He is known especially for his sculptures from the 1960s, which at first glance seem like classics of minimal art. But if one looks closer, they create a subtle tension in their mirrored, personal, and often contradicting way, which is present throughout his extensive oeuvre from the last 50 years. In 1962, Kuehn studied art history at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, and in 1964, fine arts at Rutgers State University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The trained steelworker worked on construction sites and as a carpenter to finance his studies. In 1979, he received an invitation from the German Academic Exchange Service to Berlin, where he spent a working year. Since 1965, Kuehn has been teaching at various American universities.