity: Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, Museum of Modern Art, New York City; moves to Taos, New Mexico; renews interest in Indian and Mexican folk pottery; completes Interior series at Gemini G.E.L.

1972 Included in exhibition, Contemporary American art: Los Angeles, Fort Worth Art Center Museum, Texas

1974 Included in exhibition, Clay, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City

1975 Included in exhibitions: Sculpture: American directions 1945–1975, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; 30 years of American printmaking, Brooklyn Museum, New York City; completes editions of Frog cup and Mediterranean lizard cup

1976 Included in exhibition, 200 years of American sculpture, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City

1979 Included in exhibitions: Contemporary sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, New York City; Directions, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC; A century of ceramics in the United States: 1878–1978, Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York

1981 Included in exhibition, Ceramic sculpture: six artists, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City

1984 Included in exhibition, An international survey of recent painting and sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, New York City

1986 Included in exhibitions: Individuals: a selected history of contemporary art 1945–1986, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Poetry of  the physical craft today, American Craft Museum, New York City

1994 Included in exhibition, Ceramic sculpture and drawings, Harwood Foundation, Museum of the University of New Mexico, Taos

2012 Kenneth Price died in New Mexico

Barbara Delano © Tyler Graphics Ltd.
This chronology provides an overview of selected biographical information, major solo and group exhibitions held within the artist's own lifetime.

Further Reading


EXHIBITIONS

California Cool: Art in Los Angeles, 1960s-70s, 2018–19

NATIONAL GALLERY PUBLICATIONS

  • California Cool, exhibition catalogue, 2018
  • Workshop: The Kenneth Tyler Collection, Jane Kinsman (ed.), 2015

KENNETH TYLER ARCHIVE

  • Interior Series, 1971

Related


Australian Art /  Video

Artist Interview: Ken & Julia Yonetani

Published 2016

The Kenneth E. Tyler Collection

A couple embrace in front of a colourful artwork

From 1966 until 2001 master printer Kenneth Tyler collaborated with some of the twentieth century's most brilliant artists.

The Kenneth E. Tyler Collection /  Video

Kenneth Tyler: In Conversation

Photo of Nick Mitzevich shaking hands with Kenneth Tyler

Published 30 May 2019

National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich was joined by Kenneth Tyler AO for an in-depth conversation about his remarkable life and career

32 minutes
Tyler

Reflections on a life in print: Kenneth Tyler in conversation

The artist Frank Stella stands with a cigar in hand bemusedly tilting his head as he interogates his recent masterpieces in print. Nearby the master printer Kenneth Tyler muses on the quality of the paper on which he has printed. His gigantic mustache seems to weigh him down heavily, judging by his posture.

Assistant Curator David Greenhalgh in conversation with master printer Kenneth Tyler at his home in the countryside surrounding New York.

Read Time 20 minutes
First Nations /  Video

This Place: Artist Series – Ken Thaiday Sr

Video still of artwork.

Published 24 February 2020

Ken Thaiday Snr. is a Torres Strait Island artist renowned for his dance headdresses.

The Kenneth E. Tyler Collection

Frank Stella: The Kenneth Tyler Print Collection

Photograph of Frank Stella: The Kenneth E. Tyler Print Collection at the Orde Poyton Gallery

‘Frank Stella: The Kenneth Tyler Print Collection’ shares the full trajectory of Frank Stella’s innovative printmaking career.

Read Time 6 minutes
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