Since 2015, Kyle Thurman’s practice has focused on an expansive drawing project titled Suggested Occupation. This project looks at the portrayal of conditioned cultural violence and the maintenance of institutional violence in the media through the lens of male bodies in both a journalistic and diaristic manner.
Thurman received his BA in Film Studies and Visual Arts from Columbia University in 2009. He later studied as a guest student at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in the classes of Christopher Williams and Peter Doig from 2011 to 2012 and completed his MFA in painting at Bard College in 2016.
Selected solo and duo exhibitions include: 2022 ‘Parade’, David Lewis Gallery, New York City (US); 2021 ‘Bad Reflections‘, with Hadi Fallahpisheh, Planet Earth LLC, New Haven (US), ‘CATFISH’ with Hadi Fallahpisheh at SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna (AT); 2020 ‘Heard Through Bone’ at Central Fine, Miami Beach (US); ‘Error Erred’ at David Lewis Gallery, New York (US); 2018 ‘Tremoring Cup’ at SOPHIE TAPPEINER, Vienna (AT).
Selected group shows include: 2022 ‘The Hinge’, CENTRAL FINE, Miami Beach (US), ‘Ebbing Touch‘, Sophie Tappeiner hosted by Galeria Madragoa, Lisboa (PT); 2021 ‘There Is Always One Direction‘, De La Cruz Collection, Miami (US), ‘Aletheia‘, CENTRAL FINE, Miami Beach (US), ‘Things… Things Fall Apart‘ organized by Alex Glauber and David Lewis, David Lewis, New York (US); 2020 ‘A Possible Horizon‘ at De La Cruz Collection, Miami (US); 2019 ‘Whitney Biennial’, curated by Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta, at Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (US), ‘Stay Gold’ at The Meeting, New York (US).
His work is included in the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, the De la Cruz Collection, Miami, the ICA Miami, as well as the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, Oberlin.