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— Studio Artists: 2008

Emcee C.M., Master of None

Artist Website

Born in Coventry, Connecticut, U.S.A., in 1979. Grew up in a family of six boys. Played in bands with friends. Studied Linguistics, Russian and Studio Arts at Brandeis University. Worked at a small Siberian village trade college for a year. Got an MFA at the University of Connecticut in 2005. Worked on a goat farm making cheese for a while. Moved to New York and started doing odd jobs. Through all this developed a life practice involving active, public works utilizing books, music, film, events, play and conversation.

INDEPENDENTLY ORGANIZED PUBLIC PROJECTS

  • Growing a Network of Secret Gardens. 2009. Collaborative work with Secret School and the K.I.D.S. Public and private spaces, NYC.
  • The K.I.D.S. Has Some Work To Do. 2009. Collaborative work with the Kindness and Imagination Development Society and Flux Factory. Various public sites, NYC.
  • Cloud City. 2008-9. A collaboration with Huong Ngo, Secret School, and the K.I.D.S. Public and private venues, PA & NY.
  • How the K.I.D.S Meets. Apr 2008. BBBP, Bronx Museum, and other venues, Bronx, NY. Collaborative work with the K.I.D.S.
  • A Lot in Our Lives. Apr 2007. 8000 sq. ft. interactive public installation and event series with the K.I.D.S., including collaborative projects with Frank Brescia, Bob Hurd, Henry Loomis, George Newman, Jon Singer, Steve Tarquino, Kristina Zallinger, and the Teen Docents of Artspace. The Lot at Artspace, New Haven, CT.
  • A Sauna -or- Something about Temperature & Time, Memory & Moments, Labor, Leisure & Location, Saving & Sharing, Usefulness & Us. 2007. Functional installation and event series with the K.I.D.S. (Kindness and Imagination Development Society), in collaboration with Sam Ekwurtzel. Skowhegan, ME.
  • A Game for the Kids We Were. May 2007. Spontaneously invented participatory and performative games. Night of Museums, Belgrade, Serbia.
  • MOBILIZE: the Wandering Workbench. Begun 2007. Public actions and conversations about work, space, life and invention, NYC.
  • MOBILIZE: the Portable Pantry. Begun 2007. Public actions and events, including foraging wild plants and throwing wild tea parties with the resulting foods, NYC.
  • Public Domestications. Begun 2007. Sidewalk installations produced in collaboration with Huong Ngo and The K.I.D.S., New Haven, CT and NYC.
  • Pulling Together: the Legends of Willimantic. 2006 – 2008. Open boatbuilding workshop and series of public actions with the K.I.D.S., featuring Ted Efremoff and the Citizen Shipwrights of Willimantic. Artspace Windham, CT.
  • Work Together. Sep 2006. Spontaneous collaboration with strangers. Project space at LMCC Swing Space, 32 Avenue of the Americas, NYC.
  • Footprint Factory. Begun 2005 (ongoing). Public block printing collaboration. Portable: shown in CT, MA, Germany & NY to date.
  • MOBILIZE: the Moving Picture Show. Begun 2004 (ongoing). Public actions, CT & NY.
  • Social Series. Begun 2003 (ongoing). Public gatherings and actions with the K.I.D.S., CT & NY.
  • Today is a Work Day. Nov 2003.  Public text interventions. Storrs, CT.
  • Play the Game. Sep 2001.  Public participatory event with the K.I.D.S., Waltham, MA.
  • The Machine. Nov 2000.  Public participatory event with the K.I.D.S., Waltham, MA.

EXHIBITIONS   

  • Out of the Blue. Jun 2010. ISCP, Brooklyn, NY.
  • Ecstatic. Mar 2010. Former Convent of St. Cecilia’s, NYC. With Round Robin Collective.
  • A Failed Entertainment. Feb 2010. Neiman Gallery, Columbia University, NYC. Collaborative work with the K.I.D.S.
  • Bike Rides. Oct 2009. Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT. Collaborative work with Secret School and the K.I.D.S.
  • Plan B. Sep 2009. Nurture Art, NYC. Collaborative work with Secret School and the K.I.D.S.
  • Hangin’ Out at No Rio. 2009. ABC no Rio and Cuchifritos, NYC. Collaborative work with Secret School and the K.ID.S.
  • Beauty Underfoot. Jun 2009. Smack Mellon, NYC. Collaborative work with Secret School and the K.I.D.S.
  • A Few Days in Watermill with Raymond Roussel. Jun 2009. Watermill Center, Water Mill, NY. A collaborative work with Bryan Markovitz, Ryan Dohoney, Huong Ngo, Julia Rich, Elizabeth Adams, Chris Piuma and Amanda Boekelheide.
  • Queens International. Mar 2009. Queens Museum of Art, NY. Included a collaborative work with the Anti-Fascist Culture Club.
  • •    What’s Mine is Yours. Oct 2008, Basekamp, Philadelphia, PA. A collaborative work with Huong Ngo.
  • •    Metropoles. Nov 2008, JCAL, Jamaica, NY. A collaborative work with Tattfoo Tan, Caitlin Berrigan and many more.
  • •    Alumni Biennial (One). Sep 2008, Contemporary Art Galleries, Storrs, CT. A collaborative work with Rebecca Parker, the K.I.D.S. AND Ted Efremoff.
  • Maritime: Ships, Pirates and Disasters. Oct 2008. CGA, Storrs, CT. A collaborative work with the K.I.D.S. and Ted Efremoff.
  • AIM 28. Jun 2008. Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY.
  • The Ideal Cloud. May 2008. Ise Cultural Foundation, New York, NY.
  • Life’s Work. Jan 2008. CUE Art Foundation, NY, NY.
  • The Invisible Exhibition. Oct 2007.  Installations and performances in collaboration with Sam Ekwurtzel. Nomad II, Hartford, CT.
  • Ripped from the Monster’s Heart by the Master Himself. Jul 2007. The Dean’s Locket Gallery, Madison, ME.
  • A Game for the Kids We Were. May 2007. Night of Museums, Belgrade, Serbia.
  • who is your friends/The Soap Operas. Feb 2007. Soap Gallery, Kitakyushu, Japan.
  • Lighting Up the Painter Siji’s House. Oct 2006. Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea.
  • Emcee C.M. and the Gigantopumpkin. Oct 2005. Galleria Illy, New York, NY.
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors…Shoot! Jun 2005.  Sideshow Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.
  • Gifted Generation: In the Theatre. May 2005. Hau Eins, Berlin, Germany.
  • A Work of Art. Apr 2005. William Benton Museum of Art, Storrs, CT.
  • Cleaning the House. Jun 2004.  NMAC Foundation, Vejer de la Frontera, Spain.

EDUCATION       

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
MFA in Sculpture, High Honors, 2005.
Performance Workshop with Marina Abramovic, Spain, 2004.

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
BA with Highest Honors in Studio Arts, Magna Cum Laude, 2002.
Minors in Linguistics and Russian Language and Literature.

AWARDS & HONORS   

  • FEAST (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) Grant. 2009.
  • Smack Mellon Studio Residency and Grant. 2008-2009.
  • Nominee for Rema Hort Mann Fellowship. 2008, 2009.
  • Finalist for Art in General New Commissions. 2008.
  • Finalist for Creative Capital Grant. 2008.
  • CUE Art Foundation Studio Residency. 2007.
  • Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Fellowship. 2007.
  • Chashama Studio Residency. 2006-2007.
  • Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space Award. 2006.
  • Somerville Arts Council Union Square Event Producers Grant. 2005.
  • Mitchell F. Siporin Award in Sculpture. 2002.

PUBLIC SPEAKING       

  • Panelist at “Beauty Underfoot” artist talk. Smack Mellon, NYC. 2009.
  • Panelist at “Outside the Box” discussion. Jersey City Museum, NJ. 2009.
  • Cross-Borough Dialog on community art. Staten Island Arts Council, NY. 2009.
  • Studio visit with Portland College of Art students. 2009.
  • Studio visit with Tyler School of Art students. 2008.
  • Visiting artist at Hartford Art School, Media Studies Department. 2008.
  • Panelist for “Performing Life” discussion. Artists Space, NYC, Dec. 2007.

SCREENINGS & PERFORMANCES

  • Athena Theater on the Air. Jan 2009, Jan 2010. Live original radio variety program with the K.I.D.S. http://athenatheater.squarespace.com
  • How We Searched for the Ice Cream Tree on the Hottest Day of the Year. Mar 2009. Secret School 04: FOOD. Chicago, IL.
  • Workspeak Training Film. Nov 2008. Monkeytown, Brooklyn, NY.
  • The Swan Catchers. Apr 2008. Chocolate Factory, Queens, NY.
  • We are the United Divided. Nov 2007. Collaborative A/V performance with MONO HAHA. Mono no Aware Film Festival, Galapagos, Brooklyn, NY.
  • Life’s Work. Aug 2007. Sounds of Silents Festival. Somerville, MA. Live score performed with Seamus McMullan.
  • Life’s Work. Aug 2007. Skowhegan Participants Screening. Seattle, WA.

PUBLICATIONS    

  • “We Common.” Jun 2010. Out of the Blue. ISCP exhibition newspaper.
  • “The C.R.I.E.R.S.” May 2010. Columbia University Literature and Art Journal.
  • We Common. Mar 2010. The Center for Collective Wealth: cfcw.com
  • On Looking at Nature: an Untitled Petition on Crapomimicry, Anonymous. Oct 2009. www.thehighlights.org
  • Map mapping bird and bug migration routes through city green spaces, with Secret School and the K.ID.S. 2009.
  • Grow Your Own Secret Garden Network. Self published information pack including secret seed packs and zine, with Secret School and the K.I.D.S. 2009.
  • “Alumni Biennial (One).” Art New England (Art review: Patricia Rosoff). January, 2009.
  • “Artists Leap into the Moment.” The New York Times (Art review: Roberta Smith). July 25, 2008.
  • “The Ideal Cloud.” Time Out New York (Art review: Paddy Johnson). June 19, 2008.
  • “Bronx Artist’s Gallery is Home Sweet Home.” The Bronx Beat. April 7, 2008.
  • “Lush Life: No-Mad II: A grand opening in Parkville.” The Hartford Advocate. October 11, 2007.
  • “Steal that Book, Bash that Drum.” The New York Times (Art review: Benjamin Genocchio). July 29, 2007.
  • “The Whole Lot.” The New Haven Advocate. June 12, 2007.
  • “Anchors Away.” The Willimantic Chronicle, p. 1. May 10, 2007.
  • “Igra za decu kakva smo bili” Danas (Belgrade), p. 30. May 18, 2007
  • Cleaning the House. Catalog, Fundacion NMAC, 2007, p. 53.
  • Merz’s Room. Catalog, Seoul Museum of Art – Namseoul Annex, Seoul, Korea, pp. 41-3. 2006.
  • “Light Up the Painter Siji’s House.” Wolgan Misool, p. 80. November, 2006.
  • “Ship Ahoy.” The Willimantic Chronicle, October 20, 2006.
  • “Colin and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Needs Help: Community is Invited to Help Build 18-foot Boat.” Broadcaster, p. 1. October 6, 2006.
  • “Moving Picture Show: Colin McMullan and His Trike are a Traveling Movie Theater, Buttered Popcorn and All.” The Tribeca Trib. September, 2006.
  • “Marathon: Abramovic-Studenten mit ‘Gifted Generation’ im HAU.” Berliner Morgenpost. May 19, 2005.
  • “Rock, Paper, Scissors – Shoot! Brings Student Work to Benton.” Daily Campus. April 6, 2005.
  • Rock Paper Scissors Shoot. Exhibition Catalog, University of Connecticut. 2005.
  • Handbook of Workspeak. Self published, Offset, edition of 500, 2005.
  • “Special Neighbor: A Trike that’s a Piece of Art too.”  The Willimantic Chronicle.  November 20, 2004. 
  • Workbook.  Self published. Offset, edition of 67. 2004.
  • ‘Building Blocks’ Suite of ten screenprints, edition of 10 (collection of Rose Art Museum, Waltham, MA), 2002.

JOBS           

  • Freelance Artist and Writer. New York, NY. 2006-present.
  • Shop Technician. Smack Mellon Studios, New York, NY. 2009-present.
  • Freelance Carpenter. NYC. 2008-10.
  • Design Shop Technician. Parsons School of Design, New York, NY. 2007-8.
  • Woodworker and Fabricator. Barron Arts, Brooklyn, NY. 2006-7.       
  • Russian Translator and Preparer. Acorn tax preparation service, Brooklyn, NY. 2006.
  • Personal Assistant to Marina Abramovic. New York, NY. 2005-6.
  • Goatherd and Cheese Maker. Beltane farm, Lebanon, CT. 2005.
  • Film Technician and Librarian Assistant. UCIMT, UConn, Storrs. 2005.
  • Public Art Research Coordinator. UConn Public Art Committee, Storrs. 2004-5.
  • Gallery Assistant. Contemporary Art Galleries, Storrs and Stamford, CT. 2003-5.
  • Video Art Instructor. Department of Art, University of Connecticut. Spring 2005.
  • English Teacher. Krasny Chikoy Vocational Lyceum, village of Krasny Chikoy, Chita Oblast, Siberia, Russia. 2002-3.
  • Waiter, Delivery Driver, Dishwasher. Restaurants, CT and MA. 1994-2002.
  • Library Assistant. Brandeis University Libraries, Waltham, MA. 1998-2002.
  • Warehouse Assistant. Orange Art, Woodstock, CT. 1996-8.
  • Paper Boy. The Hartford Courant, Coventry, CT. 1988-93.

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