Barbara Kasten

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Barbara Kasten, SHIELD II, 2022

Barbara Kasten (b. 1936 in Chicago, Illinois) lives and works in Chicago. She received her BFA from the University of Arizona in 1959 and MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1970. Her work has been exhibited across the United States and Europe. Most recently, Kasten was the subject of a major survey exhibition at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Germany, which traveled to Sammlung Goetz, Germany.

Recent exhibitions include Barbara Kasten: Scenarios, Aspen Art Museum (2020-21); Women in Abstraction, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France, and Museo Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain (2021); the 2020 Busan Biennale: Words at an Exhibition an exhibition in ten chapters and five poems, South Korea; Shape of Light: 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art, Tate Modern, London (2018); Sharjah Biennial 14: Leaving the Echo Chamber, Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE; and STAGES, a retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia that traveled to the Graham Foundation in Chicago and the MOCA Pacific Design Center (2015-16). Her work is featured in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York; Tate Modern, London; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Centre Pompidou, Paris; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., among many others.

Exhibitions

Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: ICP at 50: From the Collection, 1845-2019

ICP at 50: From the Collection, 1845-2019

24 Jan – 6 May 2024

International Center of Photography
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Figure/Chair, 1972-73

Figure/Chair, 1972-73

8 Sep – 4 Nov 2023

55 Walker
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Barbara Kasten: Works

Barbara Kasten: Works

15 Sep 2022 – 29 Apr 2023

Sammlung Goetz, Munich, Germany
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: SHIFT

SHIFT

4 Mar – 30 Apr 2022

39 Walker
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Barbara Kasten: Scenarios

Barbara Kasten: Scenarios

6 Oct 2020 – 4 Apr 2021

Aspen Art Museum
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Barbara Kasten: Works

Barbara Kasten: Works

21 Mar – 8 Nov 2020

Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Chroma

Chroma

11 Feb – 4 Apr 2020

Hannah Hoffman at Kristina Kite
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Corbett Vs. Dempsey

Corbett Vs. Dempsey

17 Jan – 22 Feb 2020

Corbett vs. Dempsey
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: CONSTRUCTS 1981-1982

CONSTRUCTS 1981-1982

28 Jun – 9 Aug 2019

39 Walker
Installation view of Barbara Kasten / Chicago

Barbara Kasten / Chicago

1 July 2018 – 31 July 2019

Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Shape of Light: 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art

Shape of Light: 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art

2 May – 14 Oct 2018

Tate Modern
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Barbara Kasten: Parallels I

Barbara Kasten: Parallels I

2 Feb – 18 Mar 2018

Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: PARTI PRIS

PARTI PRIS

8 Sep – 21 Oct 2017

Bortolami
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: University of Disasters

University of Disasters

30 Mar – 22 Apr 2017

Bortolami
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Barbara Kasten: Stages

Barbara Kasten: Stages

28 May – 14 Aug 2016

LAMoCA
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: SET MOTION

SET MOTION

2 Apr – 2 May 2015

Bortolami
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Constructs, Abrasions, Melons, and Cucumbers

Constructs, Abrasions, Melons, and Cucumbers

3 Aug – 21 Jun 2012

Bortolami
Featured Image (Installation View) of exhibtion: Tektonika

Tektonika

7 Jul – 7 Oct 2012

Kunstverein Nürnberg

Press

Maximilíano Durón Anonymous Was A Woman Names 2023 Winners, Including Barbara Kasten ARTnews Dec 2023Dan Duray One Fine Show: ‘Mapping an Art World’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles Observer Jul 2023Susan Aurinko A Builder of Images: A Review of Barbara Kasten at Document Space New City Art Nov 2022Allison Reilly After 50 Years Barbara Kasten Still Finds a New Perspective Chicago Gallery News Sept 2022Caroline Goldstein ‘It’s a Strength’: Watch Artist Barbara Kasten Explain Why Beautiful Art Isn’t as Powerless as She Once Thought Artnet News Apr 2021Andrew Travers Barbara Kasten’s Bauhaus inspiration in ‘Scenarios’at Aspen Art Museum The Aspen Times Nov 2020Stephanie Bailey Barbara Kasten: Out of the Box Ocula Aug 2020Caroline Golstein ‘I Never Think of Photography as Recording Life’: Watch Artist Barbara Kasten Blend Pictures Into Mind-Bending Constructivist Compositions Artnet News Apr 2020Jackson Davidow Polaroid’s History Through Two Lenses: One Sanitized, One Playful Art in America Mar 2020Michael Juliano Frieze is here to let the art world know that L.A. is cool (but you already knew that) Time Out Los Angeles Feb 2020Brittany Martin Frieze Returns to the Paramount Backlot with Installations that Speak to the Political Moment Los Angeles Magazine Dec 2019Daniel R. Quiles The Politics of Abstraction: Looking at Light with Barbara Kasten Mana Contemporary Nov 2019Andrea K. Scott Goings On About Town The New Yorker Jul 2019Irvine Karen and Barbara Kasten Connections: 48 Years Mas Context Nov 2018Surface Mag Editors An Artist Frames Discussions About Design, Doughnuts, and the City of Chicago Surface Sept 2018Anita Gates An All-Too-Brief Guide to Art Basel The New York Times Jun 2018Stanley Nelson Beauty Was A Problem Barbara Kasten Art21 May 2018Haley Markbreiter Critics’ Picks: Barbara Kasten Artforum Oct 2017WSI Barbara Kasten Wall Street International Sept 2017Howard Halle The top five New York art shows this week Time Out New York Sept 2017Joseph Wolin Pervy Snapshots and Fallible Machines: Around Openings in Tribeca Vice Sept 2017Lorena Muñoz-Alonso, Gallery Hopping: Barbara Kasten’s Experiments With Light and Sculpture at Thomas Dane Artnet News Feb 2017Charlotte Jansen Shape shifter: artist Barbara Kasten dons an architect’s cap in a new body of work Wallpaper* Feb 2017Susanna Newbury Playtime X-TRA Aug 2016Honora Shea Barbara Kasten - Critics Picks Artforum Jul 2016David Pagel Take another look: The alternative world of ‘Barbara Kasten: Stages Los Angeles Times Jun 2016Charlotte Jansen Experimental photography: Barbara Kasten ‘Stages’ retrospective at MoCA Wallpaper* Jun 2016Charlottle Cotton Barbara Kasten Artforum May 2015 Barbara Kasten The New Yorker Apr 2015Martha Schwendener Barbara Kasten: ‘Set Motion' The New York Times Apr 2015Martha Schwendener Review: Barbara Kasten’s ‘Set Motion’ at Bortolami The New York Times Apr 2015Piper Marshall Barbara Kasten Artforum Apr 2015Drew Sawyer Barbara Kasten: Refracted Light Document Journal Apr 2015Elena Tavecchia Barbara Kasten: Stages Mousse Feb 2015Lyle Rexer Interview: Barbara Kasten Photograph Magazine Feb 2015Andrianna Campbell Barbara Kasten Artforum Jan 2015Charlotte Cotton Barbara Kasten: Stages Artforum Jan 2015Martha Schwendener Review: Barbara Kasten's 'Set Motion' at Bortolami The New York Times Apr 2014Martin Herbert Ten Exhibitions on in November You Won’t Want to Miss Art Review Nov 2013Joseph Akel Barbara Kasten: Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco Frieze Apr 2013 Surefire Summer Shows in Art World Hot Spots Art + Auction Aug 2012 Barbara Kasten and Justin Beal The New Yorker Jul 2012 Bortolami Time Out New York Jul 2012Aia Staff The Lookout: A Weekly Guide to Shows You Won’t Want to Miss Art in America Jul 2012Loring Knoblauch Barbara Kasten and Justin Beal: Constructs, Abrasions, Melons and Cucumbers @ Bortolami DLK Collection Jul 2012Aperture Editor Barbara Kasten in Constructs, Abrasions, Melons and Cucumbers Aperture Foundation Jun 2012artdaily.org Bortolami Gallery opens exhibition of works by artists Barbara Kasten & Justin Beal Artdaily June 2012Nick Stillman Barbara Kasten: Gallery Luisotti Artforum Mar 2012Anthony Pearson Set Pieces Frieze Nov 2011Marvin Heiferman Color My World Art in America May 2010Patricia C. Phillips Barbara Kasten Artforum Dec 1989Suzanne Muchnic A Photographer Who Does It With Mirrors Los Angeles Times Jul 1989Barbara Kasten Mirror Images Camera Arts Jun 1983Merle Schipper Barbara Kasten at Cal State Long Beach Long Beach Reviews Sept 1982Andy Grundberg In the Arts: Critic's Choices The New York Times Sept 1982CSULB Centric 2: Barbara Kasten The Art Museum and Galleries Feb 1982

Writings

  1. Architectural Light
    Art in America
    January 2015
  2. Notes and questions to myself
    C Photo
    2013

Publications

Book cover on plain gray background with title of Barbara Kasten: Works, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany

Barbara Kasten: Works, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany

Buchhandlung Walther König
2020

Book cover on plain gray background with title of Barbara Kasten: Stages

Barbara Kasten: Stages

ICA, Philadelphia and JRP|Ringier
2015

Book cover on plain gray background with title of Barbara Kasten: The Diazotypes

Barbara Kasten: The Diazotypes

Graham Foundation, and D.A.P.
2015