Dr Alex Gawronski
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Dr Alex Gawronski

PhD (USYD)
Lecturer, Visual Arts
Sydney College of the Arts
Address
A22 - Old Teachers' College
The University of Sydney
Dr Alex Gawronski

Dr Alex Gawronski is a contemporary artist working across multiple media as well as a writer and independent gallerist. He has a particular interest in the implications of galleries and museums as cultural sites of spatial and socio-political contestation. Gawronski’s PhD, No New Utopia: The Crisis of Art as Critique Under Globalisation was awarded by the University of Sydney in 2006. It considered the challenges posed by the multifarious commercialising trends, vastly accelerated by global neoliberalism, to contemporary art as a form of critical practice. Gawronski has exhibited widely nationally and internationally.

He was included in the inaugural The National: New Australian Art for which he was commissioned to produce three large-scale sculptural interventions across the Art Gallery of NSW, the MCA and Carriage Works (2017). Gawronski also has a long history founding and directing independent Artist Run Initiatives (ARIs) like the Institute of Contemporary Art Newtown (I.C.A.N.) (2007-2015), KNULP (2015-2024) and currently ethan frome in Camperdown (2015 - ). His most recent book chapter, ‘Curated from Within: The Artist as Curator’ considers the historical centrality of artist curated exhibitions to contemporary curatorial practices and is published in the Wiley Blackwell Companion to Curation (2020). Gawronski was a recipient of the NAVA/Copyright Agency Mid-career Fellowship in 2018.

  • Contemporary art
  • Modern art
  • Institutional Critique
  • Museum histories
  • Art and architecture
  • Art and political economy
  • Post-Marxism

Stupid As

Gertrude Contemporary, Preston South, Melbourne, VIC

20 April - 2 June, 2024

https://gertrude.org.au/exhibition/stupid-as-curated-by-alex-gawronski

Forms of Censorship

The Cross Art Project, Kings Cross, Sydney, NSW

11 May - 8 June, 2024

https://www.crossart.com.au/

  • Founding co-director ethan frome independent artist space, Camperdown, Sydney (2024 - )
  • Founding co-director KNULP independent artist space, Camperdown, Sydney (2015 - 2024)
  • 2018: NAVA Visual Arts Fellowship
  • 2017: Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Board, New Work grant
  • 2012: Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Board, New Work grant
  • 2010: Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Board, New Work grant
  • 2008:Asia Link/Artspace/Australia-Japan Foundation, Studio Residency/Exchange, Tokyo Wonder Site, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2005: The University of Sydney, Power Institute: Studio Residency, Cité des arts, PARIS
  • 2002: Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Board, New Work grant
  • 2001: The University of Sydney, Post Graduate Award
  • 2000: Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Board, New Work grant

Selected publications

Publications

Edited Books

  • Gawronski, A. (2014). Words and Pictures. Sydney, Australia: Artspace.
  • Gawronski, A. (2010). Loose Papers. Surry Hills: Art Bookstore.

Book Chapters

  • Gawronski, A. (2020). Curated from Within: The Artist as Curator. In Brad Buckley, John Conomos (Eds.), A Companion to Curation, (pp. 232-261). Hoboken: Wiley. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2013). ICAN: Reinventing the Autonomy of the Artist-Run Initiative. In Andy Dong, John Conomos, Brad Buckley (Eds.), Ecologies of Invention, (pp. 99-112). Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press.
  • Gawronski, A. (2010). On Seeing and (dis-)Believing. In Stephen Cleland and Blair French (Eds.), Bruce Barber, Work 1970 - 2008, (pp. 134-145). Woolloomooloo: Artspace Visual Arts Centre Ltd.

Journals

  • Gawronski, A. (2021). Art as Critique under Neoliberalism: Negativity Undoing Economic Naturalism. Arts, 10(1:11). [More Information]
  • Stephen, A., Gawronski, A., et al (2021). Art education in crisis under COVID. Art Monthly Australia, (327), 100-105. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2017). Art is Not Magic. di'van | A Journal of Accounts, 1(2), 108-123. [More Information]

Visual Art

  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Order Board. In: Stupid As. Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2023). Australia, Worse than Greece. In: End-to-End (Pt. 1). George Fraser Gallery & Elam School of Fine Arts Project Space. George Fraser Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2023). Dead and Alive. In: SemiErotic. SCALA Gallery, Carla Cescon. SCALA Gallery, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

Textual Creative Works

  • Gawronski, A. (2024). End to End (Pt. 1) (catalogue essay), (pp. 1 - 2). Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland, Te Waka Tuhura Elam Galleries.
  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Go On? Speaking of Beckett. Happy Daze, Sydney, Australia: ethan frome. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Stupidity: A Big Picture. Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia: Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces.

Recorded / Rendered

Exhibitions / Events

  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Sounds Like. Sydney, Australia: ethan frome.
  • Gawronski, A. (2023). End to End (Pt. 1). Te Waka Tuhura Elam Galleries, Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland, Te Waka Tuhura Elam Galleries.
  • Gawronski, A. (2018). The Watched. Brindley Family Galleries, Albury, NSW, Australia: Murray Art Museum Albury. [More Information]

2024

  • Gawronski, A. (2024). End to End (Pt. 1) (catalogue essay), (pp. 1 - 2). Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland, Te Waka Tuhura Elam Galleries.
  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Go On? Speaking of Beckett. Happy Daze, Sydney, Australia: ethan frome. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2024). Order Board. In: Stupid As. Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia. [More Information]

2023

  • Gawronski, A. (2023). Australia, Worse than Greece. In: End-to-End (Pt. 1). George Fraser Gallery & Elam School of Fine Arts Project Space. George Fraser Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2023). Dead and Alive. In: SemiErotic. SCALA Gallery, Carla Cescon. SCALA Gallery, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2023). Elevation. In: Alex Gawronski. SCALA, Scott Donovan. SCALA, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2022

  • Gawronski, A. (2022). "If There Isn't a Revolution Every Twenty Years..". In: Created at Blenheim House. Randwick City Council. Blenheim House, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2022). 1. Best Investments 2. Best Instagram 3. Best Book 4. Best Museums 5. Best Tours 6. Best Artists 7. Best Money 8. Best Work 9. Best Curators 10. Best Collectors 11. Best Brands. In: I Awoke to Find Myself in a Dark Forest. PROP Gallery, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2022). Bad Infinity. In: Sydney Buries its Past. Tin Sheds, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2021

  • Gawronski, A. (2021). Art as Critique under Neoliberalism: Negativity Undoing Economic Naturalism. Arts, 10(1:11). [More Information]
  • Stephen, A., Gawronski, A., et al (2021). Art education in crisis under COVID. Art Monthly Australia, (327), 100-105. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A., Cumming, M., Batty, D., Haseman, S. (2021). Good Will Hunting. In: No Show. Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2020

  • Gawronski, A. (2020). 1. John I 2. John II 3. Fernando I 4. Francois I 5. Fernando II 6. Francois II 7. Jean Pierre 8. Extinction. In: Extinction. Taita Studio. Taita Artist Studio Residency, Málaga, Spain. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2020). Curated from Within: The Artist as Curator. In Brad Buckley, John Conomos (Eds.), A Companion to Curation, (pp. 232-261). Hoboken: Wiley. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2020). Last Days. In: I've Never Seen the Sky Like This Before. Southwest Contemporary, Adelaide, Australia.

2019

  • Gawronski, A. (2019). 1. Untitled (Please/ do-not/ Enter) #1 2. Untitled (Please/ do-not/ Enter) #2 3. Untitled (Please/ do-not/ Enter) #3. In: Axes. Goya Curtain, Tokyo, Japan. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2019). Trouble Every Day. In: Trouble Every Day. KNULP Gallery, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2018

  • Gawronski, A. (2018). 1. Disjecta 1 2. Disjecta 2 3. Disjecta 3 4. Disjecta 4 5. Disjecta 5 6. Disjecta 6 7. Disjecta 7 8. Disjecta 8 9. Surface Effects 10. Last Impressions 1. 11. Last Impressions 2 12. Last Impressions 3 13. Last Impressions 4. In: Fouth World Problems. True Estate Gallery, Melbourne, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2018). Alarm. In: Contour 556: Canberra's Public Art Biennial. Contour 556. Contour 556: Canberra's Public Art Biennial, Canberra, Australia. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2018). Sick Mood at Sunset. In: Sick Mood at Sunset. KNULP, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2017

  • Gawronski, A. (2017). Advanced Visual Studies. In: Advanced Visual Studies. KNULP, Sydney, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2017). Art is Not Magic. di'van | A Journal of Accounts, 1(2), 108-123. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2017). Ghosts series: 1. Overhead 2. Portal 3. Threshold. In: The National 2017: New Australian Art. Art Gallery of New South Wales. Art Gallery of New South Wales; The Museum Contemporary Art; Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia. [More Information]

2016

  • Gawronski, A. (2016). Everything and Nothing. Hany Armanious, Sydney, Australia: Museum of Contemporary Art.
  • Gawronski, A. (2016). Hany Armanious. MCA Collection Handbook, (pp. 44 - 45). Sydney, Australia: Museum of Contemporary Art.
  • Gawronski, A. (2016). No Place to Hide. Tony Schwensen, Sydney, Australia: Museum of Contemporary Art.

2015

  • Gawronski, A. (2015). Art and Celebrity:the quest for ultravisibility. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 44(2), 14-16. [More Information]
  • Gawronski, A. (2015). australian art now: same place, same time. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 44(1), 33-35.

2014

  • Gawronski, A. (2014). forever spring? Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 43(4), 14-18.
  • Gawronski, A. (2014). Phase One - The Construction of Reality, Phase Two - The Art Crisis, Phase Three - Archaeology as a Political Practice. In: The Three Phases. University of Sydney, Fisher Library, Sydney, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2014). The Politics of Withdrawl. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 43(2), 14-19.

2013

  • Gawronski, A. (2013). 1. Rue des Ursins (4 arr.) after Eugene Atget 1900 2. Impasse de Bourdonnais (1 arr.) after Eugene Atget 1908 3. Rue Grenier-sur-l'Eau (4 arr.) after Eugene Atget 1900 4. Passy, passage des Eaux (16 arr.) after Eugene Atget 1901 5. Passy, passage des Eaux (16 arr.) after Eugene Atget 1901. In: Atelier Paris: The Power Studio. University Art Gallery, the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2013). 1. Vault, 2013 2. Limit, 2013 3. Stand Off (Property of M.B), 2013. In: Black Square - 100 Years. Australian Experimental Art Foundation (AEAF). Lion Arts Centre, Adelaide, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2013). 1. Welcome, 2013 2. Machine, 2013. In: Look this Way. UTS Gallery, Sydney, Australia.

2012

  • Gawronski, A. (2012). A Petri Dish in the Sun? Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 41(2), 98-103.

2011

  • Gawronski, A. (2011). Considering the future. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 40.2 (June), 104-107.
  • Gawronski, A. (2011). Plenty of nothing: art/money/installation. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 40.3 (September), 206-209.

2010

  • Gawronski, A. (2010). Afterthought. In: Silent Spaces. Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2010). Australian Pavilion 2010: Swallow it, Dog! (after Goya). Sydney, Australia: Institute of Contemporary Art Newtown.
  • Gawronski, A. (2010). beauty of distance:postmortems: Alex Gawronski. Broadsheet, (pp. 204 - 208). Adelaide, Australia: Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia (CACSA).

2009

  • Gawronski, A. (2009). 1. Knowing Me / Knowing You 2. Knowing Me / Knowing YOU (JANUS: Local Version). In: Mirror Mirror: Then and Now. Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia.
  • Gawronski, A. (2009). Art and fashion: culture at a price. Contemporary Visual Art + Culture: Broadsheet, 38(3), 211-213.
  • Gawronski, A. (2009). Civilised. Loose Papers: Loose Projects 2006-2007, (pp. 48 - 51). Sydney, Australia: Loose projects.

In the media