ABOUT
CK Olsen is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist and four-time Emmy® nominee, with a practice that merges dance, sculpture, and moving image. His work has shown throughout North America and Europe, including at the Artemisia Gallery, ArtSquad Contemporary Gallery, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago Cultural Center, Clinton Presidential Library, Gallery 400, Miami Short Film Fest, MECA Gallery, Muestra Internacional De Videonarración ARTográfica, Music Box Theatre, Paris Play Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Fest, and more. Kaia’s lauded moving image work includes the VEGGIETALES® animated series, and numerous short films and PBS television programs, including BUTTERFLY, THE ARTSIDERS®, SHINE, and BENEATH THE WHITE CITY LIGHTS. Kaia has also taught at Columbia College (Chicago), DePaul University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. In his spare time, he enjoys long walks down dark alleys, and can always make time for a well made masala-style chai.
Learn more here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1008759/
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS/CV
SELECT EXHIBITIONS, SCREENINGS, PERFORMANCES
2024
PHOTOEspaña “Cycles” Program (Group Exhibition) – MECA Gallery, Almeria/Andalusia, Spain (Sept ‘24)
Muestra Internacional De Videonarración ARTográfica (Group Show)- Granada, Spain (Mar ‘24)
INSTAR (Solo Sculptural Exhibition) – Robert F. DiCaprio Gallery, Moraine Valley Community College (Jan 2024)
2023
Driftless Film Festival – Mineral Point Opera House, Wisconsin (BUG-Nov 4, 2023)
Big Picture Chicago (Group Screening) – Patio Theater, Chicago (BUG 10/26/23)
Paris Play Film Festival – Paris, France (Antumbra) (10/4/2023)
SIDE/LOT 2023 Experimental Film Showcase (Group Show) – Evanston Arts Center (BUG 9/22-10/20/23)
BLUE IN THE MOUTH (Film/Performance) – Director/Choreographer – Links Hall – Inaside Spring Concert – (Chicago) April 2023
2022
FADE INTO ME: IDENTITY & ABSTRACTION – Group Show at Gallery 400 – Chicago March 2022
COPULUM (Happening) – Sculptor/Choreographer, Featuring Eric Palovick – UIC Art & Exhibition Hall – Chicago, IL (March 2022)
2020
BUG (Performance Film) – Director/Choreographer/Camera – Performed by Kristen Vasilakos, Chicago, IL February 2020
2019
MATHS (FIGURE 1) – Director/Choreographer/Camera – Developed/performed in residence with Inaside Chicago Dance, Chicago, IL October 2019
KILL YOUR DARLINGS – Writer/Director/Choreographer – Developed/performed in residence with Big Muddy Dance Company, St. Louis MO October 2019
EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE JUST FINE – Writer/Director/Choreographer – Developed/performed in residence with Big Muddy Dance Company, St. Louis MO October 2019
FOOTSTEPS THROUGH THE CHARNEL HOUSE – Director/Choreographer – Developed/performed in residence with Big Muddy Dance Company, St. Louis MO October 2019
MERDER/CIRCADIA – Director/Choreographer – Developed/performed in residence with Big Muddy Dance Company, St. Louis MO October 2019
ANTUMBRA (Performance Film) – Writer/Director/Choreographer/Camera – Featuring Fernando Rodriguez & Rachel Spies, Chicago, IL November 2018-Feb 2019
2012
BOY.GIRL.DRUM (Performance Film) – Writer/Director/Composer/Choreographer -Premiere: Little Rock Film Festival (May 2013)
2010
FANCY (Performance Film) – Writer/Director/Choreographer/Camera – SELECT SCREENINGS: Cinema Speakeasy – ‘Relationship Therapy for the Modern Human’, Los Angeles, CA (2011); Miami Short Film Fest (2010); Fort Lauderdale International Film Fest, FL (2010); Moondance Film Fest, Boulder CO (2010); Rhode Island International Film Fest (2010); Foursite Film Fest, Ogden UT (2010); Little Rock Film Fest, AR (2010)
2008
BUTTERFLY (Performance Film) – Writer/Director/Choreographer – SELECT SCREENINGS: Little Rock International Film Fest (2009); Bare Bones Film Fest, Muskogee, OK (2009); Lake Arrowhead Film Fest, CA (2009); Miami Short Film Fest (2008); Chicago International Film Fest (2008)
1996
PHOTOGRAPHS, DREAMS & OTHER STRANGE THINGS – Solo Show at Artemisia Gallery (Chicago)
SELECT AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2023
ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL – Individual Artists Support Grant
2022
UIC DEAN’S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD – College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts
2014
MIDWEST EMMY® (Nomination)– Outstanding Arts Special (A Light in the Dark)
2012
MIDWEST EMMY® (Nomination) – Outstanding Cultural Documentary (Beneath the White City Lights)
2008
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST GOLD HUGO (Nomination) – Best Short Film (Butterfly)
MIDWEST EMMY® (Nomination) – Outstanding Contemporary Documentary (The Artsiders®)
MIDWEST EMMY® (AWARD) – Outstanding Informational Program/Segment (Walkaround)
1998
GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION DOVE (AWARD) – Best Long Form Music Video
SELECT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2025
SIGGRAPH 2025 (Vancouver, BC),“Virtualizing the Stanley”, (Presenter)
SIGGRAPH SOIREE 2025 “Gaussian Splatting as Gateway to Computer Graphics”, (Presenter)
2024
Art Institute of Chicago, “Haptic Poetry and the Works of John Cornell”, Art Institute of Chicago (Presenter)
College Art Association 112th Annual Conference, “Decolonizing your Curriculum”, Chicago (Creator/Presenter)
Morraine Valley Community College, “INSTAR-Artist Talk”, Morraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL
2023
SIGGRAPH 2023 (Los Angeles, CA)-Educators Forum (August 2023) – Presenter/Panelist- “The Embodied Camera”
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY (Chicago, IL) (March 2023) – Visiting Artist – “Stories of Time and Light”
COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION (111th Annual Conference), NYC, NY (Feb 2023) – Presenter/Panelist – “The Praxis of Play”
2022
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE (Milwaukee, WI) – Visiting Artist – “Hacking Time”
2014
EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY– Doudna Performing Arts Center – Guest Artist w/ Melissa Thodos – “The White City: Audience Talk”
2012
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS– School of Fine and Applied Arts – Keynote Speaker “A Cross Disciplinary Life”
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP SERIES – Keynote Speaker – “Through the Looking Glass”
2011
WILLIAM CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY – Presenter – “Karl Dahl Film Premiere – Audience Talk”
LITTLE ROCK FILM FEST – Festival Presenter/Panelist – “Art of the Short Film”
2010
LITTLE ROCK FILM FEST – Festival Presenter/Panelist – “Digital Filmmaking Techniques”
MIAMI SHORT FILM FEST – Festival Presenter/Panelist – “Art of the Short Film”
BORDERS BOOKS/RHODE ISLAND INT’L FILM FEST – Guest Speaker “Attack of the 50’ Green Screen”
2003
SIGGRAPH 2003 – Host “VICON Virtual Camera Techniques – Red Truck Rally”
SELECT RESIDENCIES & COLLABORATIVE WORKS
DEEPLY ROOTED DANCE THEATRE (Chicago)– Artist in Residence (May 2023)
INASIDE DANCE COMPANY (Chicago) – Artist in Residence (October 2019)
BIG MUDDY DANCE COMPANY (ST. Louis, MO) – Artist in Residence (October 2019)
GINGARTE CAPOEIRA (Chicago)– Artist in Residence (2015-2020)
DEEPLY ROOTED DANCE THEATRE (Chicago)– Guest Filmmaker (September 2017)
THODOS DANCE (Chicago) – Artist in Residence (2009-2019)
SELECT ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS
2016
Marquis Theatre, NYC (Sono’s Journey Film Teaser @ Career Transitions for Dancers Jubilee)
Harris Theatre for Music and dance, Chicago (Chicago Revealed)
2015
PBS Broadcast Television Premiere (A Light in the Dark)
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (Salute to Sybil Shearer & Chicago Inspired)
Fergus Falls School of Dance, Fergus Falls, MN (Shine)
Dixie Carter Center for the Arts, Huntingdon, TN (Shine)
2014
Auditorium Theater, Chicago (The White City & Salute to Sybil Shearer)
Music Box Theatre, Chicago (Madzilla – Beneath the Scales)
Doudna Auditorium (The White City), Eastern Illinois University
Hettenhausen Theater, McKendree State University, Lebanon, IL (The White City)
Hammons Auditorium, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO (The White City)
Leach Theater, Missouri Science and Technical College, Rolla, MO (The White City)
2013
Menker Theater, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL (The White City)
2012
Emens Auditorium, Ball State University, Muncie IN (The White City)
Gerald E Wilson Auditorium, Kodiak AK (Fosse Prelude)
Anchorage Performing Arts Center, Anchorage AK (Fosse Prelude)
Sitka Performing Arts Center, Anchorage, AK (Fosse Prelude)
Kayhi Auditorium, Ketchikan, AK (Fosse Prelude)
Juneau Douglas High School, Juneau, AK (Fosse Prelude)
Chilkat Center for the Arts, Haines, AK (Fosse Prelude)
Skagway City School, Skagway, AK (Fosse Prelude)
Harris Theatre for Music and dance, Chicago (The White City)
John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI (The White City)
Schein Performance Hall, Sanibel, FL (Fosse Prelude)
2011
Young Auditorium, UW, Whitewater, WI (Fosse Prelude)
McAnich Arts Center, College of DuPage (The White City)
Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago (The White City)
2010
Big Bear Lake Film Fest – Big Bear Lake, CA (Fosse Prelude)
Reno Film Festival, NV (Ursula the Ubergirl)
Duke Performance Hall – Davidson, NC (Fosse Prelude)
Kuss Auditorium, Clark State University – Springfield, OH (Fosse Prelude)
Allaert Auditorium, St. Ambrose University – Davenport, IA (Fosse Prelude)
2009
Harris Theatre for Music and dance – Chicago, IL (Fosse Prelude)
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts – Skokie, IL (Fosse Prelude)