Kermit BERG
Photography-based Archival Prints
Living and working in San Francisco

Kermit Berg's light creates a separate, emotionally remote place. His photographs depict natural light streaming into what might be termed contemporary urban cathedrals -- the train station, the store, the museum -- places of congregation that Berg shows empty of human presence. Instead, light is the animating presence. It takes on an existence of its own, transforming space into something abstract and almost consecrated.

Laura Gilbert New York


For a compete exhibition chronology, please click here


A Detailed Career Synopsis of Acquisitions and Exhibitions

Kermit Berg earned a Bachelor's Degree in Art from the University of Indianapolis, studied Graphic Design in the Graduate Program of Indiana University, and Digital Arts at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. 

Early in his career, he received the Gmund Award for excellence in Graphic Design and taught as guest faculty at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts in Portland, Oregon. His first digital print was from a Tektronix inkjet printer in 1985. 

After numerous U. S. showings, he moved to Berlin and exhibited there in 1993 with a solo conceptual work titled "Treason: Tablegame for Adults" ("Verrat: Tischspiel für Erwachsene") at Anderes Ufer. 

Berg's folio of 12 digitally montaged digital archival prints documenting Berlin titled "Vorübergehende Zeit" ("Berlin Folio: Time of Transition") was acquired and exhibited in February 1997 at the Stadtmuseum Maerkisches Museum in Berlin. 

In 1998 the Kupferstichkabinett, the Federal Museum for Cultural Holdings in Berlin acquired a print by Berg. 

Two 9 ft square mural-scale prints were commissioned in Berlin for Auguste-Viktoria-Hospital in September 1997. Dresdner Bank, Berlin exhibited new Berlin works and commissioned a large format work in January 1998. 

In September 1998 Cindy Bordeau Fine Art, Chicago, premiered, the portfolio "Eight Minutes to Loop", 14 Chicago-based digital prints, in a solo show. 

In 2000 the artist’s new work was exhibited by Belloc Lowndes Fine Art at Art Chicago. A solo show took place at the Cliffdwellers Arts Club, Chicago

2000-2004 Berg published a suite of 12 prints titled "Glass", and was represented at International Expositions in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Palm Beach & London by Belloc Lowndes Fine Art.

Works were reproduced by UNESCO charity projects in 2004 and 2005. The artist was nominated for the Tiffany Award in 2005 and 2008.

Lyons Wier Gallery has exhibited the artist in gallery shows and at Photo New York; Scope London; Photo L.A.; Art LA; & AAF New York, and Preview Berlin. The Gallery mounted Berg's solo show "White" in 2006. 

In 2007, Berg exhibited in three solo venues: The Ephraim-Palais of the City Museum of Berlin (Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin), the New York Transit Museum, and at Flatfile Galleries in Chicago. 

Berlin 2007:  The Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin opened Berg's solo museum show "Umsteigen, Bitte! (Transfer Here!)" on May 17, 2007 in the museum’s baroque chateau, the Ephraim-Palais. 

New York: 2007  Two site-specific murals on paper, "Transfer Here!" and "Running Express" were shown at the New York Transit Museum in a solo show titled "Unexpected Stops" curated by Robert DelBagno and designed by Todd Ludlam. 

Chicago: 2007 Flatfile Galleries opened Berg’s "White II" in a solo show. 

The suite: "Economic Miracle" (Wirtschaftswunder) premiered in Washington DC at Gallery Plan B during FotoweekDC in Dec 2008. The artist has been regularly exhibited at Plan B including “Tokyo Night Office in 2011.

In 2008 the artist relocated his main studio to San Francisco from New York.

In 2009 "Nuclear Family / Wohlstandstraum" was the title of Berg’s New York solo exhibition at Lyons Wier Gallery in November-December 2009.

A narrative ensemble of new photographic prints referencing Mid-20th century design and Post WW2 modernism. “Nuclear Family / Wohlstandstraum” was acquired in 2013 by the Berlin Senate’s Acquisitions Council for the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin’s Permanent Collection.

As part of a resurgent Arts Café scene in Berlin, a retrospective of the portfolio “Glass” opened in Berlin at Café des Artistes under the curation of Nicole von Vietinghof-Scheel. In November 2012.

Berg completed and installed a commissioned cycle of 12 Large-scale Berlin-based Prints in the new Microsoft Berlin Policy Center in November 2013.

In October 2015 the Märkisches Museum in Berlin, part of the Foundation for the City Museums of Berlin, opened a three month exhibition of Berg's 109-print work titled "Wohlstandstraum / Nuclear Family".*

13,585 guests visited the exhibition.

The installation is an updated and greatly expanded work based on the 2009 premier in New York, now including 109 images in two-parts with Part II (2014) titled "Epilogue".

"Wohlstandstraum / Nuclear Family" was purchased for the photography permanent collection in 2013. "Epilogue", a work in 35 elements and completed in 2014 for the exhibition, was, through private donations, also acquired by the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin.

* The bilingual title components separated by a slash mark were reversed for the Berlin exhibition. In NYC the title began with the English 'Nuclear Family'.

Bibliography / Interviews
2015 Radio RBB (Radio Berlin Brandenburg),
	Aishe Malekshahi
	2016 Deutsche Welle Television: "Projekt Bundestag"
	Report: Frau Susanne Daus; Director: Frau Elke Schwab
2014 Publication: Unter den Linden 17, "Der Foto Poet,
	Kermit Bergs Bilder ", Adolf Stock
2014 Publication: Unter den Linden 17, "Mit der Kamera Themen
	Erforschen", Ines Hahn
2014 Publication: Unter den Linden 17, "Von Berliner U-Bahnen
	und New Yorker Parkplätzen: Ein Interview mit Kermit Berg", Katrin Krawinkel ISBN 987-3-00045782-1
2014 Publication: MuseumsJournal review, Ines Hahn
	See German & English versions under reviews menu
2014 Publication: Wohlstandstandstraum / Nuclear Family
	The Catalog accompanying the Exhibition Forward by Dr. Franziska Nentwig, General Director, Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin (Berlin City Museums' Foundation) Published by Verlag M, Berlin, ISBN 978-3-939254-22-5

2011 Washington Post, Mark Jenkins
2011 Washington City Paper, Louis Jacobson
2011 Washingtion Examiner, staff review
2011 Foto Week DC, website, staff review
2007 Der Hauptstadt Brief, Nr. 89 August Issue, Paul Maria Kern
2007 Unter Berlin e.V,  Online Interview, Niko Rollman
2007 Museums Journal July Issue, Andreas Teltow
2007 Deutschland Radio Kultur, "Fazit", Adolf Stock
2007 Berliner Zeitung, Lena Schneider
2007 Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin), Jens Hinrichsen
2007 Art-in-Berlin.com Inga Haese
2007 Visual Aids Webgallery Online, Laura Gilbert
2004 Visual Aids Webgallery Online, Brian Clamp
2000 TeleZuri Television 24 (Zuerich), Anna-Belina Schiess
1996 ARD 1 First German Television, Ulricke Licht
1990 Sculpture Magazine, Stephen Luecking


Education

2009 Mandarin language studies /  Chinese Cultural Institute San Francisco
1991 -92 Scholarship for German Language / Geothe-Institut Berlin
1984 -85 Art & Technology Program/Continuing Program, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois
1973 -75 Graduate Graphic Design/ Degree Program, Indiana University, Bloomington Indiana
1972 -73 Undergraduate Fine Art/ Continuing Program, Herron School of Art, Indiana University, Indianapolis Indiana
1969 -73 Bachelor of Science in Fine Art/ University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Indiana


Teaching

1990 Oregon School of Arts & Crafts Visiting Faculty, Traditional and Experimental Serigraphy
1986-87 School of the Art Institute of Chicago Visiting Faculty, Experimental Imaging