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Mark Armijo McKnight

Mark Armijo McKnight’s work expands the traditions of his photographic predecessors: shooting in the landscape of Southern California, New Mexico and Arizona with a formalist eye towards the textures and patterns of rock, sky, water and grasses. The bodies in his photographs are representative of friends and acquaintances, a mostly queer community largely absent from the photographic histories he engages. Through careful printing, arrangement and installation, McKnight draws formal and figurative parallels that speak to the ways in which a geography both inscribes upon and is inscribed by our histories, traumas, intimacies, and subjectivities. The photographs describe queer intimacy with and within a landscape queerly registered and reconsidered: in terms of the mythopoetic, the sexual and the psychological.

Award

Mark Armijo McKnight Awarded 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship

The Board of Trustees of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awarded Mark Armijo McKnight a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship for his achievement and potential in the field of photography.

review

Mark McKnight: Hunger for the Absolute

Zach Ritter reviews Mark McKnight's solo show at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, in the Brooklyn Rail, March 2021 issue.

review

Captured and Released: Mark McKnight

Mousse Magazine publishes a fully illustrated feature with text by Andrew Berardini in the Spring 2021 issue.

interview

Mark McKnight on Frederick Sommer, a Conversation with Audrey Sands

McKnight and Sands discuss the legacy of acclaimed twentieth-century photographer Frederick Sommer and McKnight’s long-standing interest in Sommer’s life and work.

review

Liberating the Taxonomic

Steven Warwick reviewed Hunger for the Absolute, Mark McKnights solo show at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery and Park View / Paul Soto in the March 2020 issue of Bomb Magazine

news

Mark Armijo McKnight in conversation with Garth Greenwell at Aperture

Aperture Foundation, in collaboration with Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, presented a conversation between acclaimed writer Garth Greenwell and photographer Mark Armijo McKnight, winner of the 2019 Aperture Portfolio Prize. Greenwell and McKnight spoke about the mystery and beauty of rendering queer life in words and photographs.

Essay

Mark McKnight’s Exuberant Tribute to Queer Tenderness

Novelist and poet Garth Greenwell writes on Mark McKnights photographs in the December 2019 Issue of Aperture.

Acquisition

LACMA acquires Mark McKnight's Photographs

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has acquired of Bodyfold, 2019 and Destructive Distillation (Tar Cosmos), 2019.

essay

Mark McKnight and the Bodies that Modernist Photography Didn't See

A photo essay with writing by Chris Wiley was published in The New Yorker online on June 15, 2020.

Mark Armijo McKnight

b. 1984 Los Angeles, CA
lives and works between Los Angeles, CA and Albuquerque, NM

EDUCATION

2015
MFA, University of California, Riverside
2007
BFA, San Francisco Art Institute

SOLO + TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2023
Double Penetration, The Mistake Room, Los Angeles, CA, 2023 (forthcoming public artwork)

2022
Kiss of the Sun, Kendall Koppe Gallery, Glasgow, U.K.

2021
Hunger for the Absolute, Park View / Paul Soto, Los Angeles, CA
Hunger for the Absolute, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York

2020
In this temporarily prevailing landscape, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York

2019
Aperture Portfolio Prize, Aperture Foundation, New York

2018
Turn Into, James Harris Gallery, Seattle, WA
…if water forgets how to play mirror, QUEENS, Los Angeles, CA

2015
He’s Time. I’m Just a Clock., Strongroom, Los Angeles, CA

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022
Hot Concrete, K11 Museum, Hong Kong, 2022
Dewdrops in the Garden, Southern Exposure, San Francisco, CA, 2022
87 Franklin Inaugural, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York
Perris, co-curated with The Fulcrum Press, Tyler Park Presents, Los Angeles, CA
Aqux, The Mistake Room, Los Angeles, CA

2021
Frieze London, Kendall Koppe Gallery, UK

2020
Working from Home: New Commissions from Tucson, curated by Laura Copelin, The Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson, AZ
Hold on Tight, Koppe Astner, Glasgow, Scotland
A Time for Monsters, Fort Gansevoort, New York
Voidpull, Koppe Astner, Glasgow, Scotland

2019
The Procession, VACATION, New York
Automatic Door, Park View / Paul Soto, Los Angeles, CA
Shadow & Shadow of Shadow, Roger’s Office, Los Angeles, CA (two person exhibition)
20 / 20, James Harris Gallery, Seattle, WA
Close to Home, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, CA
Defining Photographs and Radical Experiments in Inland Southern California, 1945 to Present, California Museum of Photography & Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA

2018
Monotasking, Gallery Luisotti, Santa Monica, CA

2017
A Spaghetti Dress for World Peace, Park View / Paul Soto, Los Angeles, CA
Facing, BBQLA, Los Angeles, CA
La Mesa Brutal, Arturo Bandini, Los Angeles, CA
The Upper Deep, Open House, Los Angeles, CA

2016
The Upper Deep, Open House, Los Angeles, CA
9-11, Human Resources, Los Angeles, CA

2015
Russian Doll, M+B, Los Angeles, CA
Surface of Color, The Pit, Los Angeles, CA (catalogue)
20/20 Vision: An International Photography Biennial, Christophe Guye (Selection of Grupa o.k.), Zurich, Switzerland
The Year of the Goose, Either Way, Los Angeles, CA

2013
Dressed in Gray, Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2011
California Continued: New Approaches in West Coast Photography, Smith Andersen North, San Rafael, CA

2010
Gray Day, Roberts & Tilton, Los Angeles, CA
The Informers, J-MoCA, Los Angeles, CA
The Lightbearers, POST Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2009
10 x 10 x 10, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA
Involved, Socially, Triple Base, San Francisco, CA

2008
Young Curators, New Ideas, Bond Street Gallery, Brooklyn, NY,
Various Photographs, curated by Tim Barber, The New York Photo Festival, New York

2007
TinyVices, White Flag Projects, St. Louis, MO
TinyVices, La Esquina, Kansas City, MO

PUBLICATIONS

2020
Heaven is a Prison, London / Marseilles: Loose Joints
Contact Sheet Annual 2020, Syracuse, NY: Light Work
New Queer Photography, Dortmund, Germany: Verlag Kettler

2019
Aperture Magazine #236, New York, NY: Aperture Foundation, September
In the Sunshine of Neglect: Defining Photographs & Radical Experiments in Inland Southern California 1950 – Present, Riverside, CA: Inlandia Institute

2017
NOUNS, Los Angeles, CA: Bread & Butter

2015
Pescador, Paul. Surface of Color, Los Angeles, CA: The Pit
Myers-Szupinska, Julian & Szupinska-Myers, Joanna. 20/20 (Exhibition Catalog), Zurich, Switzlerland: Sturm & Drang

2010
Smoke Bath, New York: Seems Books
Icons & Allegories, Los Angeles, CA: Bread & Butter Books

2009
Involved, Socially, San Francisco, CA: Triple Base

2008
Various Photographs, New York: TV Books
Vol. 1, Remain in Light, Cambridge, MA: Lay Flat

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2021
Carroll, Henry (ed.), Humans, Abrams Books, October 2021.
Suzuki, Emika, “Between the Legs: Photography as Ars Erotica”, Museé Magazine, issue #26
Akers, Tyler, “Mark McKnight,” Gayletter, Issue 14.
Campbell, Andy, “Mark McKnight : Park View/ Paul Soto”, Artforum, Summer.
Beradini, Andrew, “Captured and Released: Mark McKnight”, Mousse Magazine issue 75, Spring.
O’Leary, Erin F., “Mark McKnight at Park View/ Paul Soto”, Contemporary Art Review LA, April 15.
Editors, “Mark McKnight at Park View/Paul Soto”, Contemporary Art Writing Daily, April.
Ritter, Zach. “Mark McKnight: Hunger for the Absolute”, The Brooklyn Rail, April.
Warwick, Steven, “Liberating the taxonomic: Mark McKnight reviewed by Steven Warwick, BOMB Magazine,March 16.
Hadland, Gracie, “Mark McKnight Photographs Hardcore Vistas, Hunger for the Absolute Reviewed”, Frieze, March 16.
Knight, Christopher. “Review: Landscape and body, in sensuous shadow: The photos of Mark McKnight“, LA Times, March 3.
Diner, Eli, “Five Los Angeles Shows to See this Month”, Cultured Magazine, March 1.
Kwon, R.O., Greenwell, Garth. “On Taking Kink Seriously: A Reading List”, Literary Hub, February 11.
Shinkle, Eugénie. “Heaven is a Prison” book review, 1000 Words Magazine, January 17.

2020
Staff, “The Best Photo Stories of 2020”, AnOther Magazine, December 24.
Staff, “Sex, Sand, and Seduction: Ten Photo Books to Buy This Month”, AnOther Magazine, November 10.
Dorris, Jesse.”Heaven is a Prison: Jesse Dorris on Mark McKnight” Aperture:PhotoBook Review, Fall.
Campion, Darren. “Mark McKnight, Heaven is a Prison”, Paper Journal, October 29.
Feuerhelm, Brad, “Episode 100: Mark McKnight”, Nearest Truth, Online (Audio Interview), October 24.
Park, Frederika, “Mark McKnight: Objects, Landscapes, Queer Bodies”, Metal Magazine, October 15.
Staff. “Heaven is a Prison, Mark McKnight”, Tank Magazine, October 8.
Jean, Ciara, “MOCA’s first pandemic-era in-house exhibition looks at life in a COVID bubble”, Arizona Daily Star, October 3.
Zhengova, Linda, “Mark McKnight: Heaven is a Prison”, Gup Magazine, October 1.
Greenwell, Garth. “The Pornographic High Art of Photographer Mark McKnight”, GQ Magazine, September 29.
Benson, Louise, “These are the Essential Art Books You Need to Know Right Now”, Elephant Magazine, September 29.
Yerebakan, Osman Can. “Inside a Sensual New Photo Book Capturing Lovers in the California Desert”, AnOther Magazine, September 14.
Abel-Hirsch, Hannah. “Sex as Meaning-making in the work of Mark McKnight”, British Journal of Photography, September 14.
White, Ryan. “A Queer Photographer Explores the Pain and Euphoria of Sex”, i-D Magazine, September 11.
Greenwell, Garth. “Cleanness Author Garth Greenwell Interviews Mark McKnight About His Daring, Dirty Pictures” Interview Magazine, September 9.
Yáñez, Marcelo Gabriel, “Mark McKnight. Contact Sheet Annual 2020,” Light Work, September.
Wiley, Chris. “Mark McKnight and the Bodies That Modernist Photography Didn’t See”, The New Yorker, June 15.
Editors. “ARTnews in Brief… May 11, 2020”. ARTnews, May 11.
Hance McElroy, Nich. “Portfolio: Mark McKnight”, BOMB Magazine, March.
Tafoya, Harry. “Review: Mark McKnight Turns Queer Bodies Into Abstract Landscapes”, Art in America, March.
Harries, Jack. “Q&A: Mark McKnight”, The Heavy Collective , March 29.
Zelony-Mindell, Efrem. “Mark McKnight: Concrete as Surely as Flesh”. Humble Arts Foundation (Online), February 4.

2019
Kim, Eonnam. “Art Out: Mark McKnight at Aperture Gallery”, MUSEE’ (Online), November 26.
Staff. “Highlights from Paris Internationale: Mark McKnight at Park View / Paul Soto” Purple Fashion Magazine (Online), October 23.
Greenwell, Garth. “Spotlight: Mark McKnight”, Aperture Magazine #236, September 10.
Staff, “Mark McKnight in Automatic Door at Park View / Paul Soto”, Contemporary Art Writing Daily, September 4.
Luquet-Gad, Ingrid. Derhee, Aurélie. “Mark McKnight fait corps avec la nature”, Les Inrockuptibles, July 23.
Weitzman, Jordan. “Episode 29: Mark McKnight”, The Magic Hour: Conversations on Photography (Audio Interview)
Weber, Jasmine. “Art Movements: Accolades” HyperAllergic. April 24.
Embser, Brendan. “2019 Portfolio Prize Winner: Mark McKnight”, Aperture (Online), April 19.
Gladstone, Sophie. “Inspiring Photography from the Wallpaper Picture Desk”, Wallpaper*, April 3.
Miranda, Carolina. “Datebook: An Artistic Space Station, Experimental Sound, and Riotous Pattern”, Los Angeles Times, January 23.
Staff. “Meet Mark McKnight” , Voyage LA Magazine: City Guide, February 11.

2018
Feinstein, Jon. “Review: Mark McKnight at James Harris Gallery,” Photograph Magazine, December.
Cameron, Andrew. “Mark McKnight: Object Permanence,” (Supplementary exhibition text), James Harris Gallery, 2018
Darling, Nikki. “Shadow Boxing Mark McKnight” (Supplementary exhibition text), QUEENS,Los Angeles, CA.
Staff. “Mark McKnight: Turn Into, Paul Berger: Multiplex, and more”, City Arts Magazine
Staff, “Photography Highlights…Seattle Art Fair,” Humble Arts Foundation
Adams, Thomas. “Episode 19: Mark McKnight”, Art Traffic, Online (Audio Interview)

2015
Myers-Szupinska, Julian & Szupinska-Myers, Joanna. “20/20: Mark McKnight” (Exhibition catalog text), Sturm & Drang.
Ahn, Abe. “Forging Queer Identity with Abstraction,” HyperAllergic, October 19.

2009
Staff. “Artists meld life and art.” SFGate. August 20, 2009

COLLECTIONS

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
The Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
LightWork, Syracuse, NY

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

2015
FLASH! (September), The California Museum of Photography, Riverside, CA.

2010
Icons & Allegories, Sight School, Oakland, CA.

GRANTS, AWARDS, RESIDENCIES

2020
Rema Hort Mann Foundation Artist Grant, Los Angeles
Light Work Photo Book Award

2019
Aperture Portfolio Prize, Aperture Foundation, New York

2019
Light Work Artist in Residence, Light Work, Syracuse, NY

2018
BarFund, Los Angeles, CA

2017
Artist in residence, Storm King Art Center / Shandaken Projects, New York