Susan Stockwell Senior Lecturer, Supervisor, Fine Art UEL
Artist Statement 2015 ( copy right, Susan Stockwell )
Susan Stockwell's work takes many forms from small studies to large scale installations, sculpture, drawings and collage. It is concerned primarily with transformation and with issues of ecology, geo-politics, mapping, trade and history. The materials used are the everyday, domestic and industrial disposable products that pervade our lives. These materials are manipulated and transformed into works of art that are extraordinary.
Susan's current exhibition 'SEA-MARKINGS' is on at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Stratford-upon-Avon until 6th September. The exhibition has been made in response to her ongoing concerns and to the plays Othello and Merchant of Venice, both showing this summer at the RSC.
'Sail Painting' a huge site-specific installation, has taken over the public atrium spaces in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. It includes appropriated used sails, alongside sails formed from packaging material for food goods traded around the world. 'Sail Away', an installation of tiny boats made from old currency (previously shown in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall) and smaller framed works, including textiles and drawings, are on showing in the PACCAR Room gallery.
The exhibition is the result of being Artist in Residence at the RSC since September 2014. As well as researching and responding to the plays she has had the chance to explore the hidden activity that takes place backstage from costume making and rigging to the carefully choreographed activity that occurs during the live performance. An inspiring and fascinating residency which has enabled her to make a large body of new work.
'Flood' (York 2010) was made entirely from four tons of recycled computer components that were transformed into a huge installation in St Marys' a de-consecrated 13th century church. Highlighting the materials beauty the piece seeps into the space with its toxic exquisiteness. The computers were dissected, their innards exposed, revealing the underbelly of the machines we take for granted, an autopsy of our consumer society.
An important element in the large scale installations is that the materials are often borrowed to make the work. For example Susan made a body of work from industrial scale toilet tissue (1990's)-sponsored by Kimberly-Clark. The translucent floating sheets became light tunnels and huge ponderous stacks, alluding to monumentality and ancient civilisations, yet they were temporal and fragile, not easily recognisable as toilet tissue. She chooses these 'commodity' materials because in her words they contain 'stains of existence' and act as ready-made signifiers, which she can sculpt and interweave in ways that delicately reveal their obscured politics and hidden beauty.
The Curator Grace Chung describes the works gently revealing nature -
'Accumulation, transformation, detritus, debris, everyday materials are all recurrent themes in Stockwell's work. Meticulously hand crafted, the benign sublime beauty in the work belies the devastating effects of our culture and our role in shaping it. Look more closely, and one is confronted by a cultural urgency of global-proportions. Political and cultural colonisation, globalize waste and consumption are reconfigured by Stockwell's work into a new festering eco system of meaning that slowly seeps like the rising ocean level.'
(From the text for the exhibition B-side Ecology, MIMI Space at the Hong's Foundation for Education and Culture, Taipei, Taiwan 2008)
Susan gained an MA in sculpture from the Royal College of Art in 1993. She exhibits in galleries and museums all over the world including TATE and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Katonah Museum of Art in America and The National Museum of China in Beijing. She has been awarded scholarships, grants and commissions such as a Visiting Arts Taiwan-England Artists Fellowship and large commissions for the University of Bedfordshire, Black Rock Investments and the RSC. She has taught extensively and taken part in residencies and projects in Europe, America, Australia and Asia.
Susan is based in London, England
Susan Stockwell's work takes many forms from small studies to large scale installations, sculpture, drawings and collage. It is concerned primarily with transformation and with issues of ecology, geo-politics, mapping, trade and history. The materials used are the everyday, domestic and industrial disposable products that pervade our lives. These materials are manipulated and transformed into works of art that are extraordinary.
Susan's current exhibition 'SEA-MARKINGS' is on at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Stratford-upon-Avon until 6th September. The exhibition has been made in response to her ongoing concerns and to the plays Othello and Merchant of Venice, both showing this summer at the RSC.
'Sail Painting' a huge site-specific installation, has taken over the public atrium spaces in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. It includes appropriated used sails, alongside sails formed from packaging material for food goods traded around the world. 'Sail Away', an installation of tiny boats made from old currency (previously shown in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall) and smaller framed works, including textiles and drawings, are on showing in the PACCAR Room gallery.
The exhibition is the result of being Artist in Residence at the RSC since September 2014. As well as researching and responding to the plays she has had the chance to explore the hidden activity that takes place backstage from costume making and rigging to the carefully choreographed activity that occurs during the live performance. An inspiring and fascinating residency which has enabled her to make a large body of new work.
'Flood' (York 2010) was made entirely from four tons of recycled computer components that were transformed into a huge installation in St Marys' a de-consecrated 13th century church. Highlighting the materials beauty the piece seeps into the space with its toxic exquisiteness. The computers were dissected, their innards exposed, revealing the underbelly of the machines we take for granted, an autopsy of our consumer society.
An important element in the large scale installations is that the materials are often borrowed to make the work. For example Susan made a body of work from industrial scale toilet tissue (1990's)-sponsored by Kimberly-Clark. The translucent floating sheets became light tunnels and huge ponderous stacks, alluding to monumentality and ancient civilisations, yet they were temporal and fragile, not easily recognisable as toilet tissue. She chooses these 'commodity' materials because in her words they contain 'stains of existence' and act as ready-made signifiers, which she can sculpt and interweave in ways that delicately reveal their obscured politics and hidden beauty.
The Curator Grace Chung describes the works gently revealing nature -
'Accumulation, transformation, detritus, debris, everyday materials are all recurrent themes in Stockwell's work. Meticulously hand crafted, the benign sublime beauty in the work belies the devastating effects of our culture and our role in shaping it. Look more closely, and one is confronted by a cultural urgency of global-proportions. Political and cultural colonisation, globalize waste and consumption are reconfigured by Stockwell's work into a new festering eco system of meaning that slowly seeps like the rising ocean level.'
(From the text for the exhibition B-side Ecology, MIMI Space at the Hong's Foundation for Education and Culture, Taipei, Taiwan 2008)
Susan gained an MA in sculpture from the Royal College of Art in 1993. She exhibits in galleries and museums all over the world including TATE and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Katonah Museum of Art in America and The National Museum of China in Beijing. She has been awarded scholarships, grants and commissions such as a Visiting Arts Taiwan-England Artists Fellowship and large commissions for the University of Bedfordshire, Black Rock Investments and the RSC. She has taught extensively and taken part in residencies and projects in Europe, America, Australia and Asia.
Susan is based in London, England
SUSAN STOCKWELL (Full CV Copy-Righted to Susan Stockwell )
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
1991 – 1993 MA The Royal College of Art, London
1985 – 1988 BA (Hons) Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
1991 – 1993 MA The Royal College of Art, London
1985 – 1988 BA (Hons) Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
Solo Exhibitions
2015 Sea-Markings, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon
2014 Mind The Map, Gallery F15, Moss, Norway
2014 Piece Makers, National Army Museum, special project and commission
2013 Silver Thread of Empire Two person exhibition: works by Susan Stockwell, installation by Izzy McEvoy, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London
2013 Sail Away, Tate Modern, London
2010 Flood, site-specific installation, York St Mary’s, York, UK
2009 Vulnerable Ecologies, Art League, Houston, Texas, USA
2009 Mapping the Body, The Florence Nightingal Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
2008 Paper Tiger, Canary Wharf, One Canada Square, London, UK
2008 Line Drawing, British Trade and Cultural Office, Taipei, Taiwan
2008 B-side Ecology, The HONG Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
2006 Paper, Steel, Paper, 20/21 Visual Art Centre, Scunthorpe, UK
2006 This and That, Shenghua Art Centre, Nanjing, China
2005 Stiched-up: Paper and Politics, Studio Caparrelli, London, UK
2005 Text and Work, The Art Institute at Bournemouth, UK 2002 Susan Stockwell Selected Works, The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London, UK
2002 Material Accomplices, Finesilver Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
2002 Accumulations, Thomas Korzelius Fine Art, New York, USA, and The Economist Plaza Gallery, London, UK
2002 Coffee House, Studio Caparrelli, London, UK
2002 Susan Stockwell Installation, Lyon and Turnbull’s Auction House. Festival Exhibition, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
2002 Embedded, Touring to Battersea Art Centre, London; Angel Row, Nottingham; Wrexham Art Centre, Wrexham, Wales, UK
2015 Sea-Markings, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon
2014 Mind The Map, Gallery F15, Moss, Norway
2014 Piece Makers, National Army Museum, special project and commission
2013 Silver Thread of Empire Two person exhibition: works by Susan Stockwell, installation by Izzy McEvoy, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London
2013 Sail Away, Tate Modern, London
2010 Flood, site-specific installation, York St Mary’s, York, UK
2009 Vulnerable Ecologies, Art League, Houston, Texas, USA
2009 Mapping the Body, The Florence Nightingal Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
2008 Paper Tiger, Canary Wharf, One Canada Square, London, UK
2008 Line Drawing, British Trade and Cultural Office, Taipei, Taiwan
2008 B-side Ecology, The HONG Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
2006 Paper, Steel, Paper, 20/21 Visual Art Centre, Scunthorpe, UK
2006 This and That, Shenghua Art Centre, Nanjing, China
2005 Stiched-up: Paper and Politics, Studio Caparrelli, London, UK
2005 Text and Work, The Art Institute at Bournemouth, UK 2002 Susan Stockwell Selected Works, The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London, UK
2002 Material Accomplices, Finesilver Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
2002 Accumulations, Thomas Korzelius Fine Art, New York, USA, and The Economist Plaza Gallery, London, UK
2002 Coffee House, Studio Caparrelli, London, UK
2002 Susan Stockwell Installation, Lyon and Turnbull’s Auction House. Festival Exhibition, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
2002 Embedded, Touring to Battersea Art Centre, London; Angel Row, Nottingham; Wrexham Art Centre, Wrexham, Wales, UK
All pictures are copy righted to Susan Stockwell
Group Exhibitions
2014 Mind the Map, Punkt Ø - Galleri F 15, Jeløya, Norway
2014 Meridian, Tryon St Gallery, London
2013 Hyperlink, part of the Circuit Programme, The Tanks Tate Modern, London
2013 Love Me Tender, Bellevue Arts Museum, Seattle, Washington USA 2013 Mappamundi, Hotel des Arts, Toulon, France
2013 Couriers of Taste, Danson House, Bexley Heath, London
2013 Let’s Get It On, The Usher Gallery, Lincoln
2012 The First Cut, Manchester City Galleries, Manchester, UK, touring Djanogly Nottingham and Southampton City Sea Museum 2012 All Stitched Up, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London, UK
2012 Contemporary Interventions, York City Art Gallery, York, UK
2012 Mind the Map, London Transport Museum, London, UK
2012 The House of Fairy Tales Cartographic Portfolio, Hall Place Bexley, and Sutton House, Hackney, London
2012 Get Carta, Karin Janssen Project Space, London, UK
2011 The Art of Mapping, TAG Fine Arts, London
2011 Mappamundi, The Berardo Museum Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
2011 All Stitched-Up, Florence Nightingale Museum, London, UK
2011 A-to-Z, The University of East London AVA Gallery, London, UK
2011 Sofia Biennale, National Art Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria 2011 Heartlands, Great Brampton House, Hay-on-Wye, UK
2011 Bulgaria in our time, Bulgarian Embassy, London, UK
2010 Quilts 1700 – 2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories, V&A Museum, London, UK
2010 Creative Compass, Royal Geographic Society, London
2010 Who’s Map is it? (New Mapping By Artists) (INIVA) London, UK
2010 Mapping: Memory and Motion in Contemporary Art, The Katonah Museum of Art, New York, USA
2010 Here and Again, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London, UK
2010 Miami Pulse Art Fair, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, USA
2009 Dress Codes, The Katonah Museum of Art, New York, USA
2009 Paper: torn twisted cut, Peel Gallery, Houston, Texas, USA
2009 Incheon Women’s Biennale
2009, Korea 2009 Cut & Fold, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, UK
2008 Summer Exhibition 2008, Royal Academy of Arts, London
2008 Paper Trail, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London
2008 Beijing Biennale 2008, Beijing, China
2008 The Lay of the Land – The Cartography of Real and Imagined Landscapes, 20/21 Art Centre, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, UK 2008 Book: book-inspired artwork, London print studio gallery, UK
2008 Miami Scope Art Fair, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, USA
2008 Mapping the Imagination, Victorial and Albert Museum (V&A), UK 2008 On the Map, Sheffield Millenium Galleries, Sheffield, UK
2008 Body Space, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle, UK 2008 Space and Place, Belgium, multi-media
2007 Citylogue, Taipei Artist’s Village Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2007 Miami Art Fair, Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, Miami, USA
2007 Blind Memories, 198 Gallery, London, UK
2007 Conversations, Ambrosino Gallery, Miami, USA
2005 Pulp Fantasy, 20/21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe, UK
2005 The Biggest Draw, Millenium Gallery, Sheffield, UK
2005 Constructive Paper, The Harley Gallery and Foundation, Notts.
2005 The British are Coming, Fiberscene, FIBERARTS, USA
2005 London Art Fair, England & Co., London, UK
2003 Sartorial, England & Co., London, UK
2003 Connections, The James Hockey Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
2003 The Map Is Not The Territory, England & Co., London, UK
2003 Sculpture a Spectator Sport, Bryanstone School, Dorset
2002 Bursary 2002, The Royal Society of British Sculptors, London, UK
2002 Festival Exhibition, Bourne Fine Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
2002 Multi Storey, Tart Gallery, London, UK
2000 Subway Special a Democratic Platform, Aldwych Tube Station
2000 Here Artists Interventions at the Aldrich, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
2000 Paper Spaces, The Neuberger Museum of Art, New York, USA
Awards, Grants and Commissions
2011 World, Bedfordshire University, Luton (public commission)
2011 Research Award, AVA @ The University of East London
2010 Bed Book, Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital
2010 Creative Compass, Royal Geographic Society (commission)
2010 River of Blood, Whose Map Is It? Iniva, London (commission)
2010 A Chinese Dream, Quilts Exhibition, V&A, London (commission)
2010 Research Award, AVA @ The University of East London
2007 Taiwan-England Artists Fellowship Programme, British Council, Arts Council of England, Council for Cultural Affairs, Taiwan 2007 Mapping Project, Iniva, London, UK
2005-7 AHRC Small Grants for the Arts, until 2007 Research and Development Awards, (UCC.A.)
2000-4 Annie McCall Heritage Project, European Funding Board Lambeth Arts, Development Fund Research and Development Award, SIAD Research Sabbatical, SIAD Bursary Award, The Royal Society of British Sculptors Champions for Change Millenium Award, Peabody Trust Sainbury’s Arts Award, Sainsbury’s Supermarket Research and Development Award, SIAD The British Council Travel Award Research and Development Award, University of East London Research and Development Award, Wimbledon School of Art
Selected Bibliography
2013 Geographism, Frederica Sala (ed), 2013
2013 The Art of Walking: A Field Guide, David Evans (ed), Black Dog Publishing,
2013, featuring ‘Taking a Line for a Walk’ (2002) 2011 The New York Times, Maps for Navigating to a New Perspective
2011 The Guardian Travel, Inspiring views. Rachel Dixon (15.01.11)
2011 International Journal of Multicultural Education (Art review) Cartographic Imagery in Contemporary Art, Hwa Young Caruso 2010 Flood (catalogue) York Museums Trust, York St Mary’s
2010 The Guardian Review: Flood, Robert Clark (19.06.10) 2010 Quilts 1700 – 2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories (catalogue) V&A Museum, by Sue Prichard, London, ISBN 978 1 85177 595 8
2010 Stitches in Time Independent by Charlotte Cripps (15.03.10)
2010 A Chinese Dream Susan Stockwell, from V&A films
2010 The Guardian, Sculpture recalls Florence Nightingale’s role as pioneering writer, Maev Kennedy (19.04.10)
2010 Mapping: Memory and Motion in Contemporary Art (catalogue), The Katonah Museum of Art, New York, USA
2010 The Creative Compass (catalogue) Agnes Poitevin-Navarre & Susan Stockwell, The RGS (with IBG) ISBN 978-0-907649-92-2 2010 Whose Map Is It: New Mapping By Artists (catalogue) Iniva, London
2010 Time Out, Treasured Maps, Helen Sumpter (10.06.10)
2010 The Map As Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography, Katherine Harmon, Tributary Press 2009, ISBN 978-1-56898-762-0
2009 The Huffington Post, Dress Codes: Clothing as Metaphor, Barbra Bloemink (12.08.09)
2009 The Guardian, Culture, Mark Brown (02.09.09)
2009 Dress Codes (catalogue) The Katonah Museum, USA
2009 KRTU Radio, Spoken Word Show - Interview with Susan Stockwell, D.J. Ayn Morgan, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA (09.05.09)
2008 The Taipei Times, Susan Stockwell, Noah Buchan (08.04.08)
2008 Pots magazine, The creation depends on the intuition, the subversion is the rule
2008 Line Drawing, The British Trade and Cultural Office, Taipei, Taiwan
2007 Culture Express, Taipei, Susan Stockwell arts review (December)
2006 The Guardian, Susan Stockwell, Guide preview, Robert Clark (11.11.06)
2006 Paper, Steel, Paper (catalogue) essay Material Pleasures, Dr Alicia Foster
2006 Crafts Magazine, Altered States: Susan Stockwell & politics of paper, Carol Tulloch
2006 Map Magazine, London Artists Create in Nanjing, Nanjing, China
2005 ARTFORUM Critic’s Picks London, Susan Stockwell Studio Caparrelli
2005 Text and Work Bournemouth Arts Institute, accompanying essay by Rosie Miles, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the V&A 2000-4 FIBREARTS, Post-Colonial Discourse in Garment Form, J. Hemmings V&A Magazine, Article – Frontlines, Pattern of the World (May – Aug) The Map Is Not The Territory part iii (catalogue) England & Co., UK BBC Radio London, Interview, The Lisa Anson Show The Scotsman, Hang it in the Louvre, Susan Mansfield Radio 4, Midweek with Libby Purves
Residencies
2014 Artist In Residence, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon
2009 Mapping The Body, The Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital, London
2007 Visiting Arts Taiwan-England Artists Fellowship Programme, Taiwan
2007 Mapping Project, INIVA (three year project – conference / exhibition)
2007 Artist in Residence, Charles Edward Brooke, Creative Partnership
2007 Artist in Residence, Shenghua Art Centre, Nanjing, China
2000-4
Visiting Artist Annie McCall Heritage Project/Stockwell Park School
Visiting Artist Stockwell Park School, Stockwell, London, UK
Visiting Artist Kingsdale School, Dulwich, London, UK
Mapping Stockwell, Stockwell Festival, Lambeth, London, UK
Artist in Residence, Finesilver Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Visiting Artist, Ohio State University, Ohio, USA
Collections
The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK | The London Transport Museum, London, UK | Binghamton Art Museum, Binghamton, New York, USA | The Florence Nightingale Museum, London, UK | Francis H Williams Collection, Wellesley, MA, USA | Karol Vail Collection, New York City, USA | Thomas Korzelius Gallery, New York City, USA | Christopher Erck Collection, Texas, USA | British Trade and Culture Office, Taipei, Taiwan ROC | Studio Caparrelli, London, UK | Dixie Friend-Gay, Houston, Texas, USA | Shenghua Art Centre, Nanjing, China | Seeds of Peace Charity, USA
Teaching
2007 – now The University of East London, AVA, 0.2 Senior Lecturer, Fine Art
1999 – 2007 The University for the Creative Arts at Farnham, 0.5 Senior Lecturer
1993 – 1999 The University of East London, Associate and Lecturer Wimbledon School of Art, Associate and Visiting Lecturer
1997 – 1998 The Ohio State University, Professor in Sculpture Columbus College of Art and Design, Visiting Professor
Visiting Lecturer
2010 Australia National University, Canberra, Australia Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra, Australia National Art School, Sydney, Australia The Art League of New York, Essex Street Market, New York City, USA
2009 Tate Britain - Conversation Pieces - Susan Stockwell: Transforming the Everyday Identity- Susan Stockwell Houston Community College, Houston, Texas, USA The Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital, London UK Creative Case for Diversity, Arts Council of England, Panel Member
2007 – 2008 National Taiwan University of the Arts (NTUA) Taipei, Taiwan Taipei Artists Village, Taipei, Taiwan The Hong’s Foundation for Education and Culture, Taipei, Taiwan Camberwell College of Art and Design, London, UK
2006 Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA Chelsea School of Art and Design, Train Series, London, UK
2000 – 2005 The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK The Art Institute at Bournemouth, UK
External Examining:
2004/7 The University of East London. Fine Art M.A.
2003/7 The University of Kent at Canterbury. Fine Art B.A.(Hon’s) & H.N.D.
Conferences:
2012 Notions of Mapping in Artworks London Transport Museum. UK.
2011 College Art Association Conference Art in the Public Sphere. NYC. USA.
2010 Quilts from 1700-2010, Hidden Histories Untold Stories In discussion with Sue Prichard. The Creative Compass The Royal Geographic Society & INIVA Art and Geography UK Cartographies of the Imagination Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. Transforming the Everyday.
2004 Crafts Conference University of Edinburgh, Post Colonial Discourse.
2003 Research Conference. Farnham. Achieving International Standing.