About

Alexander Kusztyk (b. 1993) is an Art History PhD Candidate at St John's College, University of Cambridge where he is supervised by Dr Frank Salmon.

Education

Alexander received his Bachelor's degree (with High Honors) in the History of Art from the University of California, Berkeley in Spring 2016. Alexander then received his Master of Philosophy in the History of Art and Architecture from St John's College, University of Cambridge in July 2018. His research interests include indeterminacy and dematerialization, geological aesthetics, East Asian visual culture, and global perspectives and material narratives in modern art.

In the 2021-2022 academic year, Alexander served as convener of the University of Cambridge's Rickman Architectural History Society where he led fortnightly symposium discussions on topics ranging from John Cage's silent architecture to Japanese Post-Metabolist anti-architecture. During his time as a postgraduate, Alexander was invited by his college to give tours of both historic Cambridge and the Fitzwilliam Museum for students and guests of St John's College. He is now a certified interpretive tour guide at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California where he teaches the unique history of the site to both students and adults.

For more information, please view Alexander's full Curriculum Vitae.

Art

Alexander explores and redefines his academic research within his own artistic practice, working primarily with language, film, and found objects to manifest conceptual notions that often require the imagination to complete. Participation is welcomed in Alexander's work and individuals are invited to perform his text-based artworks either physically or mentally. His influences are Yoko Ono and Fluxus.

Alexander's event scores and poetry have been published in a variety of literary and art journals in Cambridge, England. He won awards in the 2022 and 2023 St John's College Student Film, Photography, and Art competitions. His artworks have been exhibited at multiple international galleries.

Hobbies

Alexander was a track and field athlete and competed in sprint races at the university level for Cambridge University. He was the captain of St John's College's squad for Cambridge University Athletics Club in the 2021-22 academic year. He is a visual and performing artist as well. He began studying piano at an early age and has composed for a wide range of instruments including piano, orchestra, and choir. He has composed well over 300 individual pieces including twelve symphonies, ten piano sonatas, and theatrical works.

Alexander is the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of Cardigan Discourse. Formed in 2022 with his friends at St John's College including Damon Kutzin (acoustic guitar), Cardigan Discourse is a rock group from Cambridge, England with a 'professional whacky' sound somewhere in between 1960s pop and indie folk. The group has performed at the St John's College May Ball as well as local Cambridge pubs.