Rafael Katz Artwork

1961, Lecce Italy

I was born in our medieval stone home with the help of a midwife. Lecce had no hospitals.

1962, Lecce Italy

I breastfed and enjoyed the mediteranean climate my first years of life.

1963, Rome Italy

We visited the coliseum before returning to the U.S.

1964, Winnemucca Nevada

We visited Buckskin Mountain where mom grew up when we moved back to the U.S.

1965, Ithaca New York

We first lived in a tent in a park near Buttermilk falls until we were flooded out.

1966, Ithaca, New York

I stepped on a piece of glass next to our house on Corn Street and cut my foot. It my first time getting stitches and the scar remains to this day.

1967, Ithaca New York

We played in a nearby junkyard and went fishing in Six Mile Creek.

1968, Pine Bush New York

I saw the first vagina of a contemporary on the school playground jungle gym. She was wearing really loose underwear.

1969, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

It was a several day drive in our old Saab but he liked it and eventually bought a piece of land and went there every summer.

1970, New York City, New York

I liked to stay with family friends, the Schneemans, that lived in St. Marks Place. We snuck into St. Mark’s Church for their New Years celebration.

1971, Pine Bush, New York

I started to read R. Crumb comics which dad left lying around the house.

1972, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

I was on a log playing in the ocean waves when a storm and rough seas rolled in. Joan Jonas swam to me and saved my life.

1973, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Richard Sera and Philip Glass did a lot of lobster poaching in the early days. As lobster fishing became more restricted driving local fishermen out of business, this kind of poaching became more resented by locals.

1974, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Dad and I stayed with Russell banks, his wife and three daughters.

1975, Dawes Hill Commune, New York

I started spending time on a commune near Ithaca, New York. I had jobs like tending the honey bees and cooking. I killed and slaughtered 3 chickens for one meal.

1976, Pine Bush, New York

Mom’s boyfriend, Masato, had a studio full of paintings of mom topless.

1977, New York City, New York

I smoked pot with Vicent Katz and Paul Schneeman at the Cloisters.

1978, Albany New York

As president of the state student government, I invited Shirley Chilsolm to speak at our conference. She did it in exchange for us buying her plane ticket to Albany.

1979, Providence RI

I started attending Brown university. I washed dishes in the cafeteria basement for my work-study, while classmate John John Kennedy and his friends ate. He liked to toss a football on the commons with his beautiful friends.

1980, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Nanny died in her NYC Hotel Greystone apartment. A Canadian Mounted Policeman found us on the beech to share the news.

1981, Taiwan

I studied Chinese language and art at Taiwan Normal University. I took classes at a small art school near the train station in Taipei. My teacher, Shi Menghong, had us stand there and watch him write. Every class.

1982, Lillooet BC, Canada

I stayed with my grandmother after returning from Taiwan. She had a large dog named Mabel which she had on a vegetarian diet.

1983, Providence RI

I graduated from Brown and worked as a Janitor that summer to earn money to go back to Taiwan.

1984, Taiwan

I met my first wife at a Christmas party.

1985, Boulder CO

I lived in dad’s basement when I returned to the U.S.

1986, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I accompanied my future wife to Philadelphia where she was a student at …. for a few months.

1987, Queens, New York

I married my first wife.

1988, New Haven, Connecticut

My daughter was born in Yale, New Haven hospital. I earned a degree in East Asian studies.

1989, New York City

I worked as a social studies teacher IS 383 and then Hillcrest High School.

1990, New York City

I continued to paint and had a show at Sherkat Gallery in the East Village and a group show at Holly Solomon.

1991, New York City

My son is born in Forest Hills Hospital.

1992, Portland OR

We move to Portland Oregon, looking for a place that is easier to raise a family.

1993, Vancouver Canada

Visited my first wife’s friends and relatives

1994, Portland OR

I stepped on a piece of glass and cut my foot

1995, Boulder CO

Took to kids along the Boulder Mall.

1996, Portland OR

Lived in a small house

1997, Portland OR

We had an ugly divorce and my first wife moved to NYC.

1998, Taiwan

My soon to be ex-wife snuck the kids to Taiwan. I visited and snuck them back.

1999, Portland OR

I became a single dad

2000, Portland OR

I joined Blackfish Gallery

2001, Cape Breton NS

Spent a few weeks in our house near Inverness

2002, Paradise Valley, Nevada

Attended the Funeral of My maternal Grandmother that had emigrated to Canada.

2003, Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Dad arranged a family get-together.

2004, Portland OR

I date a Jewish girl

2005, Portland OR

My daughter joins the dance team

2006, Toas, New Mexico

We visit my brother’s organic farm

2007, Portland OR

I have another show at Blackfish Gallery

2008, Portland OR

I care for my backyard garden and fruit tress

2009, Portland OR

Denver, Colorado. Visit dad who is recovering from open heart surgery.

2010, Portland OR

My son graduates from High School.

2011, Portland OR

I had spend several years showing work at Blackfish Gallery, but realized I had no patience for the commercial side of art.

2012, Eugene OR

I visited my son in college. He was raising a pet pig and not going to class. I decided needed a change and applied to jobs in China.

2013, Shanghai China

I enjoyed the bouyant spirit that was actually the end of the China openness and growth boom.

2014, Shanghai China

I discovered to comfort of massage. Paying a young woman, who otherwise wouldn’t be interested, to touch me.

2015, Shanghai China

My second wife divorces me to become a buddhist nun.

2016, Staten Island Ferry, New York

I met my third wife, Lu, when I volunteered to take a picture of her.

2017, Chang Mai, Thailand

We travelled north, visited the longnecks and the golden triangle where you can step foot on four different countries within and hour.

2018, Shanghai China

I met my 2nd ex-wife for coffee. It was strange sitting in a cafe with a nun. People were staring.

2019, Shanghai China

2020, Bilbao Spain

Standing next to the Richard Serra sculptures at the Guggenheim. I can’t get over how much space has been given to these big bent sheets of steel.

2021, Shanghai China

Locked into my apartment for two months with Lu. We got along well.

2022, Xiamen China

Xiamen was relatively unaffected by covid. I prepared for my show there.

2023, Perth, Australia

The flora and fauna were exotic.

2024, Hanoi, Vietnam

I made several work trips to Vietnam. Lots of people were up before dawn exercising.

2025, Cape Breton

We spread dad’s remains at Block Island Park, near Cheticamp

2026, Foshan China

Artist Residency

2027, Fukuoka, Japan

residency

2028, Shanghai

Peck Alot, our pet chicken chases me around the house.