Jakob Bokulich (1974, Santa Cruz, CA) is a self-trained, multi-disciplinary artist known for his paintings and kinetic sculptures. His work is in the collection of the Croatian Embassy in Paris, and he was awarded an Honorarium grant in 2018 by Burning Man for his 21 foot-tall sculpture "Big Pollinator," which was years in the making and involved the work of over 100 volunteers.

 

The son of an auto mechanic, Bokulich began painting at age 12 after a house fire left his family homeless and he stayed temporarily with a local landscape painter. At 17 he left home for Europe - his art education was living in art squats and artist communities, and immersing himself in the museums and galleries of Europe. Drawing inspiration from living in a war zone in Croatia between 1993-1995, he exhibited in galleries in Paris, Saint-Tropez, Chamonix, and Split, Croatia.

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Transitioning back to the U.S, the artist helped build artist communities in San Francisco and Oakland, being deeply involved in spaces such as Cellspace, The Artship, and The Creamery. In this phase of his practice, Bokulich explored performance and ritual, co-writing and performing in the film Hysteria by Antero Alli. This prompted his stay in LA working in film and set design. In 2015 the seasoned and well rounded artist moved to New York City to return to a studio practice, now informed by his experiences in ritual, meditation, and unconventional self exploration. Bokulich’s work reinforces modes of seeing in a world where the senses have become neglected.

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Solo Exhibits

MICHELE MACK GALLERY New York, 2021

THIRTY SIX GALLERY Beacon, New York, 2020

ARTSHIP Oakland, 2003

LIGHT San Francisco, 2001

LE LION d'OR Chamonix, France, 1994

CROATIAN EMBASSY IN PARIS Paris, 1994

MICHAEL ANGELO GALLERY Santa Cruz, 1994

GALERIE DANS LE KIOSQUE FLOTTANT Paris, 1993

GALERIJA PORTA AUREA Split, Croatia, 1993

LAVOIR PUBLIC VASSEROT Saint-Tropez, France, 1993

 

Selected Group Exhibits

ISABEL SULLIVAN GALLERY New York, 2023

SOTHEBY'S New York, 2021

ART MIAMI/CONTEXT (Elizabeth Clement Contemporary) Miami, 2021

MY PET RAM New York, 2021

MICHELE MACK GALLERY New York, 2020

CHASE CONTEMPORARY New York, 2019, 2020

VAN DER PLAS GALLERY New York, 2019

HG CONTEMPORARY BROOKLYN New York, 2018

BURNING MAN Nevada, 2017, 2018

DREAM FACTORY Los Angeles, 2011

LIVE CULTURE STUDIO Los Angeles, 2010

BACKSPACE Portland, Oregon, 2004

START SOMA San Francisco, 2003, 2004​

VARNISH FINE ART San Francisco, 2003

LIMINAL GALLERY Oakland, 2003

BALAZO/MISSION BADLANDS GALLERY San Francisco, 2002

LIVE CULTURE (AT THE CREAMERY) Oakland, 2000

GALERIE SSOCAPI Paris, 1998

CRUCIBLE STEEL GALLERY San Francisco, 1998

MAMONE GALLERY San Francisco, 1997

TROJANOWSKA GALLERY San Francisco, 1994

DOM OMLADINE ART SQUAT Split, Croatia, 1994

GALERIE LE BRETON Paris, 1993

MICHAEL ANGELO GALLERY Santa Cruz, 1992

DANCING MAN GALLERY Santa Cruz, 1992

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Grants

CITY ARTIST CORPS, New York Foundation for the Arts, 2021

BLACK ROCK CITY HONORARIA, Burning Man, 2018

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Murals

NOW YOU'RE CLEAN East Village, New York, 2021

CHASE CONTEMPORARY Chelsea, New York, 2020

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Art Rendez-Vous Sept. 28th, 2022

The Burning Man Journal Sept 29th, 2021

Beautiful Humans Feb 8th, 2021

Forbes June 10th, 2020

LA Weekly Dec 27th, 2012

San Francisco Chronicle July 3rd, 2003

San Francisco Bay Guardian, July 2nd, 2003

San Francisco Chronicle March 31st, 2002

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