about
Why do people tell stories and why do they “make” things? Cognitive thought distinguishes humans from the rest of the sentient world, with instinct connecting humans to all other forms of life on earth. I have never been interested in representing the figure in an art object, but I am motivated by parts of beings—- organs, skin and bodily systems. I am interested in the mechanics of life forms, but also in human thought and behavior.
Most of what I do is expressed through idea-encoded imagery and in suggested narratives. My studio and life serve as a “laboratory” where a variety of tools are used to create focused series. That means that often, a striven-for “masterpiece” is replaced by a collection of pieces that form a larger statement.
With a rapidly changing world, many of us have changed our priorities. In 2019, a new category titled rogue Interventions, emerged within the scope of my work. At that time and currently, I delve into topical viewpoints and existential thoughts relating to current events. Using color/symbol/image along with handwritten/descriptive text, the interventions use the subverted structure of a Pantone Color System model to ask questions about worldwide or local concerns. Each intervention tackles a current thought or topic and describes that thinking in written text underneath the image. These “public” pieces are individually installed outdoors where the setting is integral to each intervention. They are photographed in situ and are intended to create a dialogue with the public. The interventions are sometimes permanently left in place and in these cases, they become physically degraded by the elements.
Chris Costan has been awarded individual grants such as the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a NYFA Rauschenberg Emergency Grant. Her work has been collected nationally by institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Modern Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick, NJ, Tacoma Art Museum and Montclair Art Museum among others. Her solo shows featuring large scale paintings have been reviewed in ARTnews, Artforum, Flash Art, New York Magazine and Details magazine and others. Residencies in 2019 include Lichtenberg Studios in Berlin, Germany and Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna, FL. Previous residencies include Nota Bene in Cadaques, Spain, and Stone Barn Center for the Arts (now defunct) in Rome, NY. Costan, born in Chicago lives and works in New York City and sometimes in the Hudson Valley.
Costan’s day jobs have included designing color for the feature film Beavis and Butthead Do America and Color Design Supervisor on Daria, an animated television series, both at MTV Animation and Furniture Designer at Ercole Home featured at ABC Carpet in NYC. More recently, Costan was long time Senior Color Designer for Eileen Fisher ready-to wear, and Design and Trend Specialist on Eileen Fisher Home for Garnet Hill.
today and yesterday