‘Chris Brunkhart, Iceland’, Marne Lucas, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle paper, 18 x 23 inches, 2015.
CHRIS BRUNKHART (1968-2016)
Chris hailed from Portland, Oregon, where we were acquaintances. We become close friends while I was living in Harlem and he lived in Brooklyn, New York with his husband Ezekiel Martin-Brunkhart. A self-taught photographer, Chris was known as the “Ansel Adams” of the newly emerging sport of snowboarding in the 1990’s, giving the sport a new stark look. His friends called him “Dark Star”. Chris was my first Bardo ∞ Project collaborator, and I am forever indebted to his generosity.
Chris and I became fast friends when he moved to New York, bonding over art, photography, nature and my queer community. A year later in August 2014 he began having stomach and chest pains. After an emergency room visit and three weeks into a battery of tests I received a phone call from Chris. He gave me the bad news- a diagnosis of stage four colon cancer with a less than 5% chance at life for two years. I asked him what the good news could be? Chris said that he would be my first Bardo ∞ Project artist collaborator. He was one of very few people who knew of my desire to start this challenging project, and I hadn’t been able to gain access to hospice culture. I soon became part of Chris’ cancer journey until the end with he and his partner Zeke; together we would ensure that he make his legacy work.
‘Gullfoss Falls L1001120’, Estate of Chris Brunkhart, black and white archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7. From the Exhibition ‘Bardo Project: Oregon, 2024, Portland Arts Collective Gallery.
The couple moved back to Portland, Oregon for medical care. We shared in his intense output of creativity throughout his 16-month cancer battle, enduring palliative chemotherapy, waning energy and rapidly declining health. Chris chose to face death by making art non-stop, even if it taxed his health. He was also determined to edit all of the landscape work he made while living in New York, and, to make a new legacy body of work. He enjoyed a newfound confidence about his talent, exhibiting and selling his work, being published and even met his photography idol Mary Ellen Mark. In April 2015 of Chris visited NYC to take an International Center of Photography class from Mark. She loved his work and the two bonded over landscape photography and shared cancer in common. She invited him to come to Iceland that summer to take her landscape photography class. Chris and Zeke legally married in June 2015 and then honeymooned in Northern Europe on the way to Iceland. But sadly, Mary Ellen Mark succumbed to cancer shortly before her photography workshop trip. In spite of this news, Chris still wanted to go to Iceland, he said that he still had much to learn from Ms. Mark.
'Hills L1001079', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
‘North Coast, Iceland’, Chris Brunkhart, black and white archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, edition 1/7, 2015/2024, courtesy the estate of Chris Brunkhart.
'Grasses 1001182', Estate of Chris Brunkhart. archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'Geyser L1001248', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, black and white archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, edition 1/7.
'Moss L1001088', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'River L1001104', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, black and white archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'Grasses 1001182', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'Gullfoss Falls L1001128', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, black and white archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'Fish L1001280', Estate of Chris Brunkhart, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 30 x 40 inches, mounted on Sintra, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
'Iceland' series exhibition, Chris Brunkhart, as part of Bardo Project Oregon, 2024. Video tour by Aurora Josephson, Portland Arts Collective.
Gallery exhibition with Chris Brunkhart, George Michael Stanley, and Marne Lucas, with free related workshops on art making, grief, remembrance, and end of life care planning, at the gallery.
Marne on Rocks L1001153, Estate of Chris Brunkhart, archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta, 20 x 16 inches, 2015/2024, Edition 1/7.
PRESS 'Bardo Project Oregon' in Oregon Arts Watch, by Laurel Reed Pavic.
PRESS 'Marne Lucas and Chris Brunkhart', Interview by Joseph Gallivan, "Art Focus" on KBOO Radio.
PRESS 'Richard Speer visits Portland Arts Collective', Instagram @RichardSpeerCritic
Installation view, Portland Arts Collective.
Installation view, Portland Arts Collective.
Installation view, Portland Arts Collective.
Installation view, Portland Arts Collective.
'Tree Conk' (For Wayne Lucas), Marne Lucas, cast brass, wax, 2016, unique.
Installation view, Portland Arts Collective.
I met up with Chris and Zeke in Iceland where I acted as photo assistant, camper van driver, and doula, with the goal for Chris to make his last body of landscape photographs. The trip was challenging, shortly after embarking on our road trip Chris fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalized for a couple of weeks in Reykjavik. Before returning to the USA he was able to take a day trip accompanied by his husband Zeke and team of nurses, where he was able to shoot more landscape photographs.
'Self-Portrait with Zeke, Honeymoon in Amsterdam'. Photo: Chris Brunkhart
'Camper Van, Iceland' Photo: Chris Brunkhart
'Man Soup, Chris and Zeke in Hot Springs, Iceland' Photo: Marne Lucas
'Chris Getting Ready in Van, Iceland' Photo: Marne Lucas
'Chris and Zeke shooting landscapes, Iceland' Photo: Marne Lucas
'Self-portrait with Chris at Gulfoss Waterfall, Iceland' Photo: Marne Lucas
'Chris shooting Gulfoss, Southwest Iceland' Photo: Marne Lucas
'Zeke and Marne with Ambulance, Iceland' Photo: Chris Brunkhart
'Self-Portrait in Ambulance, Iceland'. Photo: Chris Brunkhart
'Chris' Camera, at Home', Portland, December 2015. Photo: Marne Lucas
'Marne and Zeke, Reykjavik Hospital' Photo: Chris Brunkhart
'Blood Products for Chris, Reykjavik Hospital' Photo: Marne Lucas
Chris and Zeke, wedding portrait in Portland, Oregon. Photo ©2015 Marne Lucas
Chris and Zeke’s wedding. Photo ©2015 Marne Lucas
"Borderless Space" by Chris Brunkhart. Published by Elsewhere, 2015. Hardcover signed and numbered 150 copies. Includes a signed 5x7 print. 7 1/4 x 9 1/2, 128 pages, and 80 images, paper, chipboard, thread. This legacy book documents Chris' experiences while living in New York City. Each book has a silk screen cover, making each one individual.
Chris and Zeke at the book signing and exhibition for "Borderless Space". December 2015. Chris died ten days after the event.
A beautiful, well attended memorial took place in January 2015. Photo: Manuel Pompeia.
Memorial flyer for Chris Brunkhart, January 2015. Photo: Marne Lucas
Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, January 2016.
Juxtapoz Magazine 'Borderless Space'. March 27, 2015.
PDN Photo District News: Obituary, January 2016.
Snowboarder.com Lenscrafters- Chris Brunkhart Interview by Mike Yoshida pg 1-2. January 2016.
Snowboarder.com Lenscrafters- Chris Brunkhart Interview by Mike Yoshida pg 3-4, January 2016.
The Snowboarders Journal- A Eulogy for Chris Brunkhart by Jeff Galbraith, January 2016.