Prem Krishnamurthy

Prem Krishnamurthy (b. 1977) explores how art & design can be agents of transformation for individuals, communities, and institutions. His multidisciplinary work manifests itself in books, exhibitions, images, performances, publications, systems, talks, texts, and workshops (+ karaoke!). He currently runs Department of Transformation, an artist-organized group that prototypes new modes of togetherness and mutual learning, as well as Wkshps, a multidisciplinary design consultancy.
He received the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Communications Design in 2015 and KW Institute for Contemporary Art’s “A Year With…” residency fellowship in 2018. His professional papers were acquired by Bard College’s Center for Curatorial Studies in 2019. In 2022, Domain published his book-length epistolary essay, On Letters. In 2024, KW, König Books, and Kunsthal Gent will publish Past Words, an anthology of his writing from 2009–2024.
In addition to leading strategic projects with artists, cultural institutions, and nonprofit organizations across the world, he has curated several large-scale public exhibitions. These include Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows, the 2022 edition of FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art; Our Silver City, 2094 at Nottingham Contemporary; and Ministry of Graphic Design in Sharjah, UAE. Previously, Prem founded the design studio Project Projects and the exhibition space P! in New York.
Related Events

Payal Parekh: Blessed Rest

Aneta Stojnić: First Encounters

Katie Freeman: Storylines

Canal Street Research Association: Canal, Channel, Chanel

Prem Krishnamurthy: Ways of Graphic Design-ing

Oliver Herring: TASK

Andros Zins-Browne: The Chaos Opera

Prem Krishnamurthy: Department of Transformation

Daniel Pravit Fethke: Untitled Wooster Street (Salads)

Angel Nevarez & Valerie Tevere: Another Protest Song: Karaoke

Department of Transformation at Dwight Hall Commons

Activating Participation Now!

The Drop Out:
Tell Them I Said No

Knowledge in Motion

Visual Arts Design Lecture

Design and Democracy

Night of Ideas Jersey City: Department of Transformation

Groundwork Reading Group

The Healing Arts

Artists-Turning-Therapists Group

Department of Transformation at SVA MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism

CECA Visiting Artist Speaker Series

Insights 2023 Design Lecture Series

How can we gather now?

Kemeny Lecture Series

Critical Conversations

Department of Transformation at Fusebox Festival 2023

Department of Transformation at the Galleries at Cleveland State University

Department of Transformation at the Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU

Department of Transformation at the Journal of Art Criticism, Barnard College

Department of Transformation at the Maryland College Institute of Art

Department of Transformation at Triple Canopy Publication Intensive
