Kalli Bednarz is an Indianapolis-based artist working in painting and installation. Her research-driven practice uses archaeology as a lens to explore the human experience through curiosity, archival study, and direct observation. She seeks out site-based research experiences, traveling to archaeological and historic sites including Pompeii, the Roman Baths, and megalithic landscapes in England, while building relationships with archaeologists and preservation professionals. Bednarz documents her research process through writing, photography, and storytelling, sharing her discoveries with collectors and the public as an extension of her artistic practice. She also hosts public talks that connect communities with local archaeologists, archivists, and preservation professionals, creating opportunities for shared learning and dialogue. Alongside her studio practice, she is an apprentice in fine art framing and restoration, deepening her understanding of craftsmanship, material stewardship, and the physical processes of preservation. Through painting, she creates layered surfaces where luminous figures emerge as archaeologists, students, and researchers engaged in acts of searching, study, and care. Her work has been exhibited in public spaces, including the Indianapolis International Airport, and in solo exhibitions including Tender Ground at the Factory Arts District. She received a BFA in Visual Arts and Animation from Ball State University.

Artist Statement

It’s mysterious being human. I think archaeologists spend much of their lives tuned into that mystery. I am drawn not only to archaeology as a discipline, but to the way it shapes perception. Thinking like an archaeologist, a student, a scholar, and a craftsperson has become a way of understanding myself and the world around me. While I may not fit the traditional image of an archaeologist in the field, I feel exactly where I am supposed to be, somewhere balancing between archaeology and the art world. My paintings have become another way of excavating, researching, preserving, and interpreting what it means to be human.