Past Residents
John Barrett-Lennard
John Barrett-Lennard is interested in relationships between a sense of centeredness and of transience, states of in-betweenness and contemporary hyper-mobility. His current projects consider the spaces between locatedness (often tied to place, origins, accent or cultural history) and cosmopolitanism. He is keen to explore the distance between particular and focused contexts, and larger forces, changes, dispersed networks and widely shared experiences. His curatorial work may take the form of projects with individual artists, group or thematic exhibitions and of critical writing in a range of settings. They often involve consideration of influences and conjunctions, and how these are mediated, reinterpreted and represented by artists and institutions, both in the arts and in wider social settings.
John Barrett-Lennard is a freelance art curator and writer. He has wide experience gained over nearly three decades, curating a broad range of innovative projects in contemporary art and art museum settings as well as in non-traditional and public spaces. He has been responsible for curating major national exhibitions, including the Australian pavilion at the Biennale of Venice and the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. As a gallery director he has led a major contemporary art space and two large university art museums. He initiated ARX, Australia’s first major exchange project involving Australian and SE Asian artists. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the art history program at the University of Western Australia. He lives and was born in Perth though completed much of his education in Canada.
Rodney Glick, Everyone, No. 9 2008 from God-favored: Rodney Glick surveyed, 2008, Carved and painted wood, 82 2/3 x 27 1/2 x 27 1/2 in. Courtesy of the artist and Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, University of Western Australia.
Imants Tillers, Lacrimae Rerum (for Dzidra) from Imants Tillers: The Long Poem, 2007, 10 x 28 ft. Courtesy of the artist and Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, University of Western Australia.
Lyndal Jones, Deep Water/Aqua Profunda, 2001, Video installation. Courtesy of the artist and ‘Deep Water/Aqua Profunda’ Australian pavilion, Venice Biennale.
Simryn Gil, A small town at the turn of the century, 1999-2000, C type print. Courtesy of the artist and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Australia.
Dennis Del Favero, Requiem, 1999. Courtesy of the artist and Curtin University of Technology, Perth and the Neue Galerie, Graz.
Residents from Australia
Past Resident2014: Mondriaan Fund
Melanie Bonajo
Melanie Bonajo examines the paradoxes inherent in ideas of comfort. Through her videos, performances, photographs and installations, Bonajo examines subjects related to progress that remove from the individual a sense of belonging and looks at how technological advances and commodity-based pleasures increase feelings of alienation within the individual. Captivated by concepts of the divine, she explores the spiritual emptiness of her generation, examines peoples’ shifting relationship with nature and tries to understand existential questions by looking at our domestic situation, ideas around classification, concepts of home, gender and attitudes towards value.
Melanie Bonajo’s work has been exhibited and performed in international art institutions, such as De Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam; Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw; The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; The Moscow Bienniale; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul and PPOW Gallery, New York and her films have played in festivals such as International Documentary Filmfestival (IDFA), Amsterdam and Berlinale. In 2012 she initiated the collective Genital International which tackles subjects around feminism, participation, equality, our Earth, ‘Politics beyond Polarity’ and ‘Revolution through Relaxation.’ She wrote for several art magazines, was creative editor of Capricious magazine and curated shows such like the QQC performance festival about pop music in visual arts at the Paradiso, Amsterdam. She published several books including: Modern Life of the Soul, I Have a Room with Everything, Spheres and Furniture Bondage. In 2013 she released an album with her band Z▲Z▲Z◎Z◎ called Inua. Her work as alter ego MatrixxBotanica has been spotted in urban and rural spaces.
Events & Exhibitions
2020Solidarity: Support ISCP
May 1–May 31, 2020
Melanie Bonajo, Diversion, 2011, HD video. Courtesy of the artist.
Melanie Bonajo, Dream Station Space, 2013, Architectural sculpture, music, performance. Courtesy of the artist.
Melanie Bonajo, Matrix Botanica: Biosphere above Nations, 2013, Performance. Courtesy of the artist.
Melanie Bonajo, Genital Panik, 2012, Participatory performance. Courtesy of the artist.
Melanie Bonajo, Progress vs. Regress, 2012, Performance. Courtesy of the artist.
Residents from The Netherlands
Past Resident2014: Rod Bianco Gallery2013: Rod Bianco Gallery
Javier Barrios
Javier Barrios’ work moves in a landscape between utopia and facts, with inspirations drawn from science fiction, visions of the future, technology, architecture, science and space exploration, to mention just a few sources. The inner core of his practice relates to the great philosophical questions surrounding the origin and the evolution of mankind, and the need to find the balance between fact and fiction in this arena. He harvests information from populist medias such as journals, television, the internet, films and books, and it is from a populistic point of view that he utilizes this material in order to throw light on contemporary tendencies. Working in a multidisciplinary way, Barrios creates a dynamic constellation visualizing the complexity of the theme, while his use of materials (mylar, plexi, aluminum, light) reflects the use of material in construction work.
Javier Barrios (born 1979 San Luis Potosi) studied at the National Academy of Arts, Oslo and at the School of Visual Arts, New York. His recent solo exhibitions include Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo; Akershus Kunstner Senter, Lillestrøm; Galerie Muelhaupt, Cologne and group exhibitions at Galleri K, Oslo; Vetsfossen Kunstlaboratorium; Norsk Skulprturbiennale and Vigeland Museum. Barrios lives and works in Oslo.
Javier Barrios, Event Horizon, 2011, Oil on mylar mounted on lightbox, 75 x 110 x 16 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Javier Barrios, Twilight is Upon Me, 2011, Installation view. Courtesy of the artist and Rod Bianco Gallery.
Javier Barrios, Twilight #3, 2011, Oil on mylar and cut out, 51 x 41 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Javier Barrios, Flaco, 2011, Baboon skeleton with varnish mounted on lightbox, 28 x 39 x 20 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Javier Barrios. Courtesy of the artist.
