{"id":8950,"date":"2019-11-26T12:35:21","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T17:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/?p=8950"},"modified":"2019-11-27T11:46:17","modified_gmt":"2019-11-27T16:46:17","slug":"introducing-kolaj-institute-coordinator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/news\/introducing-kolaj-institute-coordinator\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing Kolaj Institute Coordinator"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Cats In The Cradle Of Civilization<\/em> by Christopher Dylan Kurts
18″x24″; analog collage; 2019. Courtesy of the artist. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kolaj Institute<\/a> is pleased to introduce its Coordinator, Christopher Dylan Kurts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Christopher Dylan Kurts made altered books with odd bits of collected ephemera in high school. He spent two years at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster, but disenchanted with art school, moved to New Orleans in 2008, where has has worked a series of jobs from comic book store clerk to head baker. More recently, he managed a team of website developers for a start-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago, collage reignited Kurts’ passion for art which he says embodies his philosophy of art: “Everything is a remix. Collage is a collaboration with the past and a form of free association, facilitating connections among the patterns of the subconscious.” Kurts describes himself as an artist and storyteller.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says, \u201cI use humor, surrealism, and juxtaposition to spark a moment of joy. I consider my art a form of escapism, for both myself and the viewer. Escapism is often disregarded as an unhealthy distraction from reality, but I believe our mindstate is as important as the physical world around us. My work is meant to beautify the landscape of our minds. I want each piece to feel like a wink and a knowing nod between us, as we free ourselves from the doubt and anxiety of our lives, if only for a moment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 99th Tarot<\/em> by Christopher Dylan Kurts
10.5″x9″; analog collage; 2019. Courtesy of the artist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kurts is the co-founder and lead organizer of The Mystic Krewe of Scissors and Glue, a group of creatives in New Orleans who meet monthly to collage, converse and foster community. His work appeared in \u201cThe Heart of a Dark Universe\u201d, curated by Kevin Comarda at Bar Redux; and \u201cUnfamiliar Vegetables\u201d, a group show he helped organize for Kolaj Fest New Orleans at Artisan Bar & Cafe in Summer 2019. More recently, Kurts curated, \u201cThe Lifting of the Veil: The Optimist\u2019s Apocalypse\u201d, a group show. His art was featured in issue #4 of Loner Magazine<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Christopher has a real passion for the collage community. It’s been a joy to watch his organization and support for the Mystic Krewe of Scissors and Glue. I am excited to work with him,” said Kolaj Magazine Editor Ric Kasini Kadour. At Kolaj Institute, Kurts will play a key role in supporting Fellowships and Residencies while helping the Institute develop its Artist Archive and Traveling Programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ABOUT KOLAJ INSTITUTE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mission of Kolaj Institute<\/a> is to support artists, curators, and writers who seek to study, document, & disseminate ideas that deepen our understanding of collage as a medium, a genre, a community, and a 21st century movement. Learn more about programs<\/a>, activities, and how you can support <\/a>the effort at http:\/\/www.kolajinstitute.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kolaj Institute is pleased to introduce its Coordinator, Christopher Dylan Kurts Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Christopher Dylan Kurts made altered books with odd bits of collected ephemera in high school. He spent two years at the Pennsylvania College of Art…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,3],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/christopher-kurts-cats-in-the-cradle-of-civilization-web.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2QTD7-2km","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10825,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-artists\/games-stories\/","url_meta":{"origin":8950,"position":0},"title":"Games & Stories","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"1 March 2021","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Interdimensional Transmissions (Now In Technicolor!) by Christopher Kurts11\"x8\"; magazine and book pages, paper; 2019. Courtesy of the artist WORKSHOP REPORT Games & Stories: Christopher Kurts Curated by Jonny Garcia Christopher Kurts pairs collage and short stories and presents to the viewer \"a mythical place and describes its dwellers, their culture,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Artists"","block_context":{"text":"Artists","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/collage-artists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/christopher-kurts-interdimensional-transmissions.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/christopher-kurts-interdimensional-transmissions.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/christopher-kurts-interdimensional-transmissions.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/christopher-kurts-interdimensional-transmissions.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10047,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/cut-out-page\/its-purrfect\/","url_meta":{"origin":8950,"position":1},"title":"It’s Purrfect","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"7 September 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"It's PurrfectCat Cut Out Page by Christopher Kurts FROM KOLAJ LIVE ONLINE A cat-themed Cut Out Page by Christopher Kurts The Cut Out Page is a selection of fragments that one can use to make a collage. The feature shows us how artists selected and organized the fragments. Kolaj Magazine\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cut Out Page"","block_context":{"text":"Cut Out Page","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/cut-out-page\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/cat-cut-out-page.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/cat-cut-out-page.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/cat-cut-out-page.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/cat-cut-out-page.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9280,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/news\/artist-archive-resident-zach-collins\/","url_meta":{"origin":8950,"position":2},"title":"Artist Archive Resident: Zach Collins","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"7 February 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"13zc19 by Zach Collins 6\u2033x4.5\u2033; paper; 2019Courtesy of the artist. KOLAJ INSTITUTE NEWS Kolaj Institute Announces First Artist Archive Resident Zach Collins A Kolaj Institute Artist Archive Residency is a three-month program during which the Institute and the artist work together to document the artist's biography, practice, and career. Unlike\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Institute"","block_context":{"text":"Institute","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/institute\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/013zc19.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/013zc19.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/013zc19.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/013zc19.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9636,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/institute\/collage-communities-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":8950,"position":3},"title":"Collage Communities","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"18 September 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"KOLAJ INSTITUTE Collage Communities The social and economic organization of the 21st century places great emphasis on the individual. Over a century, Modernism pushed the idea that humans were lone operators, each responsible for their success or failure. 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Courtesy of the artist. FROM KOLAJ 29 Collage Communities in the time of COVID The COVID-19 Pandemic has disrupted collage communities and their plans, forcing groups to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kolaj-29-p14-15.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kolaj-29-p14-15.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kolaj-29-p14-15.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kolaj-29-p14-15.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13154,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-events\/artists-in-the-archives-community-history-collage\/","url_meta":{"origin":8950,"position":5},"title":"Artists in the Archives: Community, History & Collage","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"14 August 2022","format":"gallery","excerpt":"KOLAJ LIVE ONLINE Artists in the Archives: Community, History & Collage Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 7PM EDT (2300 UTC)Presented in partnership with the Henry Sheldon Museum's Stewart-Swift Research Center GET TICKETS\u00a0|\u00a0PURCHASE THE BOOK In Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, Kolaj Institute is presenting a series of Kolaj LIVE Online\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/collage-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/KLO-20-October-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/KLO-20-October-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/KLO-20-October-web.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/KLO-20-October-web.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8950"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8950\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}