Zilvinas Kempinas

Who is Zilvinas Kempinas?

Žilvinas Kempinas is an artist living and working in New York City. He completed an MFA at Hunter College, City University of New York, in 2002, and received a BFA from Vilnius Academy of Art, Lithuania, in 1993. Kempinas is represented in New York and Paris by Yvon Lambert Gallery, in Vilnius by Vartai Gallery, and in Brazil by Galeria Leme.

Kempinas' first New York shows took place at PS1 Contemporary Art Center in 2003 and Spencer Brownstone Gallery in 2004. The artist has earned international acclaim since his entire second show at Spencer Brownstone – Columns and Bike Messenger – was purchased by The Margulies Collection in 2006 and exhibited during Art Basel Miami Beach that same year. In 2007, Kempinas was featured by Art Review Magazine as one of its 'Future Greats'. In the same year, he was awarded the Calder Prize and a residency at Atelier Calder in Saché, France. In 2008, the artist showed at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and, in 2009, in a solo show at the Kunsthalle, Vienna. In 2009, Kempinas represented Lithuania at the Venice Biennale 53rd International Art Exhibition in Venice, Italy.