MICHAEL ASHKIN

Michael Ashkin, born 1955, is an American artist who makes sculptures, videos, photographs and installations depicting marginalized, desolate landscapes. He is best known for his use of miniature scale and modest materials.

Ashkin also authored Garden State, a book which compares the New Jersey Meadowlands to a formal garden. He is a contributing author to (Untitled) Experience of Place.

Ashkin was born in Morristown, New Jersey, and received an M.A. in Middle East Languages and Cultures from Columbia University. Before becoming an artist, he taught Arabic and worked as a computer programmer for investment banks.

Ashkin's work was included in Documenta 11 in 2002, and in the 1997 Whitney Biennial. He is currently the Director of Graduate Studies of Art at Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning as well as a 2009 Guggenheim Fellow.


EDUCATION

1993 MFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Painting/Drawing
1980 MA, Columbia University, New York, Middle East Languages and Cultures
1977 BA, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Oriental Studies


SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2010
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, curated by Andrea Inselmann, April 3 - July 11 (artist's book) Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Greensboro, North Carolina, January 17 - April 18

2009-2010
Secession, Vienna, Austria, curated by Annette Südbeck, November 20 - January 26, 2010 (monograph) Sculpture Center, Long Island City, New York, In Practice Projects, curated by Sarina Basta, May 10 - August 10

2005
Andrea Rosen Gallery, Gallery 2, New York, May 6 - June 28

2002
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, November 29 - January 18, 2003
Galerie Otto Schweins, Cologne, Germany, October 30 - December 21
Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, September 10 - 30

2000
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, January 28 - March 4

1999
Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, September 9 - October 30
Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris, France, April 27 - June 6

1998
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, February 12 - March 21

1997
Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris, France, May 31 - July 31

1996
Feigen, Incorporated, Chicago, December 6 - January 17
Bronwyn Keenan Gallery, New York, May 3 - June 8

1994
Peter Miller Gallery, Chicago, January 7 - February 12

1992
Peter Miller Gallery, Chicago, October 16 - November 14


GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2010
"11th Triennial for Small Sculpture (11. Triennale der Kleinplastik Fellbach)," Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, June 12 - October 11 (catalogue)
"Carriage Trade Benefit," Carriage Trade, New York, April 14 - April 17
"Lucky Draw 2010," SculptureCenter, Long Island City, NY, April 13th
"Malas Calles," Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, Valencia, Spain, curated by José Miguel García Cortés, February 18 - May 9 (catalogue)
"Urban Miracles," Gallery at the Remise Bludenz, Austria, curated by Barbara Holub and Paul Rajakovics, January 22 - February 21 (catalogue)

2009
"Twin Twin III, Artists' Edition," Big and Small/Casual Space, Long Island City, organized by Matt Freedman, September 11 - 13
"Utopics," 11th Swiss Sculpture Exhibition, Biel, Switzerland, directed by Simon Lamunière, August 30 - October 25 (catalogue)
"Market Forces," Galerie Erna Hecey, Brussels, Belgium, curated by Peter Scott, May 28 - September 19
Space Available, Ithaca, New York, May 4 - 9

2008
"Aldrich Undercover," The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut, November 21
"Market Forces," Carriage Trade, New York, curated by Peter Scott, April 5 - May 11 (catalogue)

2007
"10 Years," Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, November 1 - December 22 (catalogue)
"Critical Art," Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, curated by Louis Grachos, June 15 - July 15, travels to Hang Zhou Museum of Art (catalogue)
"Grow Your Own," Palais de Tokyo, Paris, curated by Peter Coffin and Anthony Huberman, February 2 - April

2006
"Weak Foundations," Momenta Art, Brooklyn, curated by Michael Ashkin and Eric Heist, December 1 - January 22, 2007
"Firstclass: Landscape," laMobil, San Juan, Puerto Rico, curated by Monica Rodriquez and Rose Marcus, December
"Our Town," HUT, Hudson, NY, curated by David Scher and David Deutsch, June 17 - October 8
"Dark Places," Santa Monica Museum of Art, curated by Joshua Decter, January 21- April 22 (catalogue)

2005
"We Could Have Invited Everyone," Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, curated by Peter Coffin and Robert Blackson, June 24 - July 29
"Out of Place," UBS, New York, NY, curated by Peter Scott, April 10 - June 18 (catalogue)
"Trade," White Columns, New York, curated by Matthew Higgs, February 4 - March 13

2004
"Think Small," Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery, curated by Robert Sill, September 17 - January 14, 2005, traveling to Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois State Museum, Lockport (catalogue)
"Benefit 2004," Momenta Art at White Columns, New York, April 9 - May 1


BIBLIOGRAPHY

2010
Schwartz, Wylie: The Ithaca Post, "Invisible Cities," June 8
McAdams, Heather: The Cornell Daily Sun, "Multidimensional," April 27
Khan, Baseera: Art21 Blog, "Remains to be seen," April 9
Singer, Alan: The Visual Artworker Blog, "Museum Building," April
Cortés, José Miguel G.: EXIT Express, "Visiones urbanas alternativas," March
Interior + Design, February
Watson, Jared: The Carolinian, "Artist Talk with Michael Ashkin," February 17
Rajakovics, Paul: Derive, "Riker's Heterotopos," with artist's insert, January

2009
Tensta Kunsthall Blog, "Vienna Art Week," December
Christoph, Horst: Profil, "Denkraum," November 16
Powhida, William: Brooklyn Rail, "How The New Musuem Committed Suicide with Banality,"

2008
Lambert, Olympia: ArtCal, "Market Forces: Consuming Territories," May 22

2007
Schwendener, Martha: The New York Times, "Weak Foundations," January 12
The New Yorker, "Weak Foundations," January 22
"Grow Your Own," Palais de Tokyo/Magazine 02, p.73-79.

2005
Budick, Ariella: Newsday, "Exploring Urban Spaces: Mystery and Mean Beauty," April 15
Cotter, Holland: The New York Times, "Trade," February 25
Cotter, Holland: The New York Times, "Andrea Zittel, Michael Ashkin," June 10
Faust, Lilly: TheNewYorkArtWorld.com, Summer
Smith, Roberta: The New York Times, "We Could Have Invited Everyone," July 15
Wagner, James: jameswagner.com, "Michael Ashkin at Andrea Rosen," June 2

2003
Berwick, Carly: The New York Times, "How One Artist Filled In the 'Holes' Known as New
Jersey," April 27
Burton, Johanna: Time Out New York, "Michael Ashkin, 'Notes Toward Desolation'," January 9-16, p. 50
Grabner, Michelle: Bridge Online, "Watery, Domestic," Vol. 1 No. 4
Johnson, Ken: The New York Times, "Michael Ashkin: Notes Toward Desolation," January 10
Kerr, Merrily: Art on Paper, "Michael Ashkin: Notes Toward Desolation. Andrea Rosen Gallery," April, p. 61
Wilson, Michael: ArtForum, "Michael Ashkin," February, p. 142
The New Yorker, January 20, p.18


PUBLISHED WRITINGS

(Long Branch), by Michael Ashkin, Workroom G Editions, New York, 2010
Urban Miracles, "There will be two of you.," edited by Barbara Holub and Paul Rajakovics, Remise Bludenz, 2010
Michael Ashkin, "Here," edited by Annette Südbeck with essays by Anthony Graves and Elke Krasny, Secession, 2009
Untitled (Experience of Place), "Untitled (Sayreville, NJ)," edited by Gregor Neuerer, Walther Koenig, 2004
Garden State, by Michael Ashkin, Workroom G Editions, New York, 2000


SELECTED CATALOGS AND BOOKS

2010
Malas Calles, by José Miguel G. Cortés, Institut Valencià d'Art Modern,
Urban Miracles, edited by Barbara Holub and Paul Rajakovics, Remise Bludenz,

2009
Michael Ashkin, edited by Annette Südbeck with essays by Anthony Graves and Elke Krasny, Secession.

2008
Dictionnaire international de la sculpture moderne et contemporaine, by Alain Monvoisin, Editions du Regard

2007
Artworks: The Progressive Collection, by Dan Cameron, Toby Devan Lewis, Peter B. Lewis, Mark Schwartz, D.A.P., I
Sculpture Today, by Judith Collins, Phaidon Press Inc.,

2005
No.1: First Works of 362 Artists, Edited by Francesca Richer and Matthew Rosenzweig, D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, Inc.
Prehistoric Figurines Corporeality and Representation in the Neolithic, by Douglass Bailey, Routledge

2004
Untitled (Experience Of Place), edited by Gregor Neuerer, Walther Konig
De Amerikan die ik nooit geweest ben (The American I never was), (film), by Chris Keulmans and Rob Smits, Submarine, www.submarinechannel.com.

2002
Documenta 11 Platform 5: Ausstellung. Katalog. (3 catalogs) Hatje Cantz Verlag
Lateral Thinking: Art in the 1990s, by Toby Kamps, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

2001
Purple #7: New Jersey, Association Belle Haleine, 2001.

2000
Small World: Dioramas in Contemporary Art, by Hugh Davies, Toby Kamps and Ralph Rugoff, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego
Sites Around the City: Art and Environment, By Heather Sealy Lineberry, Arizona State University Art Museum,
Desert und Transit, Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Museum der bildenden Kunste Leipzig,

1998
Young Americans 2: New American Art at the Saatchi Gallery, By Brooke Adams and Lisa Leibmann, Saatchi Gallery.

1997 1997
Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Biennial), by Lisa Phillips, Harry N Abrams
Tableaux, by Bonnie Clearwater, Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami

AWARDS

2009 Cornell Council for the Arts Grant
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship
2008 Eastern State Penitentiary Proposal Development Grant, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2000 Lannan Foundation Residency Fellowship, Marfa, Texas
1999 New York Foundation for the Arts, Lily Auchincloss Foundation Fellow, sculpture
1997 The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Inc.


SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Whitney Museum of Art, New York, New York
San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, California
Kolumba Art Museum, Cologne, Germany
Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
Arp Museum, Remagen, Germany
Progessive Art Collection, Cleveland, Ohio
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mallin Collection, Buckhorn, Pound Ridge, New York
FMAC - Ville de Paris, Paris, France
MUDAM Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca, New York


ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

2006- Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Director of Graduate Studies, Assistant Professor
2007 Watts Prize for Teaching Excellence
2003-06 State University at Albany, Albany, NY
2005 State University at Purchase, Purchase, NY
International Center of Photography, New York, NY
The School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
2004-05 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
2003 Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA


ARTIST LECTURES/TALKS

2010 Alfred University, Alfred, NY
Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Greensboro, NC

2009 Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria
Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zurich, Switzerland

2008 Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee, WI

2006 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
State University at Albany, Albany, NY
Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA

2005 State University at Purchase, Purchase, NY

2004 Columbia University, New York, NY
State University at Albany, Albany, NY
The New Museum Book Store, New York, NY

2003 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA

2002 State University at Purchase, Purchase, NY

2000 Junior Associates, MoMA, New York, NY
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Hunter College, New York, NY

1999 Sotheby's, London, England
State University at Albany, Albany, NY
State University at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY
Drew University, New Jersey

1998 Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Independent Curators Association, NY

1996 Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA


Sources:
www.michaelashkin.com
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ashkin

Following is the press release copy for the visiting artist film and exhibition of Michael Ashkin:

Michael Ashkin: Falk Visiting Artist
January 17, 2010 - April 18, 2010
Artist's Gallery Talk, Wednesday, February 10, 4 pm
Artist's Lecture, Thursday, February 11, 5:30 pm

The Weatherspoon presents the U.S. premiere of Michael Ashkin's film, Here (2009), a psychologically intense rumination on the mental space wrought by life in the desert and the broader concepts of space and time conveyed by the word "here."

Ashkin became well known in the 1990s for his miniature scale models that depict marginalized landscapes, such as mines, oil fields, and industrial wastelands. His works circulate around ideas of social, economic and political exclusion and abandonment, presenting us with desolate, yet clearly utilitarian, architectures and landscapes of unspecified location. Here consists of film footage of a single darkened room accompanied by an affecting voice-over that alludes to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Michael Ashkin (b. 1955, Morristown, NJ) received an M.A. in Middle East Languages and Cultures from Columbia University and an M.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been shown in exhibitions around the globe, including Documenta 11 and the "1997 Whitney Biennial".

His work is the subject of recent exhibitions at Secession, Vienna and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University. Ashkin is the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Art at Cornell University, College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.

As the Spring 2010 Falk Visiting Artist at the Weatherspoon and the Art Department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Ashkin will participate in MFA graduate student critiques and present a gallery talk and public lecture.