Bio — Kren The Curator

ABOUT KREN

Chattanooga native, Kreneshia Rielle’ Whiteside-McGee, is an advocate for the arts and devoted to fostering culture in the community. While attending an arts school for seven years, Kren developed an appreciation for emerging and working artists. After realizing her passion, she discovered the career of curation, obtained her degree, and now continues to dedicate her skills and gifts to presenting the creativity of others.

Kreneshia began curating in 2015 as a university senior. After graduating she served as Chief Curator of the Association for Visual Arts in Tennessee for 4 years. Her time there and her independent curations have resulted in projects with entities and artists throughout the nation and abroad (New York, California, Italy, and more). Aside from exhibitions, Kren works directly with individual artists Audrey Schilt, the New York artist/fashion illustrator and retired Creative Director of Collection, VP of Ralph Lauren, as well as the Forbes recognized poet/fine artist, Genesis The Greykid. Her portfolio also includes creative direction and consulting for a variety of genres.

“I’m conscious that my work is bigger than me- it’s about the art. It’s my responsibility to ensure the artist is heard and to evoke change in anyone that witnesses my curations.”

- Kreneshia Rielle’

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

Y’all Don’t Hear Me: The Black Appalachia - An Ode to Nikki

UT Downtown Gallery (Knoxville, TN) 2024

Through The Grey: Pray with your feet moving

W37th St. (Manhattan, New York) 2023

Y’all Don’t Hear Me: The Black Appalachia

Stove Works (Chattanooga, TN) 2023

ETSU Slocumb & Tipton Galleries (Johnson City, Tennessee) 2022

Through The Grey (Private Showing)

Private Residence (Los Angeles, California) 2022

G21: What the F%$K is Prosperity

A plus A Gallery & public Venetian spaces (Venice, Italy) 2021

Welcome Home: Her Liminal Asian-Appalachian Experience

ETSU Slocumb & Tipton Galleries (Johnson City, Tennessee) 2021

The Eye Exam: Dinner and a Movement

John Henry Sculpture Studio (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 2021

Through The Grey

Gallery 1401 (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 2019

PTSD: Post Traumatic System Disorder

Nelson Fine Art Center (Johnson City, Tennessee) 2016

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Curator of Art & Design

HOME Bar & Loungerie (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 2024

Juror

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Gatlinburg, Tennessee) 2023

School for Curatorial Studies Venice

A plus A Gallery (Venice, Italy) 2021

Buzz Trip

Footprint Foundation (Cincinnati, Ohio) 2018

Holmberg Arts Leadership Institute

ArtsBuild (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 2017

Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty

Frist Art Museum (Nashville, Tennessee) 2017

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts

Featured juror sharing the reasoning of her choices in relation to art engagement and the creative process.

Gallery Chat with Nikki Giovanni

A conversation with the renowned poet & native of the Appalachia, held as part of the Y'all Don't Hear Me exhibition. Here Nikki shares many stories with Kren regarding relationships, generational differences, leadership, and many other topics.

YouTube

Good vs. Bad Art

Presented by the Chattery, Art Week consists of various Chattanooga creatives, like Kren, leading classes and workshops, and offering art advice to participants. Kreneshia’s course discussed Good & Bad art, and how pieces survive in an ever-changing world.

Virtual Adult Summer School — The Chattery

Coffee Talk

In this event, Kren the Curator shared her perspective as a Black woman working in the creative field, opening the floor to discuss the topic of diversity in the art world. Coffee Talk with Kreneshia Whiteside: Being a Woman of Color Working in the Arts

Westobou Gallery

Opening reception with a coinciding Juror Talk where Kreneshia discussed the strategy behind her selections for the SEEDS exhibition and her thoughts as a curator. Past Exhibitions - Westobou — Westobou

Startup Week Basecamp

Kreneshia led the “Creative Careers & Concerns” workshop, reflecting on ways to add creativity to careers and insight about the visual art world as part of the program highlighting entrepreneurship and small businesses presented by River City Company.

Startup – The Company Lab (CO.LAB) (colab.co)

Chattanooga Youth Gallery

Kreneshia was a featured speaker at the CHA Youth Gallery reception and teacher of the emerging artists.