Bio

Zachary Cahill is an interdisciplinary artist based in Chicago. His work examines the nature of propaganda, politics, nation-building, religion, and society. Cahill’s practice focuses primarily on a fictional nation, the USSA, as a metaphorical tool for investigating real political narratives. Through boldly colorful, fantastical, and nearly-abstract projects in a variety of media, the artist plays with the objects, places, and rituals that make up a society. Since 2010, the USSA has incorporated installations, paintings, sculptures, séance performances, and artistic writings, which have focused on several zones of idealogical indoctrination including: an orphanage, a gift shop, a wellness center, the state farm, a state church/assembly, and a postal service.

His work has been exhibited in numerous venues in the United States and Europe, including the Berlin Biennale; Regina Rex, New York; Threewalls and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, among others. His writings have appeared in Afterall, Artforum, Critical Inquiry, Frieze, Journal of Visual Culture, Mousse and other arts publications.