Rob Kulisek
Biography
Rob Kulisek (b. Philadelphia, 1989) is an American photographer living and working between Berlin and New York. His work, which circulates in the worlds of fashion and fine art photography, involves establishing settings and environments in which his subjects can play out improvised scenarios that appear neither staged nor accidental. These simulated moments become the material for a voyeuristic catalogue.
This methodology has formed the backdrop for projects with commercial clients such as Adidas, Burberry, Gucci, Hästens, Nike, Telfar and Tesla Motors; images and campaigns that have appeared everywhere from the cover of Texte Zur Kunst to the pages of American Vogue.
As French curator Pierre Alexandre-Mateos has written “Kulisek’s practice is marked by a sensual, suggestive and largely physical imagery. Capturing the high frequencies of bodies and interferences happening in group dynamics, his style is profoundly vibrant, and contemplative. Whether in the form of exhibitions, collaborative works, experimental magazines, music labels or installations, he plays with rigid categories to espouse soft, flexible forms, sometimes deeply sincere and spontaneous, sometimes more analytical.
Part of a generation of artists who are questioning porosities between Art photography and Fashion photography and shifting their commercial and aesthetic stakes, his pictures are nourished by his assiduous reading of independent fashion press from the 1990s, such as Purple, and Self Service, as well as experimental fashion brands like interdisciplinary studio’s Bless. Nurtured by subcultures that have emerged mostly in the 90’s and the 00’s in the indie-fashion photographic field, a large part of his practice is infused with anti-fashion, grunge, queer and porn-chic."
Kulisek attended The Mountain School of Arts in 2015. The following year, he was nominated for FOAM Magazine’s Paul Huff Award and his collaborative work with Dora Budor, WHEN THE SICK RULE THE WORLD, was included in the 9th Berlin Biennale curated by DIS.
Kulisek has also collaborated with German artist David Lieske on visual art and music under the name Kulisek / Lieske. In 2017 he photographed artist, model and musician Eliza Douglas for the cover of “299 792 458 m/s,” a fashion publication and conceptual project that he edits together with Lieske, and which is published by Westreich Wagner. Inspired by GDR experimental fashion magazine “Sybille,” “299 792 458 m/s” directly questions our relationship to speed and perishability whilst dealing with notions such as the temporality of fashion products, the relativity of luxury and the blind spots of representations.
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / hand VI, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches) (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches) (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene VI, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 160 cm (35 ⅜ × 63 inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 160 cm (35 ⅜ × 63 inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / garden II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
105.3 × 70 cm (41 ½ × 27 ½ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
105.3 × 70 cm (41 ½ × 27 ½ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / Henri, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
120 × 180 cm (47 ¼ × 70 ⅞ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
120 × 180 cm (47 ¼ × 70 ⅞ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / garden I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / hand VI, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches) (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches) (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / sex I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
80 × 60 cm (31 ½ × 23 ⅝ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene VI, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 160 cm (35 ⅜ × 63 inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 160 cm (35 ⅜ × 63 inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / garden II, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
105.3 × 70 cm (41 ½ × 27 ½ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
105.3 × 70 cm (41 ½ × 27 ½ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / Henri, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
120 × 180 cm (47 ¼ × 70 ⅞ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
120 × 180 cm (47 ¼ × 70 ⅞ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / scene III, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
90 × 144 cm (35 ⅜ × 56 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / garden I, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Rob Kulisek, pride (rave) / studio IV, 2021,
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)
Digital C-print mounted on aluminium,
40 × 60.2 cm (15 ¾ × 23 ¾ inches)