Katherine Krizek is an American artist, designer and teacher based in Rome Italy. She is a graduate in Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design and in Architecture from the Cooper Union in New York.
With fine art as her focus, her love for architecture is incorporated in her work designed for specific locations, like the “Climbers” installation for Santo Stefano di Sessanio in Abruzzo, created to celebrate the resilience of that town after experiencing an earthquake which nearly destroyed it. At the MAAM museum in Rome, where these sculptures are on permanent display, they pay homage to another strong community.
Much of her sculpture is inspired by real people. “Anna” depicts her friend the poet Anna Belozororvitch in her usual reflective writing pose with her head resting on her hand. “Vessel” another portrait of a friend looks at the way we view pregnant women differently, and why only part of the face is shown. “Dangerous positions” instead describes the risks and the courage of women who dare to climb and their tenuous grasp.
As a designer she has worked for international manufacturers renowned for design excellence such as Cappellini, Bialetti, Zanotta, Mandarina Duck, and Salviati. A selection of her work is in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Other professional recognition includes selection for the Italian “Compasso d’Oro”, a fellowship in architecture from the New York Foundation of the Arts, and ID Magazine’s Best in Category for Furniture.
Exhibitions and Prizes
“La Rosa e il Rasoio: No MGF” group exhibition, Casa del Municipio Rome Center, 2023
Temple University Gallery, “Do You Know Her?” solo Exhibition, 2022
ArtePorto Exhibition at Trajan Port, “Do You Know Her?” installation, 2021
Temple University Presidential Humanities and Arts Research Grant, 2019
“Climbers” permanent installation, MAAM Museo dell’Altro e dell’Altrove di Metropoliz, Rome 2018
“Climbers/Scalatori” Installation and show, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, 2017
ShingLe22j VI Biennale D’Arte Contemporanea di Anzio e Nettuno, Forte Sangallo, Nettuno 2017
“Inner Architecture” Tri-Mission Gallery, US Embassy Rome 2016
“Oltre Il Libro”, Winner Graphics, Angelica Library, Rome 2015