Mona Kuhn is an American artist, born in São Paulo, Brazil, of German descent, in 1969. The family culture revolved around science and time spent in nature. Lively conversations and debates around a variety of subjects reflected their unconventional, multi-cultural perspectives that encouraged the young Mona to embrace the world and seek the commonalities that unite us.
In 1989, Mona Kuhn moved to the US and is currently an independent scholar at The Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Occasionally, she teaches at UCLA and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
For over twenty years, Mona Kuhn has explored the universality of the human condition in relationship to nature through photography. Due to sustained looking and an unhurried sense of time that is absent from today, her work can be understood within early twentieth century photography as well as contemporary figure painting. Hers are not quick snapshots, but images made through deep relationships and time spent with her subjects within constructed spaces and the outdoors.
Raised as a multi-lingual citizen of the world with an unending curiosity in the creative process, Mona Kuhn’s high emotional intelligence affords intimate relationships that she skillfully transforms into sensitive images. Her figures commune with their surroundings, both man-made and natural, and are offset by sophisticated patterns and textures.
Highly personal, the work always returns to the nude: “Photographing someone in the nude is my attempt to reach that moment of perfect balance. The nude is present in my work not as a one-dimensional physical manifestation, but rather as a proof of our being, our presence in time, and ultimately caring for what will be lost.”
In 1989, Mona Kuhn moved to the US and is currently an independent scholar at The Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Occasionally, she teaches at UCLA and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
For over twenty years, Mona Kuhn has explored the universality of the human condition in relationship to nature through photography. Due to sustained looking and an unhurried sense of time that is absent from today, her work can be understood within early twentieth century photography as well as contemporary figure painting. Hers are not quick snapshots, but images made through deep relationships and time spent with her subjects within constructed spaces and the outdoors.
Raised as a multi-lingual citizen of the world with an unending curiosity in the creative process, Mona Kuhn’s high emotional intelligence affords intimate relationships that she skillfully transforms into sensitive images. Her figures commune with their surroundings, both man-made and natural, and are offset by sophisticated patterns and textures.
Highly personal, the work always returns to the nude: “Photographing someone in the nude is my attempt to reach that moment of perfect balance. The nude is present in my work not as a one-dimensional physical manifestation, but rather as a proof of our being, our presence in time, and ultimately caring for what will be lost.”
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Artworks by Mona Kuhn
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Solo exhibitions (selection)
2025
• Shimering, Bildhalle Zurich, Switzerland
• Y Tu Desnudo será Un Gran Poema, Museum of Contemporary Art, Málaga, Spain
• Kings Road, Lianzhou Museum of Photography, China
2024
• The Schindler House, A Love Affair, Galerie XII, Los Angeles
• Between Modernism and Surrealism, Houk Gallery, New York, NY
2023
• Kings Road, Galerie XII, Paris, France
• Kings Road, Kunsthaus-Göttingen, Germany
• Kings Road, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
2022
• 835 Kings Road, Art, Design & Architecture Museum, Santa Barbara
2021
• Works, Galerie XII, Paris
• Works, Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
• Works, Flowers Gallery, London
• Works, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
• Works, Galerie XII, Los Angeles
2020
• Early Depictions, Flowers Gallery, London
• Intimate, UP Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2019
• She Disappeared, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
• Bushes and Succulents, Euqinom Gallery, San Francisco
2018
• New Works, Part II, Galerie Catherine Hug, Paris, France
2017
• The First Chapter, Euqinom Projects, San Francisco, California
2016
• New Works, Part II, Galerie Catherine Hug, Paris, France
• Acido Dorado, Galeria Pilar Serra, Madrid, Spain
• New Works, Euqinom Gallery, San Francisco, California
2015
• Private, Ravestijn Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Private, Galerie Ernst Hilger, Vienna, Austria
2014
• Acido Dorado, Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
• Acido Dorado, Flowers Gallery, London, UK
• Private, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia
2010
• Native, Flowers Gallery, New York
2007
• Evidence, Charles Cowles Gallery, New York
2005
• Unbounded Youth, Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001
• Bare, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York
1998
• Nus, Elkis Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2025
• Shimering, Bildhalle Zurich, Switzerland
• Y Tu Desnudo será Un Gran Poema, Museum of Contemporary Art, Málaga, Spain
• Kings Road, Lianzhou Museum of Photography, China
2024
• The Schindler House, A Love Affair, Galerie XII, Los Angeles
• Between Modernism and Surrealism, Houk Gallery, New York, NY
2023
• Kings Road, Galerie XII, Paris, France
• Kings Road, Kunsthaus-Göttingen, Germany
• Kings Road, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
2022
• 835 Kings Road, Art, Design & Architecture Museum, Santa Barbara
2021
• Works, Galerie XII, Paris
• Works, Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
• Works, Flowers Gallery, London
• Works, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
• Works, Galerie XII, Los Angeles
2020
• Early Depictions, Flowers Gallery, London
• Intimate, UP Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2019
• She Disappeared, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta
• Bushes and Succulents, Euqinom Gallery, San Francisco
2018
• New Works, Part II, Galerie Catherine Hug, Paris, France
2017
• The First Chapter, Euqinom Projects, San Francisco, California
2016
• New Works, Part II, Galerie Catherine Hug, Paris, France
• Acido Dorado, Galeria Pilar Serra, Madrid, Spain
• New Works, Euqinom Gallery, San Francisco, California
2015
• Private, Ravestijn Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Private, Galerie Ernst Hilger, Vienna, Austria
2014
• Acido Dorado, Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
• Acido Dorado, Flowers Gallery, London, UK
• Private, Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia
2010
• Native, Flowers Gallery, New York
2007
• Evidence, Charles Cowles Gallery, New York
2005
• Unbounded Youth, Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001
• Bare, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York
1998
• Nus, Elkis Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
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