Kristin McWharter

Kristin McWharter is an Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) within the Department of Art & Technology / Sound Practices. Her practice merges digital art, performance, and immersive media to explore intersections between competition, intimacy, and technology as a contemporary spiritual authority.

• Education: BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, MFA from UCLA Design Media Arts.

Her research focuses on virtual reality, 20th century sports entertainment, and improvisational movement practices. Her artworks, such as Football Practice and RARA, interrogate narratives of collective decision-making and reimagined social behaviors.

Notable awards include the Crosstown Arts Fellowship, Light City Grant, and Maryland States Arts Council Micro Grant. Recent exhibitions span Ars Electronica (Austria), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (China), and EXPO Chicago.