Kyle Lane Karrasch
Born in Reno, Nevada Kyle Karrasch is a third-generation Nevada native who developed artistic abilities at a young age. After graduating high school Kyle left for the Academy of Art in San Francisco with hopes of becoming a professional illustrator. Not long into the academy, he discovered his passion for sculpture. Kyle left the Academy of Fine Arts in pursuit of a higher understanding of art theory. He enrolled in the Fine Arts program at the University of Nevada, Reno graduating in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in art history. Kyle would then go on to pursue a Master in Fine Art degree which he received in 2022 from the University of Nevada, Reno. Kyle is currently working as the Galleries Curator at Truckee Meadows Community College and teaches at both the University of Nevada, Reno, and Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as an independent contractor as an art preparator for the Reno Tahoe International Airport. With his passion for wildlife and the environment driving his artistic direction, he continues in his art practice by creating sculptural works that intend to provoke commentary on mass consumption and environmental conservation. His work has been on display nationally and throughout his home state of Nevada and is included in several art publications as well as a featured episode of PBS’s ArtEffects.
Artist Statement:
To be alive means to consume and we only stop consuming once we cease to exist. What impact does our consumption have on the world? We buy many things and the vast majority of those things have a fleeting use. They are designed that way so that we will continue to buy more. Buy, use, toss, and repeat. It is a cyclical process.
The artifacts of our consumption are what interest me (and concern me) the most. An object’s intended use is often ephemeral, but the material is enduring. These materials are what lasts and what motivates my art practice. The process of my work begins by collecting. It then transitions into transforming the materials beyond initial recognition. The waste is treated with care and attention with each piece deconstructed by hand. Once dismantled I compose the material into three-dimensional forms intended to convey my commentary on the current state of consumerism and our environment.
I like to describe my art practice like that of a naturalist and a taxidermist. I collect discarded specimens from their resting place and carve into their carcasses, flaying their skins out into recognizable forms. Through symbolism and allegory, I use these materials to comment on the impact they have on our environment as well as to highlight the value these objects still have.
My artwork is a reminder of our waste. A reminder to think about the life of something you toss away and where it will end up. We as humans will never stop consuming, but we can be mindful of our actions. My hope is that the future monuments of humanity will not be the mountains of waste we leave behind.
- K.L. Karrasch