CRIS DAM cofounded Dam Stuhltrager in 1998 and was an early gallerist to propel Williamsburg Brooklyn into an international art mecca. Dam’s bright paintings and large persona made him a recognizable character synonymous with Brooklyn’s lively art scene. In 2020, he founded the acclaimed URSA Gallery, an experiential gallery showcasing modern art and design, located in the historic Arcade Mall in Bridgeport, CT.
Born in Alaska, raised in Spain, educated in New York City and currently raising a family in Westport, Connecticut, Dam combines in his work diverse landscapes and universal patterns found everywhere in nature to connect all cultures. Taking root in organic abstraction, he combines exotic imagery with Pop colors and modern lines, and his use of color-blending creates infinite depth out of simple silhouettes.
In addition to running a gallery in Bridgeport, Dam sits on the board of The WYE in Berlin. Founded by Dam Stuhltrager in 2012, The WYE is a 20,000 sq ft cultural institution in the former Central Post office of Berlin that houses studios, live residencies, exhibitions, events, public art programs, and educational workshops. Dam Stuhltrager’s The WYE has hosted events by Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, The American Embassy, Berlin Film Society, The Reader Awards, Seedcamp, Tech Crunch, Service Design Berlin, Goethe Institute, Raindance, Berlin Burlesque, Penguin, Photo Berlin, Hardware Berlin, Cyberfest, The Green Party Campaign Launch, Sound Development City, and Retune, among many others. Just opened, The WYE has been featured in hundreds of articles included VOGUE, Artinfo, DW, Artnet, Artforum, Interview Magazine, VICE, Mode, Lesmads, Slow Travel, iheartberlin, Hilker, Urban Arts Magazine, Lash, Artschool Vets and Sugarhigh, CoolHunting, among many, many more.
MOST RECENT HIGHLIGHTS / EXHIBITS & PUBLIC ART
2020
October: Bridgeport Art Trail Window Display / Bridgeport, CT
March: 20-foot triptych mural for Lorca / Stamford, CT
2019
November: Pechakucha 20×20 Presentation at Bijou Theater / Bridgeport, CT
November: “Pop of Color” Window Display with the DSSD / Bridgeport, CT
September: 24-foot mural for Fabianne’s / Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Ongoing: “The Art of Cris Dam,” solo exhibit at the Discovery Museum / Bridgeport, CT
May: “Harmony,” group exhibit at City Lights / Bridgeport, CT
2018
November: Savor City @ Eat Noodle / Bridgeport, CT
October: “Cris Dam: LIGHTS ON,” solo exhibit at Norwalk Community College / Norwalk, CT
August: “The River Between Us…,” The Strasburg Biennial, Shenandoah Museum of Contemporary Art / Strasburg, VA
July: Large-scale mural for Lagari / Berlin
March: WPKN Community Radio: Spotlight on Arts & Culture / Bridgeport, CT
2017
August: “1×1 Show,” group exhibit at Danger Gallery / Stamford, CT
2016
December: “Friends + Lovers,” group exhibit at Danger Gallery / Stamford, CT
2015
June: “Williamsburg on Warren,” group exhibit at One Art Space / NYC (curator)
2013
November: “Mini Paintings by Cris Dam,” solo exhibit at Lorca / Stamford, CT
November: “Paradigm Shift,” group exhibit at The WYE / Berlin
June–August: Chouchette collaboration / Turkey (designing patterns for a line of shoes and bags by Chouchette with traditional artisans in Tokat, a project bringing economic stability to the Black Sea region and keeping ancient crafts alive)
May: “Scene & Heard,” group exhibit at re:MADE / Brooklyn, NY
April: 40-foot mural for OneSpark / Jacksonville, FL
2012
September: “Time Keeper,” group exhibit at Empire Project / Istanbul
June: 20-foot mural for Lorca / Stamford, CT
June: CYLAND, group exhibit at IMAL / Brussels
June: Permanent Collection at The WYE / Berlin
May: group exhibit at The Hermitage Museum / St Petersburg
May: 60-foot mural, facing entrance of Kunsthalle Bethanian / Berlin
May: 60-foot mural, Public Art for Entrance Walls to Ökozentrum / Berlin (a project sponsored by The American Embassy)
C. Dam installing his art at The WYE in Berlin. Photo by L. Stuhltrager, 2013.
Cris Dam 