Kurt Riebel

2011: Kurt Riebel is living and working in Manhattan, NY 10033

"Thoughts concerning confinement and liberation are present throughout my work. My recent work deals with how reality and public perception are manipulated through private control over technology and resources, and the destruction of our communities and environment (the natural world, including our bodies) by more than just a lack of concern, but by deliberate deception (cover-up and secrecy), in a world ruled by corporations. These ideas convey themselves in abstract reflections rather than literal interpretations, in order to promote a more open discussion." -Kurt Riebel

2010: -redesigning FLEEGER.com and creating new designs for uResist.
2009: THIS IS ME: LGBT fashion at BMCC, 199 Chambers St., Richard Harris Terrace, New York, NY

  During this time Kurt Riebel worked on a series of paintings concerning secrecy and cover up of corporate and government corruption. http://kurtriebel.com/artwork/painting

Statement 'o9: Cross Curriculum Abstraction: Reflections on subjectivity and the interconnections between topics defining our world. http://kurtriebel.com/statement

Ontological Reflections in the New Looking Glass: Animation (online since 'o7), set to the sounds of H.O.L.M.'s "Daisy-Dangled Daydream" off the STASIS VERSUS MOTION album.
...also on YouTube.

1989-1993: During this time Kurt Riebel has been creating and exhibiting work, which evolved from urban monochromatic constructions out of color organic imagery to the combination of both, in bringing together ideas involving the sublime relationship between nature and products of modern society.

In December of 1991 Kurt Riebel moved to New York City and began collaborating on projects involving art and music with writer, musician/artist David Lanfair. Kurt studied briefly at F.I.T. and with Ann Ruckert. During New York’s 1992 Recession, Riebel took a job at A Photographer’s Place, and for several years concentrated on a variety of photographic projects. He began implementing them into his artwork by the mid to late 90's. In 1992, David Lanfair and Kurt Riebel had a two person show at Marc Vanderveldt Gallery. The following year, they exhibited their mixed media works at Aaron Rose's gallery on Ludlow Street in June of 1993: This Was Never Intended To Be Seen, Alleged Gallery 172 Ludlow St, NYC. It was one of the first shows at Alleged, which caused a stir throughout the East Village and Lower Eastside. Alleged went on to be known internationally for its ground breaking exhibitions of New York's 1990's underground / Street Art. The show was advertised in (the 6th issue of) RayGun magazine, which at the time was breaking boundaries in the 2d design industry. Dave and Aaron had a temporary falling out over comments made by Jim Jarmusch about the pricing of the work. Riebel exhibited again in a group show (Dec.'93 to Jan.'94) Gallery Benefit ’93 – Retrospective, Alleged Gallery, 172 Ludlow Street, NYC. Kurt and Dave continued to collaborate on a variety of projects throughout the 1990s, including an art/music project titled after Scott Bradfield’s book The History of Luminous Motion. Their performances were considered to be bold, conceptual and rambunctious.
Described as:

“Like rocketing through a Thomas Pynchon novel with William Burroughs controlling the craft. Recommended for all postmodern spatulas.”  –New York Press.

“Bitter, yes, but sweet”  –The Aquarian

“More arty then garage; there are a lot of layers…”  –Giant Robot.

“Bozo the Clown’s psycho-sexual orchestra? No… [H.O.L.M.] emanates from a lucid position in space…”  –Rip magazine.

“The staccato instrumentation forced me to dance. I had to.”  –Cake

“Sharp legged spiders wearing huge digital earphones come to mind.”  –Plazm

“…Put down all your preconceived notions, take a good look at life as we know it today… [and listen to H.O.L.M.]”  –The Musicians’ Exchange

“Not for the timid of heart or tender of ear.”  –Magnet

1992-1998: The Band Years, the art/music project The History of Luminous Motion - Their arrangements utilized the attitudes and aesthetics of high and low art, using ideas from consumerism with an almost unsellable product. For several years, they performed in New York's East Village and Lower Eastside, with drummer Liza Price, and bass player Paula Adams. Most of their performances occurred at venues on Avenue A and Ludlow Street, such as Brownies and Luna Lounge. Although there were many exceptions, one in particular was at a SoHo gallery in 1996: Urban Outsiders, Holly Solomon Gallery, 172 Mercer Street, NYC. Their first demo was recorded by artist / musician Kurt Ralske, and also later, their seven inch ("Blooms Day" and "Sperm Cracked the Egg") on VaVoom Records 1997, with cover photo by Kristin Boline. Kurt Ralske first became interested in their music while listening to it though the floorboards of his apartment, as their practice space was just below. He later produced and recorded their CD "Stasis Versus Motion" also at Zabriskie Point studios, NYC, which was also release on VaVoom Records 1997. Their infamous performance "We Are Not A Palindrome: We Are The History of Luminous Motion", which began with Dave saying “Stick it, Buff it, Set it, Gel it, Love it” shocked viewers with a fusion of conundrums and non-sequiturs. Their rambunctious performances were thought to be bold and conceptual. The CD produced in 1997 Stasis Versus Motion is the cleanest version of their work.

The Ludlow Street Project: Kurt Riebel photographed Max Fish and Ludlow Street from 1995 to 1998. Riebel also documented numerous Drum & Bass parties and was a contributing photographer to Flyer magazine.
1998 Riebel began studying HTML, JavaScript and Flash Action Scripting.
1999: -worked on light box sculptures (mixed-media-wall-hanging-collages).
And in June of 2000 he started a web/graphic design company (hudsondesignco.com) with former girlfriend/business partner whom, at that time, was enrolled in the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (CUNY Medical School). Riebel had already been creating works dealing with medicine, and discussions with her about the misconceptions of the science added yet another layer to his already multilayered art.

1998: “My work deals with the juxtaposition of objects and ideas using icons of a child’s early development and medical science. Both objects of medicine and toys refer to psychology and ideology, which raise questions about consumerism and modern technology.”  -Kurt Riebel

Ontological Reflections in the New Looking Glass: Animation (online since 'o7), set to the sounds of H.O.L.M.'s "Daisy-Dangled Daydream" off the STASIS VERSUS MOTION album.
...also on YouTube.

2009: THIS IS ME: LGBT fashion at BMCC, 199 Chambers St., Richard Harris Terrace, New York, NY

  During this time Kurt Riebel worked on a series of paintings concerning secrecy and cover up of corporate and government corruption. http://kurtriebel.com/artwork/painting

Statement 'o9: Cross Curriculum Abstraction: Reflections on subjectivity and the interconnections between topics defining our world. http://kurtriebel.com/statement