Kris Graves (b. 1982 New York, NY) is an artist and publisher based in New York and California. Graves creates artwork that deals with societal problems and aims to use art to inform people about cultural issues.
Using a mix of conceptual and documentary practices, Graves photographs the subtleties of societal power and its impact on the built environment. He explores how capitalism and power have shaped countries — and how that can be seen and experienced in everyday life. Graves also works to elevate the representation of people of color in the fine art canon and to create opportunities for conversation about race, representation, and urban life. He photographs to preserve memory.
Graves received his BFA in Visual Arts from S.U.N.Y. Purchase College. He has been published and exhibited globally, including at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Getty Institute, Los Angeles; and the National Portrait Gallery in London, England. Permanent collections include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Getty Institute, Schomburg Center, Whitney Museum, Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Brooklyn Museum; and The Wedge Collection, Toronto.
Graves also serves as vice president of photography on the boards of Blue Sky Gallery, Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts, Portland, and The Architectural League of New York.