Kamau Amu Patton is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose work examines history and culture through engagement with archives, documents, stories, and sites. Patton’s projects are dialogic and take form as expanded field conversations. Patton received his MFA from Stanford University in 2007 and received a degree in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. His work was shown in 2012 as part of Pacific Standard Time and in 2013 as part of the Machine Project Field guide to LA Architecture. Patton has completed projects in soundscape studies through support provided by the State University of New York at Buffalo, the Mellon Elemental Arts Initiative, and the Tang Teaching Museum. He presented research in 2016 at the ABF house in Stockholm, Sweden, as a part of The Shape of Co- to- Come symposium and exhibition. Patton participated in a series of performances as part of Projects 107: Lone Wolf Recital Corps at the Museum of Modern Art in August 2017. In September 2017, he installed an iteration of his ongoing project, Tel, at the Tang Museum. In 2019, Patton’s public art commission with the Bowman Montessori School in Palo Alto, CA, was open to the public. Patton is a 2020 Creative Capital Grant Awardee. In 2020 Patton was an artist in residence at Coaxial Arts Foundation in Los Angeles and he was a 2020 Archive Artist in Residence at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago. Utilizing recordings from the Sun Ra / El Saturn Collection, Patton created "The Past & Other Dreams", a double cassette produced by the artist in collaboration with the Creative Audio Archive at ESS. A box set LP of Patton’s arrangements of Terry Adkins’s Lone Wolf Recital Corps Recitals, Second Mind and Alto Age, was released in partnership with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in 2021. In 2022, Patton performed new sound compositions at Roulette Intermedium and Basilica Arts in Hudson New York. In June of 2023, Patton presented a new inter-media performance as part of the Signals exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
KAMAU AMU PATTON
Born 1972, Brooklyn, New York. Lives and works in Brooklyn and Chicago. Associate Professor, Department of Visual and Critical Studies, SAIC, Chicago
EDUCATION
2007
M.F.A., Stanford University, Stanford, California
1995
B.A., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 Tombs, San Jose State University Galley, San Jose, CA, October 18- December 8
2021
Eight Pillars: A Serpent Coiled Along a Broken Line, Basilica Hudson, Hudson, NY, May 1- June 1
2020
Coaxial Arts Founda;on Presents: Kamau Amu Pa>on, Coaxial Arts, Los Angeles California, July 1- August 1
Third Cinema, Dublab, Los Angeles California, July 1- August 1
Kamau Amu Pa>on presents The Past & Other Dreams, D. Sun Ra
2019
No Exit, ACRE Residency Program, July 1- July 7
2017
Tel_, The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, Saratoga Springs, New York, October 21–September 8, 2019
2015
Kamau Amu Pa>on, Callicoon Fine Arts, New York, March 1–March 29
2014
Elevator Music 27: Kamau Amu Pa>on, The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, Saratoga Springs, New York, July 5–January 4, 2015
2011
2010
StudioSound, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, July 14–October 23
Kamau Amu Pa>on, Alphonse Berber Projects, San Francisco, June 4–August 6 Kamau Amu Pa>on: Moving Out of the Way of an Empty Space, Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, May 3–August 30 Icons of A>en;on, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, January 30–March 7
2008
Zebulun, Queen’s Nails Project, San Francisco, September 18–October 18
2007
Video Ar;st, Tilton Gallery, New York, October 12–November 17
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020
Lone Wolf Recital Corps Performances, Terry Adkins: Resounding, Pulitzer Arts Foundaaon, St. Louis, Missouri, Mar 13, 2020–Feb 7, 2021
The Long Dream, MCA Chicago, Nov 7, 2020 - Jan 17, 2021
MMXX Anno Domini, Anno Domini, San Jose, California, September 1- January 8
2019
Add to the Cake: Transforming the Roles of Female Prac;;oners, Kunstgewerbemuseum, Dresden, Germany, July 6–November 3
ONTOPO: ¿Hablas Turista?, Ryan Lee Gallery, New York, May 15–August 15
About Things Loved: Blackness and Belonging, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley, California, May 17–July 21
2017
Projects 107: Lone Wolf Recital Corps, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, August 19–October 9
Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow: Sound, Black Study, and the Muladisciplinary Arast
2016
The Shape of CO- To Come, ABF House, Stockholm, Sweden, September 8–September 21
2015
Machine Project—The Pla;num Collec;on, The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, September 19– January 3, 2016
Open Sessions 4, The Drawing Center, New York, August 5–August 30
2014
2014 Summer Outreach & Ar;sts in Residence Exhibi;on, The Cooper Union, New York, August 7–August 20
Didn’t Start the Fire, Taymour Grahne Gallery, New York, July 14–September 6 Eric’s Trip, Lisa Cooley, New York, June 28–August 1
The Possible, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley, California, January 29–May 25 2013
Dissident Futures, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, October 18– February 2, 2014
Unruly, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley, California, June 4–July 14
The Machine Project Field Guide to LA Architecture, Machine Project, Los Angeles, May 1–August 15
Feedback, Arts Incubator in Washington Park, Chicago, Illinois, March 8–April 28
2010 SECA Art Award Exhibi;on, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, December 9–April 3, 2012
The Bearden Project, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, November 10–March 11, 2012
Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945–1980, The Geey, Los Angeles, October– March 2012
Evidence of Accumula;on, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, July 14–October 23
Exercises in Seeing, Queen’s Nails Projects, San Francisco, December 5 Leave the Capital, Root Division, San Francisco, June 10–June 27
The Secret of the Ninth Planet, California College of the Arts, Curatorial Pracace, Queen’s Nails Projects/Photo Epicenter, San Francisco, April 24– May 24
Antennae Prism Mirror, Southern Exposure, San Francisco, October 16–November 16 Design and the Elas;c Mind, Museum of Modern Art, New York, February 24–May 12
Richmond Art Center, Richmond History Museum, Neighborhood Public Art Grant: Richmond, CA City Studio / NextMap Partnership, Usernomics 1.0 - hacktivist workshop
In Advance, Thomas Welton Stanford Art Gallery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, May 29–June 17
SELECTED BOOKS, CATALOGUES, AND BROCHURES
Allen, Mark and Rachel Seligman. Machine Project: The Pla;num Collec;on. Saratoga Springs, New York: The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, 2017. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Antonell, Paola. Design and the Elas;c Mind. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2008. Exhibiaon catalogue.
The Bearden Project. New York: The Studio Museum in Harlem, 2012. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Berry, Ian and Rebecca McNamara. Accelerate: Access & Inclusion at the Tang Teaching Museum 1. Saratoga Springs, New York: The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, 2017.
Coaxial Arts, Residencies, Events, Programs, Exhibiaon catalog, Coaxial Arts Foundaaon, 2021.
DiQuinzio, Aspara and Tanya Zimbardo. 2010 SECA Art Award: Mauricio Ancalmo, Colter Jacobsen, Ruth Laskey, Kamau Amu Pa>on, San Francisco: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 2011. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Evidence of Accumula;on: Ar;sts in Residence 2010–11: Simone Leigh, Kamau Amu Pa>on, Paul Mpagi Sepuya. New York: The Studio Museum in Harlem, 2011. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Grant, Catherine and Random, Kate Love, Fandom as Methodology, MIT, Goldsmiths Press, 2019.
Hertz, Bee-Sue and Ceci Moss. Dissident Futures. San Francisco: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 2014. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Tel_. Saratoga Springs, New York: The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, 2018. Exhibiaon catalogue.
Paeon, Kamau Amu , The Past & Other Dreams, Experimental Sound Studio, 2021, Audio casseee
Paeon Kamau Amu, Second Mind|Alto Age: Terry Adkins Zurich Recitals, Pulitzer Arts Foundaaon, 2021, LP and Exhibiaon catalog.
SELECTED ARTICLES AND REVIEWS
Allen, Susie. “Arts Incubator Connects with Community: Washington Park Facility Creates Collaboraave Space for South Side Arasts.” The University of Chicago, Illinois. heps:// www.uchicago.edu/features/arts_incubator_connects_with_community/.
Au, Maehew, “A Brief History of Los Angeles' Tallest Buildings”, KCET, February 11, 2014
“An Evening with Kamau Amu Paeon.” The Museum of Modern Art, New York, September 18, 2017. heps://www.moma.org/calendar/events/3463.
Baker, Kenneth. “’50 Years of Bay Area Art: The SECA Awards’ review.” SFGate, January 5, 2012. heps://www.sfgate.com/art/aracle/50-Years-of-Bay-Area-Art-The-SECA-Awards-review- 2441421.php.
“Bowman School Students Collaborate with Internaaonal Award-Winning Arast, Kamau Paeon, to Create Montessori-Inspired Public Art Work.” KAKE News, September 4, 2019. hep:// www.kake.com/story/41001312/bowman-school-announces-grand-opening-of-its-new- learning-village-site-in-palo-alto-california.
“CAA Arast Residency & Release: Kamau Amu Paeon , The Past & Other Dreams”, Experimental Sound Studio, January 21, 2021. heps://ess.org/ness/2021/1/21/caa-arastresidency-amp-release-kamau-amu-paeon-the-past-amp-other-dreams
Coeer, Holland. “A Griot for a Global Village.” New York Times, December 8, 2011.
Delange, Ahlaam, Chicago arast Kamau Paeon awarded $100,000 for a new project, Chicago Sun Times, January 15, 2020. heps://chicago.sunames.com/entertainment-and-culture/ 2020/1/15/21064008/chicago-arast-kamau-paeon-creaave-capital-project-grant
“Exhibiaon: About Things Loved: Blackness and Belonging—Group Show.” Contemporary And, May 17, 2019. heps://www.contemporaryand.com/exhibiaon/about-things-loved-blackness- and-belonging-group-show/.
“Experimental Sound Studio w/ Kamau Paeon” The Visualist, October 22, 2020. h>p:// www.thevisualist.org/2020/10/experimental-sound-studio-w-kamau-pa>on/
Fitzpatrick, Chris. “Kamau Amu Paeon(s) and/or ‘Kamau Amu Paeon’(s).” ArtSlant Magazine, June 14, 2010. heps://www.artslant.com/ny/aracles/show/17088-kamau-amu-paeons-andor- kamau-amu-paeons.
Fry, Naomi. “Original Model T’s | Kamau Amu Paeon.” T: The New York Times Style Magazine, August 29, 2011.
Harmanci, Reyhan. “Award Unites Arasts, Collectors, and a Museum.” New York Times, November 18, 2011.
Istomina, Taaana. “Eric’s Trip at Lisa Colley’s Gallery.” Arte Fuse, July 26, 2014. heps://artefuse.com/2014/07/26/erics-trip-at-lisa-cooleys-gallery123480/.
Maran, Christopher Reid, “An Interview with Kamau Paeon”, Cycling ’74 Tools For Sound, Graphics, And Interac;vity, Blog, July 21, 2020. heps://cycling74.com/aracles/an-interviewwith-kamau-paeon
“Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A. “ The Geey Foundaaon, 2012. heps://www.geey.edu/foundaaon/iniaaaves/past/pstp/modarch_fact_sheet.html
Poges, Maria. “Blackness & Belonging @ BAMPFA.” Squarecylinder Art Reviews, July 3, 2019. heps://www.squarecylinder.com/2019/07/blackness-belonging-bampfa/.
“Projects 107: Lon Wolf Recital Corps Live Performances.” This Week in New York. hep://twi- ny.com/blog/2017/09/17/projects-107-lone-wolf-recital-corps-live-performances/. Stromberg, Mae. “Kamau Amu Paeon.” Art Prac;cal, July 13, 2010. heps://www.artpracacal.com/review/kamau_amu_paeon/.
“Storm King Announces 2019 Arasts-in-Residence.” Arnorum, May 23, 2019. Wilson, Michael. “Kamau Amu Paeon.” Arnorum Interna;onal (May 2015): 379.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2021
Arast in Residence, Shandaken Projects, Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, NY Arast in Residence, Toolshed, Basilica Hudson, Hudson NY 2020,
Experimental Sound Studio, Creaave Audio Archive, Chicago IL Arast in Residence, Coaxial Arts Foundaaon, Los Angeles California Visiang Arast Summer Lecture Series, SAIC, Low Res MFA program
2019
Arast in Residence, ACRE Cooperaave Residency, Wisconsin Arast in Residence, Shandaken, Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, NY
2015
Interacave Media Arast at the Bronx Museum’s Teen Publishers program in partnership with the Center for Urban Pedagogy
2015
Open Sessions 4, The Drawing Center, New York, NY
2014 Summer Outreach Camp; Arasts in Residence, The Cooper Union, New York, NY
2011
2010
Guest programmer for L@TE series. Berkeley Art Museum, Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley, CA
Arast in Residence, Studio Museum in Harlem
AWARDS
2020
Creaave Capital Award
William Bronson and Grayce Slovet Mitchell Salary Enhancement Fund Award,
School of the Art Insatute of Chicago
2018
School of the Art Insatute of Chicago, Teacher of the Year Award. Assistant Professor, Visual and Criacal Studies
2011 Mellon Elemental Arts Iniaaave, Pomona College
2010
SECA Award, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
LECTURES AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS
2022
2021
2020
Visiting Artist Lecture, California College of Art Visiting Artist Lecture, San Jose State University
Presenter, The Long Dream, Zoom event, MCA Chicago Panelist, Stop Work 4, Eyebeam, Hyundai VH Art Award Visiang Arast Lecture, Stanford University, Department of Art & Art History Visiang Arast LectureThe Cooper Union, School of Art Visiang Arast Lecture, San Jose State University, Pictorial Arts, Department
Visiang Arast Lecture, LRMFA Visiang Arast and Scholars lecture series, SAIC Panelist, Contemporary Art and Collecave Experience, Museum of Fine Arts Boston Presenter, Malmö in Solidarity with Black Lives Maeer, Malmo Sweden Visiang Arast Lecture, University at Buffalo, Department of Art and Design Visiang Arast Lecture, Gallery 400, Voices, Lecture Series at the University of Illinois at Chicago Visiang Arast Lecture, Arast Co-op, Hunter College, CUNY, Department of Art and Art History, November, 25
Performer, The Quaranane Concerts, Creaave Audio Archives and ESS, December, 10 Hyde Park Art Center, October, 22
Moderator, Last Trumpet: Lone Wolf Recital Corps, Pulitzer Arts Foundaaon, November 6
2019
2018
Visiang Arast Lecture, Syracuse University, Syracuse University Department of Transmedia, October 29
Presenter, Arasts/Designers/Ciazens, AICAD symposium, November, 9 Facilitator, Tel Frances Day, Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY
Facilitator, Tang Museum, SSSSSHHHH #4, September 2018
Facilitator, JFABC, SSSSSHHHH #3, September 2018
Facilitator, JFABC, SSSSHHHH #2 TANG #4, September 2018
Facilitator, JFABC, SSSSHHHH #1 TANG #4, September 2018 Faculty Lecture, Bard College, The Accelerated Image, July, 2018
2017
Facilitator, Roger Brown Study Collecaon, Puzzle Project, 2017 Moderator, Homan Square, Weedeater, 2017 Facilitator, Radical Care, Radio Walks, SAIC, Millennium Park, Chicago, IL, 2017 Panelist, MoMA Projects 107: Lone Wolf Recital Corps, August 19–October 9, 2017 Performer, Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow., Archive, Tang Museum, April 2017 Presenter, SAIC, Lunchame Listening Sound Works from the JFABC, Yo Soy Tu Hermano, March Presenter, SAIC, KGSC Symposium,Transnaaonal Hub, Cultural Appropriaaon and Mass Media, Panelist, Reflecaons on Ghost Ship Fire, Stanford University, December 2017
2016
Presenter, The Shape of Co- to Come, Symposium, ABF House in Stockholm,
Sweden, September, 2016
Moderator,, Received: The Black Panther, 1969-70, A Discussion with Akili Tommasino, SAIC, December 2016
Presenter, Lunch;me Listening Sound Works from the JFABC, U-N-I-VERSE, SAIC, November 2016