Patrick Turk b. 1976 - Quasi-scientist and self-taught artist, Patrick Turk explores the mysteries of the universe in his highly detailed and imaginative hand-cut paper assemblages. Turk’s medium ranges from science-fiction novels, encyclopedias, history, and scientific diagrams to create these multidimensional surfaces. When one first looks at Turk’s work, it seems to be printed digitally as a singular piece. But each of the repeating figures seen are hand-cut and hand placed, creating a one-of-a-kind work, intricately defined by the artist’s hand. Says Turk, “The intense levels of detail become a microcosm, forming a reflection of the human relationship to the plasticity of time and space, and to the process of self-unfolding.”

Turk’s subject matter ranges from Confucianism Theory to The Garden of Eden to psychoactive chemicals. Turk is inspired by surrealist artists, such as Salvador Dali, Hannah Höch, and Man Ray. Turk creates works through a wide range of inspiration – also taking subject matter from his own personal interaction with the world around him. Turk’s choice of topic is always fluid. He chose The Garden of Eden based on beautiful images of foliage. On a more theoretical level, his other subject matter is the Anthropocosmos based on a Confucian theory. Turk’s subjects vary depending upon his own relationship with the world around him – as he is inspired by both the past and present to create these unique and one-of-a-kind works.

Patrick was born in Galveston, Texas, and lives and works in Houston. His assemblages have been exhibited throughout Houston in galleries including Art Storm, Lawndale Art Center and Rudolph/Projects/Art Scan as well as galleries in Galveston, Texas and Los Angeles, California. In 2013, he was an Artist in Residence at the Lawndale Art Center. His works have been published several times in Mung Being Magazine and include high profile commissions for the 2009 Houston Art Car Parade Poster as well as the Philokalia album cover by Golden Cities. Patrick Turk is one of 60 artists included in the book, The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists (Texas A&M Press), authored by Robert Craig Bunch, and to be released in 2016. He was also featured in the concurrent exhibition, The Art of Found Objects, held at Lone Star College-Kingwood in November 2016.

Patrick Turk is one of 60 artists included in the book, The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists (Texas A&M Press), authored by Robert Craig Bunch, and to be released in 2016. He was also be featured in the concurrent exhibition, The Art of Found Objects, held at Lone Star College-Kingwood in November 2016.