Stephen Kaltenbach (b. 1940) is an American conceptual artist whose work explores time, identity, authorship and the systems through which art acquires meaning. Emerging in the 1960s alongside the development of Conceptual art, Kaltenbach became known for works that blurred the boundaries between artwork and life, often employing secrecy, delayed revelation and long-term projects. His celebrated Time Capsules—sealed works intended to be opened decades after their creation—challenge conventional expectations of artistic production and invite reflection on memory, anticipation and historical change. After studying art in California and earning an M.A. from the University of California, Davis, in 1967, Kaltenbach became associated with the New York conceptual art scene, exhibiting alongside many of the movement’s leading figures. Throughout his career he has maintained a distinctive practice that combines intellectual rigor, wit and a fascination with the passage of time. His work is represented in major museum collections internationally.