Chris McMullen was born and raised in Reno, Nevada where much of his free time was spent mountain biking and snowboarding in the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountain range. He moved to Seattle, WA in 1999 to pursue a career as a sculptor.
For many years he has incorporated motion into his sculpture. Chris works primarily with steel, a material that when used for sculpture, has often been bent, moved and stretched in seemingly impossible ways to exploit its strengths. His work is about making the material move literally, in real time.
He uses mechanics based on simple geometry to affect a series of shapes transforming mechanical engagement into a fluid motion. This motion can evoke memories or emotion, like the feeling of watching water or the slow tension of ships passing on parallel courses.
Chris McMullen has been working from his Seattle studio since 2000. A fascination with industrial process and a background in Graphic Communication has led to a body of work consisting of machine-like, interactive sculpture.
He is a recipient of the 4Culture Individual Artist Project Grant, as well as the Artist Trust Grants for Artists Projects (GAP). His work has been featured in the Bellevue, WA Biennial Sculpture exhibition; Bellwether, the Redmond, WA Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Bumbershoot, Maker Faire, Coachella, Winston Wächter Fine Art, Out of Sight at King Street Station, Bellevue Art Museum’s Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis and Oxbow in Seattle, WA.
Chris also has work permanently installed in City Hall in Redmond, WA as part of the city’s collection,
the Science Museum of Oklahoma, and the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle; commissioned by SDOT through the Office of Arts & Culture.
His most recent work is currently installed in Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy for Personal Structures: Identities during the Venice Art Biennale 2019. This exhibition runs through Nov. 25, 2019.
Nationally his work has been exhibited in California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.
For many years he has incorporated motion into his sculpture. Chris works primarily with steel, a material that when used for sculpture, has often been bent, moved and stretched in seemingly impossible ways to exploit its strengths. His work is about making the material move literally, in real time.
He uses mechanics based on simple geometry to affect a series of shapes transforming mechanical engagement into a fluid motion. This motion can evoke memories or emotion, like the feeling of watching water or the slow tension of ships passing on parallel courses.
Chris McMullen has been working from his Seattle studio since 2000. A fascination with industrial process and a background in Graphic Communication has led to a body of work consisting of machine-like, interactive sculpture.
He is a recipient of the 4Culture Individual Artist Project Grant, as well as the Artist Trust Grants for Artists Projects (GAP). His work has been featured in the Bellevue, WA Biennial Sculpture exhibition; Bellwether, the Redmond, WA Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Bumbershoot, Maker Faire, Coachella, Winston Wächter Fine Art, Out of Sight at King Street Station, Bellevue Art Museum’s Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis and Oxbow in Seattle, WA.
Chris also has work permanently installed in City Hall in Redmond, WA as part of the city’s collection,
the Science Museum of Oklahoma, and the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle; commissioned by SDOT through the Office of Arts & Culture.
His most recent work is currently installed in Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy for Personal Structures: Identities during the Venice Art Biennale 2019. This exhibition runs through Nov. 25, 2019.
Nationally his work has been exhibited in California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 Infrastructure, Oxbow, Seattle WA
2017 C.S.E. (Collaborative Stacking Extravaganza!), Gallery4Culture, Seattle, WA
2011 Crank-E-Joes, The Firm, Seattle, WA
2008 Modern Convenience, Grey Gallery and Lounge, Seattle, WA
2002 Process Physics, Vital 5 Productions, Seattle, WA
2002 Industry, Forgotten Works Gallery, Seattle, WA
2001 Industry, Secluded Alley Works, Seattle, WA
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2019 Personal Structures: Identities, Palazzo Mora, Venice Art Biennale, Venice, Italy
2018 TimeSpaceExistence, Palazzo Mora, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice, Italy
2017 Making Our Mark: Art by Pratt Teaching Artists, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
2016 Out of Sight, Vital 5 Productions, King Street Station, Seattle, WA
2016 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial: Metalmorphosis, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
2015 Out of Sight, King Street Station, Seattle, WA
2012 Bellwether 2012: reGeneration, Bellevue City Hall, Bellevue, WA
2010 10th Biennial Bellwether Artwalk, Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, WA
2008 Flash Forward: Coupling VI, Ouch My Eye, Seattle WA
2007 Redmond Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Redmond Town Square, Redmond, WA
2006 Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition, Bellevue City Hall, Bellevue, WA
2006 Art Outside, Enchanted Forest, Austin, TX
SELECTED INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2015 Georgetown Carnival, Seattle, WA
2013 Carcass, SEAWORTHY’S inaugural show, Seattle, WA
2012 Mini Maker Faire, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2011 Projects, Winston Wächter Fine Art, Seattle, WA
2011 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2011 *Not To Scale, Smoke Farm, Arlington, WA
2011 Gallery (206), Occidental Park, Seattle, WA
2011 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2010 Art Outside, Apache Pass, Austin, TX
2010 Artopia, The Firm, Seattle, WA
2010 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2010 The Official Ouch My Eye 2nd Annual International Invitational, Seattle, WA
2009 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2009 The Heavens Reflect Our Labors, Fulcrum Gallery, Tacoma, WA
2008 Artopia, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
2008 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2008 Art Outside, Enchanted Forest, Austin, TX
2008 GO!, Grey Gallery and Lounge, Seattle, WA
2007 Artopia, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
2007 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Empire Polo Fields, Indio CA
2006 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle WA
2006 One Night Stand, Ballard Fetherston Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Sea-Tac, WA
2005 Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, NV
2005 Dorkbots at the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
2005 The Henry Bash, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 Georgetown Invasion, All City Coffee, Seattle, WA
2004 101 ways to remove a president from power, COCA, Seattle, WA
2003 Art at Work, Tacoma, WA
2003 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2003 Man:Made: Witness the mundane transformed, Colorgraphics, Seattle, WA
2003 Dorkbots at COCA, COCA, Seattle, WA
2003 Urban Art Installations at The Woolworth Windows, Tacoma, WA
2002 Consequence, Bemis Building, Seattle, WA
2001 Art at the Bemis, Bemis Building, Seattle, WA
2001 Seclusion, Secluded Alley Works, Monroe, WA
2001 Brewtown Arts, Georgetown, WA
AWARDS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017-’20 Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Public Artist Roster
2017-’18 San Francisco Arts Commission Pre-Qualified Artist Pool
2016 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial Open House, Bellevue, WA
2016-’19 Sound Transit Artist Roster, Seattle WA
2011 Four (4) Editor Choice Awards, Maker Faire, San Mateo, CA
2009 Merit Award of Excellence, 8th Annual PONCHO Invitational Fine Art Auction, Grow Art, Seattle, WA
2009 Juror’s Choice Award, Pratt Fine Arts Center’s 27th Annual Fine Art Auction, Seattle, WA
2009 Instructed Creative Mechanical Movement class at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA in summer of 2009
2009 Seattle Metals Guild Lecture Series, Guest Speaker, Seattle, WA
2006 Dorkbots, Guest speaker, Seattle, WA Chapter
2003 Dorkbots opening reception, Guest speaker, Seattle, WA Chapter
2000-2004 Sculpture Studio Coordinator/Monitor, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA
GRANTS
2016 Americans for the Arts/Kris Wine: Art of Giving Grant
2011 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2010 4Culture Individual Artist Project Grant, Seattle, WA
2010 Art Outside, Austin, TX
2009 Artist Trust 2009 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP),Seattle, WA
2009 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2007 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA
2006 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2005 Burning Man LLC., San Francisco, CA
COMMISSIONS
Revolution, Seattle, WA , SDOT 1% for Art funds, administered by the Office of Arts & Culture, completed June 2015
Fillings and Extractions, Seattle, WA, commissioned by Dr. Joseph Zimmer DDS, completed April 2012
Version No. 12, Reno, NV, commissioned by Elton Colbert, completed December 2011
Krane with a K, Oklahoma City, OK, commissioned by Science Museum of Oklahoma, completed August 2008
Sconces, Sammamish, WA, commissioned by MacPherson Construction & Design LLC, completed April 2004
COLLECTIONS
2012 Version No.12, private collection, Reno, NV
2011 A53, private collection, Seattle, WA
2010 Coil, private collection, Seattle, WA
2009 Modern Convenience, Redmond City Hall as part of the city’s permanent collection, Redmond, WA
2009 ASTM A5, private collection, Seattle, WA
2009 SCAL, private collection, Seattle, WA
2006 Technology, private collection, Seattle, WA
2005 Gear Set, private collection, Seattle, WA
2003 Slide, private collection, Seattle, WA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Gallaher, Rachel. “Artist Helps Design New Festival Street,” City Arts (April 28, 2014)
- Richardson, Matt. “This Potentially Annoying Sound Isn’t so Bad After All,” Make: (September 2, 2011)
- Wilkins, Matt. "McMullens Machines," Video for MTV's Seattle Scene: B-Side Docs About Seattle (2010)
- Miller, Brian. “Touch My Crankshaft,” Seattle Weekly (June 24, 2009)
- Lang, Kirk. “Lecture by Chris McMullen,” Seattle Metals Guild (March/April 2009)
- Farr, Sheila. “Clever kinetic sculptures and witty one liners,” The Seattle Times review (Aug. 1, 2008)
- City of Bellevue Arts Commission. " Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition 2006," Catalogue (June 17, 2006)
- Martin, Nick. " Seattle 's "Machine" a metaphor in motion for Burning Man fest,"The Seattle Times
(Aug. 6, 2005)
- Catalini, Stefano. "The Last Judgement Project," Catalogue (Aug. 2003)
- Muse, Alexandra. "Man:Made: Witness the mundane transformed:Art show at Colorgraphics,"
Catalogue (Aug. 6, 2003)
- Fefer, Mark D. "Process Physics," Seattle Weekly (Aug. 1, 2002)
- Esquivel, Karla. "Chris McMullen's 3-D Physics at Vital 5," Tablet (July 25-Aug. 7, 2002)
EDUCATION
Associates Degree of Applied Science in Graphic Communication from Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, Nevada
One Year of animation study at The Art Institute of Seattle, Washington
Continuing study in Sculpture at Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, Washington
2017 Infrastructure, Oxbow, Seattle WA
2017 C.S.E. (Collaborative Stacking Extravaganza!), Gallery4Culture, Seattle, WA
2011 Crank-E-Joes, The Firm, Seattle, WA
2008 Modern Convenience, Grey Gallery and Lounge, Seattle, WA
2002 Process Physics, Vital 5 Productions, Seattle, WA
2002 Industry, Forgotten Works Gallery, Seattle, WA
2001 Industry, Secluded Alley Works, Seattle, WA
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2019 Personal Structures: Identities, Palazzo Mora, Venice Art Biennale, Venice, Italy
2018 TimeSpaceExistence, Palazzo Mora, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice, Italy
2017 Making Our Mark: Art by Pratt Teaching Artists, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
2016 Out of Sight, Vital 5 Productions, King Street Station, Seattle, WA
2016 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial: Metalmorphosis, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
2015 Out of Sight, King Street Station, Seattle, WA
2012 Bellwether 2012: reGeneration, Bellevue City Hall, Bellevue, WA
2010 10th Biennial Bellwether Artwalk, Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, WA
2008 Flash Forward: Coupling VI, Ouch My Eye, Seattle WA
2007 Redmond Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Redmond Town Square, Redmond, WA
2006 Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition, Bellevue City Hall, Bellevue, WA
2006 Art Outside, Enchanted Forest, Austin, TX
SELECTED INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2015 Georgetown Carnival, Seattle, WA
2013 Carcass, SEAWORTHY’S inaugural show, Seattle, WA
2012 Mini Maker Faire, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2011 Projects, Winston Wächter Fine Art, Seattle, WA
2011 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2011 *Not To Scale, Smoke Farm, Arlington, WA
2011 Gallery (206), Occidental Park, Seattle, WA
2011 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2010 Art Outside, Apache Pass, Austin, TX
2010 Artopia, The Firm, Seattle, WA
2010 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2010 The Official Ouch My Eye 2nd Annual International Invitational, Seattle, WA
2009 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2009 The Heavens Reflect Our Labors, Fulcrum Gallery, Tacoma, WA
2008 Artopia, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
2008 Maker Faire, San Mateo Fairgrounds, San Mateo, CA
2008 Art Outside, Enchanted Forest, Austin, TX
2008 GO!, Grey Gallery and Lounge, Seattle, WA
2007 Artopia, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
2007 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Empire Polo Fields, Indio CA
2006 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle WA
2006 One Night Stand, Ballard Fetherston Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Sea-Tac, WA
2005 Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, NV
2005 Dorkbots at the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
2005 The Henry Bash, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
2005 Georgetown Invasion, All City Coffee, Seattle, WA
2004 101 ways to remove a president from power, COCA, Seattle, WA
2003 Art at Work, Tacoma, WA
2003 Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2003 Man:Made: Witness the mundane transformed, Colorgraphics, Seattle, WA
2003 Dorkbots at COCA, COCA, Seattle, WA
2003 Urban Art Installations at The Woolworth Windows, Tacoma, WA
2002 Consequence, Bemis Building, Seattle, WA
2001 Art at the Bemis, Bemis Building, Seattle, WA
2001 Seclusion, Secluded Alley Works, Monroe, WA
2001 Brewtown Arts, Georgetown, WA
AWARDS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017-’20 Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Public Artist Roster
2017-’18 San Francisco Arts Commission Pre-Qualified Artist Pool
2016 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial Open House, Bellevue, WA
2016-’19 Sound Transit Artist Roster, Seattle WA
2011 Four (4) Editor Choice Awards, Maker Faire, San Mateo, CA
2009 Merit Award of Excellence, 8th Annual PONCHO Invitational Fine Art Auction, Grow Art, Seattle, WA
2009 Juror’s Choice Award, Pratt Fine Arts Center’s 27th Annual Fine Art Auction, Seattle, WA
2009 Instructed Creative Mechanical Movement class at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA in summer of 2009
2009 Seattle Metals Guild Lecture Series, Guest Speaker, Seattle, WA
2006 Dorkbots, Guest speaker, Seattle, WA Chapter
2003 Dorkbots opening reception, Guest speaker, Seattle, WA Chapter
2000-2004 Sculpture Studio Coordinator/Monitor, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA
GRANTS
2016 Americans for the Arts/Kris Wine: Art of Giving Grant
2011 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2010 4Culture Individual Artist Project Grant, Seattle, WA
2010 Art Outside, Austin, TX
2009 Artist Trust 2009 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP),Seattle, WA
2009 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2007 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA
2006 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA
2005 Burning Man LLC., San Francisco, CA
COMMISSIONS
Revolution, Seattle, WA , SDOT 1% for Art funds, administered by the Office of Arts & Culture, completed June 2015
Fillings and Extractions, Seattle, WA, commissioned by Dr. Joseph Zimmer DDS, completed April 2012
Version No. 12, Reno, NV, commissioned by Elton Colbert, completed December 2011
Krane with a K, Oklahoma City, OK, commissioned by Science Museum of Oklahoma, completed August 2008
Sconces, Sammamish, WA, commissioned by MacPherson Construction & Design LLC, completed April 2004
COLLECTIONS
2012 Version No.12, private collection, Reno, NV
2011 A53, private collection, Seattle, WA
2010 Coil, private collection, Seattle, WA
2009 Modern Convenience, Redmond City Hall as part of the city’s permanent collection, Redmond, WA
2009 ASTM A5, private collection, Seattle, WA
2009 SCAL, private collection, Seattle, WA
2006 Technology, private collection, Seattle, WA
2005 Gear Set, private collection, Seattle, WA
2003 Slide, private collection, Seattle, WA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Gallaher, Rachel. “Artist Helps Design New Festival Street,” City Arts (April 28, 2014)
- Richardson, Matt. “This Potentially Annoying Sound Isn’t so Bad After All,” Make: (September 2, 2011)
- Wilkins, Matt. "McMullens Machines," Video for MTV's Seattle Scene: B-Side Docs About Seattle (2010)
- Miller, Brian. “Touch My Crankshaft,” Seattle Weekly (June 24, 2009)
- Lang, Kirk. “Lecture by Chris McMullen,” Seattle Metals Guild (March/April 2009)
- Farr, Sheila. “Clever kinetic sculptures and witty one liners,” The Seattle Times review (Aug. 1, 2008)
- City of Bellevue Arts Commission. " Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition 2006," Catalogue (June 17, 2006)
- Martin, Nick. " Seattle 's "Machine" a metaphor in motion for Burning Man fest,"The Seattle Times
(Aug. 6, 2005)
- Catalini, Stefano. "The Last Judgement Project," Catalogue (Aug. 2003)
- Muse, Alexandra. "Man:Made: Witness the mundane transformed:Art show at Colorgraphics,"
Catalogue (Aug. 6, 2003)
- Fefer, Mark D. "Process Physics," Seattle Weekly (Aug. 1, 2002)
- Esquivel, Karla. "Chris McMullen's 3-D Physics at Vital 5," Tablet (July 25-Aug. 7, 2002)
EDUCATION
Associates Degree of Applied Science in Graphic Communication from Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, Nevada
One Year of animation study at The Art Institute of Seattle, Washington
Continuing study in Sculpture at Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, Washington