WE
WORK/PLAY is an interdisciplinary design duo based in St. Louis, MO. Kevin received a BFA in Graphic Communication from the University of Missouri St. Louis and recently graduated from Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis earning his MFA. Danielle is a conceptual artist, writer, and educator. Together, they combine illustration, minimal contemporary design along with experimental printmaking techniques into their art practice. With their use of design and printmaking, the collaborative duo has expanded their practice to textile arts, site-specific installation, publications and bookmaking to deliver an acerbic dose of revelation to inspire audiences and trigger experiences. They continuously experiment with new techniques, seeking to push beyond the perceived boundaries of art, design and printmaking.
WORK/PLAY has shown their work locally and nationally including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, SPRING/BREAK Art Show in New York, The Sheldon Galleries in St. Louis, Lillstreet Rooftop Gallery in Chicago, and O Cinema Wynwood in Miami. They attended residencies with Forest Park Forever, ACRE, and Santa Fe Art Institute. They have sat on artist panels, given lectures and continue to teach, work as studio artists, and are involved in their local arts community.
CV
+ Recent Lectures, Residencies, Programming & Workshops
2019
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Lecture, Chicago, IL
Santa Fe Art Institute Truth & Reconciliation Residency, Artist-in-Residence, Santa Fe, NM
Symposium: Graphic Revolution: Behind the Scenes of the Print Boom 1960 to Now, Workshop, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO
2018
Forsyth School Artist-in-Residence, St. Louis, MO
ACRE Residency Visiting Artist, Steuben, WI
Color-Ism: Visiting Artists + Lecture, Wheaton College, Norton, MA
2017
Emerging Professional Lecture, Betti Ono Gallery, Oakland, CA
Teaching Artist with Mickalene Thomas, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO
The Luminary Special Residency Session, St. Louis, MO
Mini Workshop Series, November: Community Engagement featuring Kristin Fleischmann Brewer and Renee Franklin
Mini Workshop Series, October: Ask A Curator featuring Jessica Baran and Wassan Al-Khudhairi
Mini Workshop Series, September: Studio Archiving featuring Kimberly Springer
LEAP middle school program, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
2016
Artist-In-Residence, ACRE, Stueben, WI
Printmaking workshop, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis
Artist-In-Residence, Juvenile Detention Center, St. Louis
Artist-In-Residence, Forest Park Forever, St. Louis
2015
Silk-screen registration workshop, AIGA chapter of St.Louis
2014
Lecture/Presentation, AIGA + St. Louis Design Week, St. Louis
After-school program, Busch Middle School, Urban Futures, St. Louis
+ Solo Exhibitions
2022
The Most Known Unknown, UIS Visual Arts Gallery, University of Illinois Springfield
2019
In Memory Of..., STNDRD, Granite City Arts District, Granite City, IL
2018
Color-Ism, Kranzberg Arts Center, St. Louis, MO
Color-Ism, Weil Gallery, Wheaton College, Norton, MA
2017
Delta, Echo, Bravo, Tango, Lillstreet Rooftop Gallery, Chicago, IL
+ Select Group Exhibitions
2019
Small Talk, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR
Dream Wavers, Laband Gallery, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
Text as Visual Language, Millstone Gallery, COCA, St. Louis, MO
2018
Engaged Editions: Creative Advocacy in Print, Brooklyn, NY
Change of State, The Wassaic Projects, Wassaic, NY
SPRING/BREAK Art Show, New York, NY
God is in the Details, Millitzer Studio and Gallery, St. Louis, MO
On & On: Art Without End, Beard Gallery, Wheaton College, Norton, MA
2017
Black Women Over Breathing, Betti Ono Gallery, Oakland, CA
Another Country, 5050, Kansas City, MO
Black Women Over Breathing, UrbArts, St. Louis, MO
Almost Now, Just Then…, projects+gallery, St. Louis, MO
Feeling Homesick at Home, ACRE Projects Gallery, Chicago, IL
Lot 49, The Luminary, St. Louis, MO
Encoded, Gallery of Contemporary Art at Forest Park Community College, St. Louis, MO
2016
Adaptations, O Cinema Wynwood, Miami, FL
Printmaking in St. Louis, The Sheldon Art Galleries, St. Louis
Art. Work., Westminster Press, St. Louis
Empowerpoint, The Luminary, St. Louis
2015
On & On, Mark Miller Gallery, New York
Counterpublic, various spaces, The Luminary, St. Louis
Empire State II, The Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis
2013
Faux Poster Show, CLR MNSTR, St. Louis
Empire State, Concrete Ocean, St. Louis
2011
Artcrank, Atomic Cowboy, St. Louis
Do The Right Thing, Los Caminos, St. Louis
POP MANIFESTO, Gallery Visio, UMSL St. Louis
+ Art Book Fairs
2019
LA Art Book Fair presented by Printed Matter, The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Chicago Art Book Fair, Chicago Athletic Association, Chicago, IL
Small Press Expo, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO
Fully Booked Art Book Fair, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2017
Chicago Art Book Fair, Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, Chicago, IL
Fully Booked Art Book Fair, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Small Press Expo, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO
+ Curatorial Projects
2017
Black Women Over Breathing, co-curated by Danielle McCoy and Adrian Walker, Betti Ono Gallery, Oakland, CA
Black Women Over Breathing, co-curated by Danielle McCoy and Adrian Walker, UrbArts, St. Louis, MO
2014
NEUE FORM, co-curated with Christopher Branson, Hoffman LaChance, Contemporary, St. Louis
2011
PRINT/PULL, co-curated with Heather Voyles, artSPACE Gallery,
SPACE A + D Studio, St. Louis
2010
Fresh Paint 2 (Black Friday), co-curated with Stan Chisolm and Kaveh Razani, Art D Gallery, St. Louis
+ Collaborative Projects
2017
A Way, Away (Listen While I Say), brand identity and collateral for full scope of the project, (In collaboration with The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Amanda Williams and Andres L. Hernandez)
100 Boots Poetry Series, design and letterpress printing, (In collaboration with The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Jessica Baran, and Ted Mathys)
2016
Zine submission, (curated by Cole Lu in cooperation with Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts)
2015
Commonfied Clay, (by Chris Kallmyer, organized by Pulitzer Arts foundation and in collaboration with other local artists and activists
Paneled mural for American Arts Experience
St. Louis Printmaking for Kegs with Legs, (in collaboration with Happy Medium)
2013
Public Mural for Rise Coffee, (mural in collaboration with Kelsey Wiskirchen and students from Truman State University Kirksville)
2012
Mural Arts Projects with Craft Alliance, McKinley Classical Junior Academy (mural in collaboration with William Burton)
Mural Arts Projects with Craft Alliance, Carnahan High School of the Future (mural in collaboration with William Burton)
+ Independent Public Works
2018
Bread & Circuses, billboard
2017
On&On Series Pt. 2, exhibited for Lambert Art & Culture Program, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
2016
Large scale poster for Metro Arts in Transit St. Louis
Thermoplastic mural for Dutchtown South Community Corporation
2015
Mural for Craft Alliance Center of Art & Design (Delmar Location)
+ Grants & Awards
2020
Regional Arts Commission's Artist Fellowship, St. Louis, MO
2019
Futures Fund, The Luminary, St. Louis, MO
2016
Regional Arts Commission's Individual Artist Grant, St. Louis, MO
+ Publications by the Artist
2019
Biiiiitttttccccchhhhh, publication
Pot Calling the Kettle Black, zine
2018
LSD, zine
The Obliqueness of White Supremacy, zine
2017
A Thread...Stories and Poems of Becoming American, publication
Hi-Jacking of a Culture vol.2, zine
2016
1, zine, Westminster Press
Hi-Jacking of a Culture, zine, Fort Gondo Zine Publication (curated by Cole Lu)
Live & Let DYE, artist book, Forest Park Forever Artist Residency
Things Stolen from POC, zine
+ Publications
2019
2019 Graduate MFA Catalog, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
2018
2018 Graduate MFA Catalog, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
2017
Almost Now, Just Then…, projects+gallery, St. Louis, MO
2016
Printmaking in St. Louis Now, The Sheldon Art Galleries, St. Louis, MO, ISBN #978-1-36-765928-5
+ Collections
2017
Alserkal Avenue Artist Residency Research Library, Dubai, UAE
Washington University in St. Louis Olin Special Collection Library, St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO Denver Zine Library, Denver, CO
2016
Printed Matter, Inc, New York, NY
Bing Art Books, Chicago, IL
2015
Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts Zine Library, St. Louis, MO
+ Bibliography
James McAnally, "Staying Put", Art in America, November 2017
Eda Yu, “Reclamation of Power for Black Women in Oakland”, KQED, October 5, 2017
Jorie Jacobi, “10 Black Artists to Know in St. Louis Right Now”, September 22, 2017
Lexin Turin, “The Art of Awareness”, September 21, 2017
Jorie Jacobi, “Almost Now, Just Then…”, A Collaborative Group Show at projects+ gallery in St. Louis, June 16, 2017
Gavin Kroeber, “Encoded” [review] Art in America, April 2017
Emma Dent, “On View: “Encoded” at the Gallery of Contemporary Art, St. Louis Community College at Forest Park”, January 19, 2017
Livie Hall, “Fort Gondo’s beloved poetry series moves to The Pulitzer”, December 15, 2016
Jenny Simeone, “3rd annual St. Louis Small Press Expo Breaks from White Patriarchal Norms”, St. Louis Public Radio, October 14, 2016
Antwaun Sargent, “A New Exhibition Explores the Social Critique of Funny Art”, The Creators Project, September 29, 2016
Sarah Bryan Miller, “New artist-in-residence program helps Forest Park Forever turn 30”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 30, 2016
+ Publications as Author
All the Art: St. Louis’ Quarterly Visual Arts Magazine, summer 2017 issue [contributing artist/author] “No Laughing Matter”