Kristen Sanders
b. 1989, California
![A paining of a purple jagged rock hovering over the ocean with a cloudy sky with a crescent moon that makes up most of the background.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/599a75b9dd1974d1fb7c889a34ab5d5dece05f61-1806x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Kristen Sanders. A Sense of Reality, 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 55 x 40 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/a4b8762052fb7b0c8f2a3cb02cb6ac546ddac420-1887x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Portal, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
84 x 60 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/8f87a43461f6ca7f904d822008cd8e6423e80f10-1806x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
A Sense of Reality, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
55 x 40 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/170140fe119d94f2cdc7057d017d1748144af844-1977x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Body Thing, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/29269063cfa210cdd935c02a10b9ec941ac8fa02-1995x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Groove, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/8d082723e0786e18062e17b3c0f1f65519ac1169-1985x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Seaweed, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/c4a45af221b9c0d5ebd835908b74d198b449d842-1989x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Mega, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/b693e324c13c4f45b8702bb8058fae6942cb1c59-1977x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Tender Tissue, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/df2c0d9f219c4152a18170db635c708ee03d1c70-1987x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Baby Universe, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/bb76691caed54f6dd3d0ab2b4f10cdc06102504b-3302x4167.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Strange Presence, 2022
Acrylic on collaged canvas
40 x 32 in.
![A paining of a purple jagged rock hovering over the ocean with a cloudy sky with a crescent moon that makes up most of the background.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/599a75b9dd1974d1fb7c889a34ab5d5dece05f61-1806x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Kristen Sanders. A Sense of Reality, 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 55 x 40 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/a4b8762052fb7b0c8f2a3cb02cb6ac546ddac420-1887x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Portal, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
84 x 60 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/8f87a43461f6ca7f904d822008cd8e6423e80f10-1806x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
A Sense of Reality, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
55 x 40 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/170140fe119d94f2cdc7057d017d1748144af844-1977x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Body Thing, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/29269063cfa210cdd935c02a10b9ec941ac8fa02-1995x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Groove, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/8d082723e0786e18062e17b3c0f1f65519ac1169-1985x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Seaweed, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/c4a45af221b9c0d5ebd835908b74d198b449d842-1989x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Mega, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/b693e324c13c4f45b8702bb8058fae6942cb1c59-1977x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Tender Tissue, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/df2c0d9f219c4152a18170db635c708ee03d1c70-1987x2500.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Baby Universe, 2023
Acrylic on canvas over wood panel
10 x 8 in.
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/bb76691caed54f6dd3d0ab2b4f10cdc06102504b-3302x4167.jpg?w=1080&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Strange Presence, 2022
Acrylic on collaged canvas
40 x 32 in.
Kristen Sanders is a St. Paul-based artist whose paintings explore binary ontologies between mind and body, self and object, and life and death. Choosing subjects such as prehistoric carvings, flint stone, and medical mannequins, Sanders’ work charts the boundaries of human consciousness, finding traces of self and intention in the marks, tools, remnants, and images we have left behind.
Sanders received a BA from the University of California, Davis, and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Recent solo exhibitions include Tide/Pool at Dreamsong, Protoself at Asya Geisberg Gallery (New York) and Early Bodies at Kathryn Brennan Gallery (New York). Her paintings have recently been included in group exhibitions at Anthony Gallery (Chicago), The Hole (New York), and Good Mother (Los Angeles). She currently teaches in the Fine Arts department of the University of Minnesota.
Exhibitions
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/2ca711d2b978fbd4ec02f91f05a8978247402ab4-2560x1858.jpg?w=128&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)
Tide/Pool
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ryfgzcgq/production/f7a5e666f20271af0cac9eb8ee12345f17562097-1991x2500.jpg?w=128&q=98&fit=clip&auto=format)