INFO
Chris Fraticelli was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, he served as a Marine Corps officer in campaigns in Somalia and Operation Desert Storm. Chris was a Combat Engineer and Platoon Commander. He worked with mines and explosives, breaching the mine-fields with his platoon, dismantling and disposing of explosive devices.
After completing his work in the military, Chris settled in Santa Monica. Looking at the world through a lens of humor, he worked in television as a producer on shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Man Show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and the cult classic made-for-TV-movie, Windy City Heat.
As a young man, Chris’ artistic sensibility was greatly influenced by the work of his Grandpa Louie. A coal miner and handyman by trade, Louie was also a found object artist. His body of work included a five-foot tall mushroom, "The Mushroom", made from plumber’s pipe, concrete, paint cans, and venetian blinds. One of Chris’ earliest memories is watching four men lift the massive, cement mushroom cap on to the giant stem.
Chris travels the coastal cities of Southern California gathering ceramic figurines and statuary to break and reassemble into sculptures. His sculpture both comments on and questions societal customs and institutions. He creates a physical transformation that seeks to find a novel meaning.
EXHIBITIONS
2018 California Heritage Museum ‘Once Loved Twice Broken’ - Solo Show
2019 Corey Helford Gallery ‘Lucky 13’ - Group Show
2019 Lois Lambert Gallery ‘Truthiness” - Group Show
2020 California Heritage Museum, ‘Broken Dreams’ - Solo Show
2020 Lois Lambert Gallery ‘Into Pieces’ - Solo Show
