Ian Swanson creates works that exist within the liminal state between their own dissolution and causation, using his studio practice as a catalyst towards a casual yet sophisticated investigation of cultural and historical modalities. In his works, reductions of discarded possibilities toil through repeated actions towards an elusive and unexpected outcome.
Ian Swanson was born in Detroit, MI and was raised in the suburbs east of the city. He attended Wayne State University in Detroit, where he received his BFA in painting. In 2009 he helped co-found the Detroit-based alternative gallery ORG, after which he helped establish and organize exhibitions at the North End Studios, another artist-run studio and gallery in Detroit. He has also been involved with numerous audio and music projects in both individual and collaborative capacities. He is represented in Detroit by Re:View Gallery, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, where he is an MFA candidate at Pratt Institute.
You can contact him at iancswanson@gmail.com
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b. 1983 in Detroit, MI. Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Education
BFA - Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
MFA Candidate - Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Solo and Collaborative Exhibitions :
2012
"Paintinsg" (forthcoming, Fall 2012) Re:View Contemporary, Detroit, MI
2011
"BRB/Total Id Pigs", Re:View Contemporary, Detroit, MI
"All Visible Objects", Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
Selected Group Exhibitions :
2012
"Excavation/Material", curated by Lindsay Aveilhe, Ed. Varie Gallery, NYC
"17 Days", curated by Adriane Little, Western Michigan University, MI/Alfred University, Alfred, NY
"Grid List", curated by Mark Sengbusch and Patrick Morrissey, Allegra LaViola, NYC
"Grid List", curated by Mark Sengbusch and Patrick Morrissey, CCS Center Galleries, Detroit, MI
2011
"The Spaces in Between" curated by Adriane Little, Lost Coast Culture Machine, Fort Bragg, CA
"New American Paintings", Exhibition in Print, Midwestern Edition No.95
(Juror: Julie Rodrigues Widholm, Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago)
"Magic and Mysticism" curated by Alison Wong & Kelly Frank- Anton Art Center, Mt. Clemens, MI
"Christopher Samuels & Ian Swanson: 741 hz" (two person), Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, MI
"Brighton Approach:Gold Edition" - exhibition in print, U-Turn Art Space, Cincinnatti, OH
"Automobiles", Public Pool, Hamtramck, MI
2010
"Viking Funeral", Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts, Eugene, OR
"Expansive Spaces/Spanning the Bridge", Susan Kristjansson Gallery, Sarnia, ON, Canada
"Swim Lane", 2739 Edwin, Hamtramck, MI
"I don't believe in art, I believe in artists" , Whitdel Arts, Detroit MI
"Regionalism" - Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts, Eugene, OR
"Version 2010" - Chicago, IL
2009
“The Debt Collective” Cass Café Gallery, Detroit, MI (collaboration with Christopher Samuels)
"Paintings, Prints, and Drawings by Midwest Artists", Detroit Industrial Projects, Detroit MI
"Re:Collect" @ Re:View Contemporary, Detroit MI
"3 Cities in 3D" @ SCENE Metrospace, Lansing MI
“Collected” , Anton Art Center, Mt. Clemens MI (collaboration with Chris Samuels)
"Replacements" , Museum of New Art, Pontiac MI
2008
“Rigged“, 1354 Division Gallery, Detroit MI
“Institution/Simulacrum“, 1354 Division Gallery, Detroit MI
“Detroit Loves Company“, Johanson Charles Gallery, Detroit MI
2007
“75th Anniversary All-Media Exhibition“, Detroit Artist's Market, Detroit MI
“Detroit Next“, Detroit Artist's Market, Detroit MI
2006
“That DAM Box Show“, Detroit Artist's Market, Detroit, MI
Representation :
Re:View Contemporary, Detroit, MI
Commissions :
2011 - "Total Fitness", commissioned installation, Team Detroit, Dearborn, MI
Audio/Music Releases:
2012 - Sex Objex - Unprotected Secks - Raveyard - limited cassette release (edition of 25)
2012 - Secret Society compilation (Cool Graveyards/2 tracks) - Owlcave Records
2012 - Terminal Girls -Era Shift - limited cassette release (edition of 100)- ZZZ Tapes
2011 - Cool Graveyards, "Music by Magic", CDR, Fleshwave
2011 - Flat Black Animal - "Strictly Nocturnal EP" digital release - VNR Tapes
2011 - Terminal Girls -" Weird Lights" 12" LP - FDH Records
2010 - Terminal Girls/Immaculate Palace- "Man Inside My Brain/Schizophrenic Ghost" split CDR - Fleshwave
2010 - Sex Objex- "Unprotected Sex" CDR/digital LP - Fleshwave
2010 - Annelids-"Everybody Bugs Me" CDR - Fleshwave
2002 - Like Tigers - S/T 7" split- Boyarm Records
Curatorial :
2011 - "Kant Stop Believin'", Northend Studios, Detroit, MI
- 2010/11 - assisted in selecting artists for exhibition at the gallery in the Northend Studios in Detroit, MI (www.northendstudiosdetroit.com)
- 2009/10 - One of three founding directors of (the now defunct) org gallery in Detroit, MI.
Professional Activities :
2010/Editor – thedetroiter.com
Juror – Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne County 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Juror – Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne County 2010 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Donations :
DIFFA/MAPP Artworks for Life, Dearborn MI - 2011
MAPP Artworks for Life, Dearborn MI - 2010
MAPP Artworks for Life, Detroit, MI - 2007
Awards :
2011/12 Graduate Merit Scholarship - Pratt Institute
Bibliography :
"A Tour, Two Pours, and a Sunrise" - Cedric Tai, thedetroiter.com
"New American Paintings Midwest Edition #95"
"Brighton Approach:Gold Edition" - U-Turn Art Space, Cincinnatti, OH
"Christopher Samuels and Ian Swanson at PCCA" - Cedric Tai, thedetroiter.com
"I don't believe in art, I believe in artists" - exhibition catalog w/contributions by Sarah Turner & Mary Fortuna
"Blurring Lines to Redefine Experience and Identity" - Gabrielle Pescador - Artslant.com
"Objects of our Lower Middle-Class" , Jenna Cashcera - www.thedetroiter.com |