Carrie M. Becker

The photographic documentation of my current work depicts sculptural pieces installed in abandoned properties. Having spent many hours traipsing around abandoned rural homes, I see how the empty rooms have become habitats for small creatures, creeping vines and patches of mold.  The humans may be gone, but life still flourishes in nooks and crannies. My thesis explores the relationship between types of  invading stochastic growth systems found in deserted buildings and how those systems can be translated and applied to my own abstract nylon and plastic-based forms. My work then can be likened to bacteria, spores and mold magnified a thousand times, interacting within these environments. The juxtaposition of the old and new alludes to that which once was, (a human habitat), and the repurposing of the environment for an entirely different species.  I call this concept Emergent Structures.

b. 1978 St. Louis, MO.

MFA, Sculpture, Kansas State University, 2010

BA, Photography, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, 2002

CV

2012    

*Colonize, Solo Show, Gallery of Contemporary Art, Forest Park Community College, St. Louis, MO (upcoming)

* “Barbie Trashes Her Dreamhouse”, Riney Museum of Fine Art, Friends University, Wichita, KS (upcoming)

2011     

*Elements, Solo show, McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, NC

Bare Essentials: Minimalism in the 21st Century, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL   

Faculty Show, St. Louis Community College- Forest Park, St. Louis, MO            

2010       

 *Emergent Structures, MFA Thesis Show, Chapman Gallery, Manhattan, KS

4th 2010  Showcase, Online Exhibition, artslant.com Juried Winner

Art Kudos International Art Competition and Exhibition, Online Exhibition, artkudos.com Juror: Mitchell Albala, Gage Academy of Art, Seattle, WA

Kansas Collegiate Aesthetics, Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, KS Juror: Karla Prickett ,Visual Arts Director, Salina Arts Commission, Salina, KS (catalog)

Uncommon Portraits, Online Exhibition, Vermont Photo Workplace www.vtphotoworkplace.com Juror: Cig Harvey, Fine Art Photographer

12th National Juried Art Exhibition, Baker Arts Center, Liberal, KS Juror: Dan Addington, Addington Gallery, Chicago, IL (catalogue, award)                      

2-3-D-14-15, Online Exhibit, energygallery.com, curated by Energy Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2009       

Myartspace.com/Nyaxe.com Presents, Emerson Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

Juror: Catherine McCormack-Skiba, CEO of myartspace.com

Art Basel off Miami Beach: The Fallout, Macy’s Corner, Miami, FL Jurors: Gregory de la Haba, New York, NY, Clifton Childree, Miami, FL and Christina Petterson, Sweden

WSU vs. KSU Art Exchange 2009, Shiftspace Gallery, Wichita, KS

Nineteen Vernaculars, Chapman Gallery at KSU, Manhattan, KS

Graduate Students of K-State, Manhattan Arts Center, Manhattan, KS

40th Annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, Hays Art Center, Hays, KS  Juror:  Jan Schall, Sanders Sosland Curator of Modern and ContemporaryArt,  Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO (catalogue)

Continuous Change, Chapman Gallery, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

Kentucky National, Murray State University, Murray, KY   Juror:  Mark Masuoka, Executive Director, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts,Omaha, NE (catalogue)         

2008      

K-State Graduate Students, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, KS

Graduate Art Show, Chapman Gallery at KSU, Manhattan, KS

2007       

Bling, online juried exhibition, projekt30.com  

Collective, Chapman Gallery, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

Convergence, Chapman Gallery, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

2003       

Makin’ Rent Show, La Guera Gallery, Chicago, IL

2002       

Love at the Glove, SIUC, Carbondale, IL

Venus Envy, Lemp Brewery, St. Louis, MO, Invitational (catalogue)              

T.A.G. (The Art Group) Show, Artloft, St. Louis, MO, Invitational

Senior Portfolio Show, The Douglass Art Place, Murphysboro, IL

2001     

 Venus Envy, Lemp Brewery, St. Louis, MO Invitational

Love at the Glove, The Glove Factory, Carbondale, IL

Photo Orgy, The Upstairs Lounge, Carbondale, IL

Teaching Experience:

Adjunct Faculty, Photography, St. Louis Community College, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO       8/10-present

Artist Residencies:

2011       Fall Artist-In-Residence, McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, NC

Awards:

2010       First Place - Photography, Baker Arts Center 12th National Juried Art Exhibition,  Liberal, KS

2009       Recipient, Kansas State University Travel Grant

07-10      Kansas State University Graduate Teaching Assistantship

2002       Kodak Professional Imaging Scholarship Award for Most Promising Undergrad, SIUC, Carbondale, IL

2000       First place, Photography Portfolio - Single Image, SIUC, Carbondale, IL

1998       Art Student of the Year, St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO

Television:

Becker, Carrie M. Interview by Kasey Joyce. "Has Barbie Gone Mad?." Channel 5 News. KSDK, St. Louis, 9 Jan. 2012 Web. 9 Jan. 2012. http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/295855/3/Barbie-gone-bad-A-local-artists-vision-of-the-dolls-darker-side

Publications:

Kelly, Tara. "Barbie Trashes Her Dreamhouse By Artist Carrie M. Becker (PHOTOS)." Huffington Post. n.p., 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/barbie-trashes-her-dreamh_n_1181663.html?ref=arts

Friedman, Megan. "Photos: If Barbie Trashed Her Dream House." Time. n.p., 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/04/photos-if-barbie-trashed-her-dream-house/#the-kitchen

Levitt, Aimee. "Local Artist Wonders, What If Barbie Were Secretly a Hoarder?." Riverfront Times. n.p., 06 Jan. 2012. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2012/01/carrie_becker_barbie_trashes_dream_house_hoarder.php

Toroian Keaggy, Diane. "Local Artist Gets National Attention For Her Dark Series, “Barbie Trashes Her Dreamhouse"." Culture Club. STL Today, 4 Jan. 2012. Web. 4 Jan. 2012. http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/culture-club/local-artist-gets-national-attention-for-her-dark-series-barbie/article_2c611486-36ff-11e1-b29d-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story

Bass, Debra. "St. Louis Photographer Unveils Barbie the Hoarder ." STL Today. n.p., 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/fashion-and-style/debra-bass/st-louis-photographer-unveils-barbie-the-hoarder/article_4b2c3762-372a-11e1-b4e9-001a4bcf6878.html

Designboom, Staff. "Hoarder Barbie’s Dream House." Designboom. n.p., 4 Jan. 2012. Web. 4 Jan. 2012. http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/18384/carrie-m-becker-barbie-trashes-her-dreamhouse.html

Brown, Marissa. "Scary Photos Show What Barbie's Dreamhouse Would Look Like If She Was a Hoarder." The Stir. Cafe Mom, 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. http://thestir.cafemom.com/home_garden/130950/scary_photos_show_what_barbies

Doty, Amber. "Hoarder Barbie? An Art Project Turns the Dreamhouse into a Nightmare ." Stollerderby. Babble, 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2012/01/03/hoarder-barbie-an-art-project-makes-the-dreamhouse-a-nightmare/

Willis, Betsy. ""Hoarder Barbie" Photography by Carrie M. Becker." Artstormer. n.p., 10 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. http://artstormer.com/2012/01/10/hoarder-barbie-photography-by-carrie-m-becker/

Staff, Pipilot. ""Hoarder Barbie" Photography BARBIE DOLLS dirt - super session! Photos of Carrie M. Becker." Pipilot. n.p., 10 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. http://www.papilot.pl/lifestyle-ciekawostki/16368/Brudy-LALKI-BARBIE-super-sesja-Zdjecia-Carrie-M-Becker-o-nie-nie-dla-dzieci.html

Staff, Unclutterer. "Hoarding as Art, in Miniature." Unclutterer. n.p., 09 Jan. 2012. Web. 09 Jan. 2012.http://unclutterer.com/2012/01/09/hoarding-as-art-in-miniature/#comments

Matt, Hickman. "Hoader Barbie: Not Even Skipper can Save Her Now." Mother Nature Network. N.p., 2012. Web. 9 Jan 2012. http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/hoarder-barbie-not-even-skipper-can-save-her-now

Greenmuze, Staff. "Another Side of Barbie." Greenmuze. n.p., 05 Jan. 2012. Web. 06 Jan. 2012.http://www.greenmuze.com/art/artists/4376-another-side-of-barbie-.html

High, Brittany. "Hoarder Barbie’s Dream House." Incredible Things. n.p., 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. http://www.incrediblethings.com/art-design/hoarder-barbies-dream-house/

Thompson, Elizabeth . "Hey Kids, Meet Hoarder Barbie!." Papermag. n.p., 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. http://www.papermag.com/2012/01/hoarder_barbie.php

Young, Meagan. "Pathological Hoarder Dollhouses." Trendhunter. n.p., 3 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2012.http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-trashes-her-dreamhouse

The Charlotte Observer, Wk of 09/23/11, page 3, ‘Elements Opening Reception

Creative Loafing, Wk of 09/21-27/11, page 6, “Colliding Particles”, Anita Overcash