Aurora Robson

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About the Artist:

Aurora Robson is a multi-media artist known predominantly for her transformative work intercepting the waste stream. Her practice is largely about subjugating negativity and shifting trajectories. Robson was born in Toronto in 1972 and grew up in Maui, HI. She lived and worked in New York City for the past two decades and recently relocated to the Hudson Valley. She holds a double major (B.A.) in visual arts and art history from Columbia University.

Robson has exhibited internationally in museums, galleries and public spaces. Her work has been featured in Art in America, Art & Antiques, the cover of Green Building + Design and many other publications. She is a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Grant, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in sculpture, a TED/Lincoln Re-Imagine Prize and numerous other grants and awards.


Robson is also the founding artist of Project Vortex, an international collective of artists, designers and architects who also work with plastic debris. Robson is dedicated to intercepting the waste stream as a part of her practice. She is currently developing of a course she designed called "Sculpture and Intercepting the Waste Stream" which she introduced at Mary Baldwin College in Virginia in the Spring of 2013 during her residency as the Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Doenges Scholar/Artist.  Her course is designed to foster environmental stewardship through art for students enrolled at academic institutions. If implemented widely enough, it could significantly shift current paradigms in art and science education while helping to restrict the flow of plastic debris to our oceans. Her course was the thrust of her 2013 TEDx talk entitled Trash + Love.

Biography:

Born 1972,  Toronto, Canada 

Education?
2000   B.A. (Visual Art & Art History) Columbia University, New York, NY (Magna Cum Laude)
?1993   NYS Certified Structural Welder, Apex Technical School, New York, NY
?1987   Central Technical School of Fine Arts, Toronto, Canada

Solo Exhibitions  ?
2014   Stayin’ Alive, McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, NC ?
2013   Circumdare, Southampton Art Center, Southampton, NY?
2012   Sacrifice + Bliss, The Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Columbus, OH ?
2011   Everything,  All At Once, Forever,  The Figge Museum, Davenport, IA
           Be Like Water, David Owsley Museum of Art, (large scale installation) Muncie, IN
?2010   Be Like Water, Skybox, (large scale installation) Philadelphia, PA
?2009   Land Mines, Salve Regina University Art Gallery, Newport, RI
           Honor System, Project 4 Gallery, Washington, DC ?
2008   The Great Indoors, Rice Gallery, (large scale installation) Houston, TX ?
2007   Maka pia pia, (installation) Islip Art Museum Carriage House, Islip, NY ?
2006   The Jungle, (installation) Art212 art fair, New York, NY
?2005    Wake up, Wake up, it’s in the Morning, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

Selected Group Exhibitions ?
2015   Re:Purposed, The John and Marble Ringling Museum of Art, FL (forthcoming)?   
           2nd Nature, Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA (forthcoming)

          Upcycle, Elisa Contemporary Art at The Design Studio, Bridgehampton NY
?2013   Cathedrals, Atmosphere + Architecture, Silas Marder Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY ?   
           The Big Show, Silas Marder Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY ?   
           Re-Imagining Past Possessions, Works of Recycled Materials, Transform Gallery, New Rochelle, NY
           Re-Imagine, TEDActive, La Quinta Villa, Palm Springs, CA            
           Convergence II, Monmouth University Art Gallery, Long Beach, NJ            
?2012   Luxuriant Refuse, The Pearl Fincher Museum, Houston, TX ?
2011   Extreme Materials II, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY ?               
           Being American, Visual Arts Gallery, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY ?   
           Lucky 13, MKG, Houston, TX ?      
           Under the Sea, Mass MoCa Kidspace, North Adams, MA?   
           Repurposed, Welch Gallery at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
           Water Views, FIGGE Museum, Davenport, IA ?
           Hudson River Contemporary, Boscobel Gallery, Garrison, NY?
           Green Light III, Bank of America Plaza, Charlotte, NC ?
2010   Convergence, Lumenhouse, Brooklyn, NY
           Women, Silas Marder Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY?
           Spill, 212 Gallery, (two person exhibit) Aspen, CO ?   
           2D/3D, Traywick Contemporary, Berkeley, CA ?   
           Elements of Nature, City of Lancaster Museum, Lancaster, CA ?   
           Debris, PPOW Gallery, New York, NY ?   
           Spark, Borrow and Steal, Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA ?   
           Two Degrees of Separation, Satori Gallery, New York, NY ?
2009  Trash Menagerie, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA ?   
           Up-Cycling, Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles, CA ?   
           New Now, The Schoolhouse Gallery, Provincetown, MA
           Abstractions and Contractions, Lumenhouse, Brooklyn, NY   
           Thinking Small, Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA ?
2008   Micro Macro, Satori Gallery, New York, NY ?
           Painting Pink Pajamas, Contemporary Art Center, Peoria, IL
           Discarded to Distinctive, Ross Art Museum, Delaware, OH ?   
           Summer Journeys, Summer Dreams, Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA ?   
           Lather, Rinse, Repeat, 4 person show, Lumenhouse, Brooklyn, NY ?
           Couplets, 2 person show with Lisa Solomon, Square Foot Gallery, Nashville, TN ?
2007   Force Fields, Sevengaits, Southbridge, MA ?   
           Eclectic Eye:Selections of Fantasy & Illusion from the Frederick Weisman Art ?Foundation, Contemporary Art Center,
           New Orleans, LA ?   
           Impossibly Familiar, FIT Art Market Graduate Thesis Show, New York, NY ?   
           Wallworks 3, Traywick Contemporary, Berkeley, CA
           Scapes Within, Inaugural Exhibit, Poietis Gallery,  New York, NY ?   
           Memento-Mori, The Artists Network, New York, NY ?
2006   The Summertime Show, Judy A. Saslow Gallery, Chicago, IL ?
2005   Faculty Exhibit, The Ernest Rubenstein Gallery, New York, NY ?   
           Resonant Part II, Hun Gallery, New York, NY ?   
           Spring Combustion, 3 person show, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, BC ?   
           Mostracolletiva Colorfixation 02, Barone & Odom Gallery, Rome, Italy ?
           Introduction’02, Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA ?
2004  13, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
           La La Land, 2 person show, Makor Gallery, New York, NY

Selected Bibliography ?
2014    Novakova, Katerina and Henri Achten.? 150,000 PET Bottles.
            Susan Sabin and Barbara Shreiner. "Stayin’ Alive’ won’t be around much longer", The Charlotte? Observer.?  
2013    Silver,  Mike and Mitchell Joachim. "Post-Sustainable:New Directions in Ecological Design", Metropolis Books. ?   
            Stunda, Hilary. "Metamorphosis in Studio",  Beyond Magazine.
            Leisa Rich. "Plastics in Fiber, Fiber Art Now", Volume 2, Issue 4?.   
            McGraw-Hill Ryerson. "Environmental Science, A Canadian Perspective", Canada?.   
            Dummett Paul, Rebecca Robb Benne and Robert Crossley.  Aspire,  National Geographic Learning.
?2012   Gaillard Cindy. "Fantastic Plastic", cover:  City Scene Magazine, Columbus.?   
           Alles, Chantal. "Crazy Art", back cover.  
           Tommaso, Francis Di." While You Dream", Being American?.
2011   Vickery-Davidson, Devany. "Ocean Debris Becomes a Work of Art", Ke’Ola Magazine.?            
           Weiden and Kennedy?. "Day Trip", Issue No. 4.
           A-M Bruehl, Thalia. "Lost + Found", cover:  Green Building and Design Magazine.?
2010  Corbett, Sea. "Fantastic Plastic Oceans", Philadelphia Weekly.
          Gomez, Edward M. "Drawn Together", Art and Antiques Magazine.
          Oksenhorn, Stewart. "Spill",  The Aspen Times?.
          Cheng, Dewitt. "California Exhibitions that Keep the Summer Hot",  Huffington Post.
          Sturm,  Lindsay. "Debris", Beyond Race Magazine.    ?   
          Hudson, Makena. "Green Art: 10 Artists Working with Recycled Materials", Beautiful Decay. ?
2009  Gomez, Edward M. "In The Studio: Aurora Robson",   Art in America.
          Campbell, Wendy. "Aurora Robson: Recycled Art", Daily Art Fixx.
          Beitiks,Moe. "ECO ART: Aurora Robson Recycled Plastic Sculptures",  Inhabitat?.
          Chua, Jasmin. "Aurora Robson: Art From Recycled Plastic Bottles & Junk Mail",  Treehugger.?   
          Randall, Lisa Utman. "Plastic Power, Aurora Robson’s Landmines", The Mercury.
          McQuaid, Cate. "Exhibit is a Fun Way to Take in the Trash", The Boston Globe.
          Mohamed, Nimo. " Aurora Robson", Format Magazine, Issue #60 – Female Issue.
          "Transformation", Garden 91 Magazine.?
2008   Fielder, Garland."The Great Indoors", cover:  Arts Houston Magazine.
           Lee, Steven K. "Art: Message in a Bottle",  Plenty Magazine.
           Hendley, Meghan.  "The Front Row, Aurora Robson", interview, Houston Public Radio.
           Ramey,Julia.  "The Great Indoors", Houston Press.
           Britt,Douglas. "Robson Displays Her ‘Body’ of Work", Houston Chronicle. ?
           "Aurora Robson: The Great Indoors", Houston Arts Alliance.
           Callender, Alex. "Emerging Art in Bushwick", NY Art Beat.
           Reiger, Christopher. " Aurora Robson’s 'She Bang",  HungryHyaena.blogspot.com. ?
           MacCrellish, Elizabeth. Artist of the Week, Squamartworkshops.com.
           Maddox, David.  "Domestic Terrorism", Nashvillescene.com.
           Danyelle, Jill. "Aurora Robson Interview Pt. 1", The Laboratory.
           "Aurora Robson and Lisa Solomon", Juxtapoz.?
2007   Novo, Alexandra.  "Inspired Metamorphoses", Attitude Magazine.
           Watson, Steve. "Dream Catcher", Wonderland Magazine.
           Cohen, David. "Pollinium",  Artworld Digest Magazine.?
2006   Gordon, Margery. "Art Basel Miami: Pulse Beats Sophomore Slump",  Artinfo.com.
           Kealoha, Ami. Blurb, Coolhunting.com. ?
           La Ferla, Ruth. "Fashion & Art",  The New York Times - Styles Section. ?
2005  Gomez,  Edward E. "Contemporary Sculpture", Art & Antiques Magazine.
          "Best of the AAF", Domino Magazine. ?
          "Wake up, Wake up It’s in the Morning" Richard Levy Gallery, NM.
          "Alibi’s Review of Pentimenti’s Introduction ‘02", Philadelphia Inquirer, February 2005.
           Pulkka,Wesley.  "Artist Executes Work with Skill",  The Sunday Journal. ??

Awards, Grants, Fellowships
2014            Artplace America Environmental Artist in Residence
?2013            Lincoln/TED Re-Imagine Prize?
2012-13       Elizabeth Doenges Visiting Artist Scholar Award?
2011            Dave Bown Projects Award?
                    Sculpt the Future Foundation Grant?
2010            The Arthur Levine Foundation Grant ?
2009            The New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship for Sculpture
                    The Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant ??

Corporate & Major Collections
?Noble Energy, Inc. Houston, TX
Alliante Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Daniel Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
The David Owsley Museum of Art, Muncie, IN
The Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA
The Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Columbus, OH
The Frederick Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
The Four Seasons Hotel, St. Louis, MO
Merrill Lynch / Bank of America, Hopewell, NJ
Neiman Marcus, Bellevue, WA, Grand Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Orleans, LA
Poipu Beach Hotel, Kauai, HI, Rice University, Houston, TX
The Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, Miami, FL

??Selected Private Collections
Stephen Arcano, Julie Baker, Suzanne Deal Booth, Matthew and Renee Boulis, Mary Bowman, Al Castaneda, Judy Selden-Cohen, Calleen Cordero, Maura Kehoe Collins, David Collins & Tim Collins, Evalyn Daniel-Putnam, Jenny Doussan, Rick Edrich, Karen and Michael Fiorile, Heidi Gerger, Charles Harper, Gregory Higgins, Otto Hinzmann, Cecily Horton, Molly Hipp Hubbard, Java and Mark Kitrick, Kim Larson Knell, John Koegel, Jennifer Kostuik, The LaCharlotte Family, Colleen Flynn-Lawson, Steven K. Lee, Emily Leff, Michael Levine, Natasha Lifton, Amanda Nicole, Charlie Marder, Susan McAlister, George Peach, Jay Randolph, Laurie Roberts Conklin, Antoon Schollee, Paul Siegel & Lauryn Siegel, Missy Luczak Smith, Fred Stelle, Whitney Stevens, Ruth I. Dreessen and Thomas J. Van Laan, Lori Unger, Richard and Harriet Warm, Beth Weiner, Debi Weschler, Charlotte Wickham

Residencies
?2014        Environmental Artist-in-Residence, McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, NC
?2013        Artist-in-Residence/Community Project, TEDActive, Palm Springs, CA    ?       
                 Artist-in-Residence/Visiting Artist/Scholar, Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, VA
?2012        Artist-in-Residence, The Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Columbus, OH ?
2010-11   Artist-in-Residence,Waimea Ocean Film Festival, Parker School, Waimea, HI
2007        Artist-in-Residence, Islip Museum Carriage House, Islip, NY ?
2002        Artist-in-Residence, Maho Bay Eco-Resort, St. John, USVI

Teaching
?2014       Teaching Artist-In-Residence,  "Sculpture & Intercepting the Waste Stream", Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC
?2013       Visiting Artist/Scholar,  “Sculpture & Intercepting the Waste Stream”,  Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, VA
2004-6   Teaching Artist (electric & gas welding/ sculpture), The Education Alliance Art School, New York, NY
?2001       Guest Artist (6th grade photography 144 Music & Arts course), New York, NY

 

Associated Exhibitions

Healing Power of Art
A selection of artwork currently in Hospitals and Healthcare facilities
January 1 - May 25, 2020
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Art on Paper 2016 - March 3-6th at Pier 36
Visit us in Booth 214
March 3 - March 6, 2016
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Upcycle
artwork from recycled materials at The Design Studio in Bridgehampton
July 29 - September 15, 2015
more >