Jef Bourgeau

 

Jef Bourgeau is a Detroit artist and pioneer of digital art who has exhibited extensively in galleries and museums, from New York to Tokyo. As well as a renowned artist, he is also a ground-breaking curator and the founding director of Detroit's Museum of New Art (MONA) and co-founder of the Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography.

 

Select Exhibitions:

 

2013

Icons: A Retrospective, Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI

Detroit and Other Places, United Colors of Benetton (with catalog), Venice Italy

Bitters, Whitdel Gallery, Detroit

Illuminate[ion], The Art Gallery of the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Macomb MI

Under My Skin: I Love You So Much, Clock Tower Gallery, Oakland, CA

Art Endures – Thirty Years and Counting, PCCA Gallery, Rochester, MI

 

2012

Clandestine, Work Gallery|University of Michigan, Detroit, MI

2012 Biannual, Detroit Artists’ Market, Detroit

Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Level Gallery, Lawrence University, Southfield, MI

Naked or Nude, North End Studios, Detroit, MI

Grammar of the Elite, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI

Three Artists, BCB Gallery, Hudson, NY

Love for Sale, Work Gallery|University of Michigan, Detroit, MI

 

2011

Solo: Double Lives, Malt Cross Gallery, Nottingham, UK

Actual Size Biennial, Whitdel Arts – CAID, Detroit

Ghost Land, Art|Room, Pontiac, MI

 

2010

In Spite of the Evidence, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor

Made in Detroit, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna

The Geometry of Time, BCB Art, Hudson, NY

Spark, Butter Projects, Royal Oak, MI

 

2009

Solo: Almost Famous, Detroit Industrial Projects, Detroit

Shameless, Pop Gallery, Culver City

Change, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor

Pure Detroit, Art Channel Gallery, Beijing

 

2008

Changing Cities: Chicago, ThreeWalls Gallery, Chicago, IL

Made in Detroit, Galerie Eva Bracke, Berlin, Germany

Changing Cities: Bregenz, Galerie Lisi Haemmerle, Bregenz, Austria

 

2007

Lost & Found, Brick Lane Gallery in collaboration with Charles Saatchi Group, London, England

Intelligent Design: a traveling show, Silvermine Guild Art Center, New Canaan, CT

F*ck You/Commentary Criticism, Polish Yacht Club, Hamtramck, MI

Silence, Paint Creek Art Center, Rochester. MI

Black & Black, UFO Factory, Detroit

A Retrospective, Oakland University Art Gallery, Rochester, MI

 

2006

Quantum Circus, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN

RE:The ‘D’, Wayne State University, Detroit

 

2005

Double Vision, The District Gallery, Birmingham, MI

FiftyFifty, C-Pop Gallery, Detroit

 

2004
Photography Now, Urban Institute for the Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI

A Day in the Life (video), The Majlis Cultural Center, Mumbai, India

In Flux, Marygrove College Gallery, Detroit

Untitled, 555 Gallery, Detroit
Paradise Lost, Musee d'Art et d'Industrie, Roubaix, France

A Day in the Life, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Actual Size, Detroit Contemporary, Detroit

 

2000-2003

Withdrew my work from circulation, as consideration for any conflicts with being the director of

The Museum of New Art (MONA) in Detroit.

 

1999
Documenta USA II, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI

Solo: Art Until Now, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit
Solo: Famous Artists, Galerie Blu, Pontiac, MI

 

1998
Art and the American Experience, Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
A Short History of the Combustion Engine, Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, OH

 

1997 
Founds the Museum of Contemporary Art (MONA), Pontiac, MI

 

1996

The Auto Show, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Ecstasy, Art Seattle, Seattle

Bathroom Venus, San Francisco Art Hotel, San Francisco, CA

 

1995

Paradise Lost, SoMa Gallery, La Jolla, CA
Solo: Reading Art, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI

IN/Justice, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit
Interventions, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit

Words, Space Gallery, Chicago

 

1994

Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Gahlberg Arts Center, Glen Ellyn, IL

Solo: Art as Logo, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI

60 Rooms with a View, Art Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Solo: Late in the 20th Century, LedisFlam, New York

Vis-à-vis, Focus Gallery, Detroit
Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Zolla/Lieberman, Chicago

Art as Logo, The Drawing Room, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Elvis+Marilyn: 2xImmortal, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Boston

touring through 1997:

            Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, FL

            Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland

            The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC

            Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston

            Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH

            San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose

            Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa

            Tennessee State Museum, Nashville

            Portland Museum of Art, Portland, OR

            Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu

            Takamatsu City Museum of Art, Japan

            Sogo Museum of Art, Yokohama, Japan

            Kumamoto Museum, Kumamoto, Japan

            Hokkaido Museum of Art, Hokkaido, Japan

            Mitsukoshi Museum of Art, Fukuoka, Japan

 

1993
Solo: Beyond Art, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI

New Dada, Book Beat Gallery, Oak Park, MI

Dirty Pictures: with Jock Sturges, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI

 

1992
Solo: The New Real, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI

Solo: Renovations, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI

 

1991

Two Man Show: with Stephen Magsig, Feigenson/Preston, Birmingham, MI

Solo: Art Until Now, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI

 

1990

Solo: Boxes, Meadow Brook Art Gallery, Rochester, MI

 

Projects, Galleries and Museums to promote Detroit and its artists – coordinated, funded and directed by the artist Jef Bourgeau:

 

2011   Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography (DCCP), co-founded in Pontiac and oversaw the move to its current Detroit location.

2010-2012  ‘The Annex’, a Detroit gallery to show and exhibit international artists alongside those from Detroit. Opened with an exhibition of work by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Olaf Breuning, and the Saatchi 10.

2008-2009    ‘Changing Cities’, a multi-city project to exchange Detroit artists with those of other regions, at home and overseas. Successful swaps have been mounted within the last year between Chicago, Bregenz (Austria), Berlin and Beijing. 

2006     ‘Moving Walls’, formed a collective of Cranbrook graduates, giving them a gallery to continue their work in Michigan.

2004     ‘ArtCore’, revived in empty storefronts in downtown Pontiac.

2003    ‘12x12’, a gallery was reserved within the Museum of New Art to present new work by a different artist from the Detroit region each month.

2002   ‘Michigan Institute for the Arts’, a 10,000 square foot space in downtown Detroit was turned into a museum that showcased Michigan artists.

2001    ‘ArtCore’, seven empty storefronts in downtown Detroit were renovated and given to art collectives to run as galleries.

2000    ‘Documenta USA’, traveled to the UICA in Grand Rapids, where it also included artists from that region of Michigan.

1999    ‘Documenta USA’, over 200 artists were invited to fill an archival box with their art. Most of the artists were from the Detroit region, but the project eventually included many established artists such as Christo, Peter Halley, Arman, Vito Acconci, and Jenny Holzer.

1998    ‘Aperto’, a project allowing any local artist to hang one work at the Museum of New Art until the next artist arrived. Planned for the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1999. Repeated at MONA in 2002.

1997    ‘The Detroit International Film & Video Festival’, bringing in 128 filmmakers from over 42 countries, from the USA, and England to Israel to Vietnam and China – sharing the screen alongside recent Detroit filmmakers’ work. Repeated over the next 8 years.

1997    ‘The Museum of New Art’, founding director of Detroit’s first contemporary museum.

 

Juror

 

2009   All Michigan Exhibition, Anton Art Center, Mount Clemens, MI

2008   All Florida Exhibition, Boca Raton Museum, Boca Raton, FL

1999-2000     Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Bloomfield, MI

1997-2002     Paint Creek Art Center, Rochester, MI

 

Recent Lectures

 

Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI

College for Creative Studies, Detroit

Oakland University, Rochester, MI

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Bloomfield, MI

Michigan State University, Art Department, Lansing, MI

 

Catalogs, Books and Media

 

2013    Detroit and Other Places, United Colors of Benetton, Venice Italy

2007    ‘A User’s Manual’ by Jan van der Marck, catalogue for retrospective at Oakland University Art Gallery, Oakland University Press.

2006     ‘Visual Shock: A History of Art Controversies in American Culture’ by Michael Kammen, Knopf, p. 299.

2004     ‘Photography Now’ by museum staff, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts-Grand Rapids, April 4-May 8.

2002     ‘Cultural Policy’ Toby Miller, Sage Publications, p. 156.

2001     ‘A 21st Century Museum’ by Jef Bourgeau, foreword to the exhibition catalogue Lucio Pozzi at the Museum of New Art (Detroit), p. 3.

2000     ‘Arguing Art’ by Chris Walny, for Backstage Pass, PBS Detroit, televised Spring.

2000     ‘An Interview with Jef Bourgeau’, by Ken Paulson, Speaking Freely (for NYC Public   Station 13), broadcast September 2000.

1998     ‘Art And The American Experience’ by Jan van der Marck, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, September 13 – December 6, p. 38 (image), p. 43 (text) for catalogue.

1998     ‘A New Kind Of Museum’ by Katherine Weider, for Backstage Pass, PBS Detroit, televised Fall.

1997     ‘Jane Speaks Modern Art’ by ArtLook staff, CD catalogue embedded in ARTnews, Summer issue.

1997     ‘Portfolio ’97’ foreword by Evie Wheat, Pontiac Artists’ Association, p. 5.

1996     ‘Cranbrook’s Auto Show’ by Jerry Herron, Cranbrook Art Museum, June 1 – September 1.

1995     ‘Interventions’ curated by Jan van der Marck, Detroit Institute of Arts, June 4-September 3, (a DVD catalogue).

1995     ‘IN /Justice’ by Carol Jacobsen, catalogue, Detroit Artists Market, March 17-April 14, p. 8.

1994     ‘ELVIS+MARILYN: 2xIMMORTAL’ edited by Geri DePaoli, foreword by David

Halberstam, commentary by Thomas McEvilley, a traveling exhibition with catalogue, Rizzoli publisher, p. 68.

1994     ‘Cover Story’ by staff, Gallery Guide, September issue, cover and p. 8.

1994     ‘Jef Bourgeau’, by Kathryn Hixson, catalogue essay for Gahlberg Gallery (Eileen Broido, director), College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

1994     ‘60 rooms with a view: Art Hotel’ by Peter Bouhof, Erik Hermida, Johan Jonker, Gabriele Rivet, catalogue of show, February 9-13, p. 42.

1993     ‘Summer Show’ by Cary Loren, Book Beat Gallery, catalogue of show, June, p. 17.

 

Bibliography

 

2012     Detroit Home: ‘Moving Up’ by Rebecca Powers, Summer 2012, p. 35.

2012     Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Water the Flowers And Shoot the Kids’ by Robert del Valle, May 2.

2012     Real Detroit Weekly: ‘My Girlfriend Is in a Coma… Or, She’s Just Not That Into You, Dude’ by Robert del Valle, March 14.

2012     Detroit News: ‘Sure to Challenge, Satisfy’ by Michael Hodges, February 16.

2011     Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Better Than Banksy’ by Robert del Valle, December 11.

2010     Vanity Fair (Italy): ‘L’Arte Si Mette Di Profilo’ by Editorial Staff, September issue.

2010     L’espresso (Italy): ‘Dal ripostiglio d’arte al Facebook Show’ by Silvia Zanardi, November 3.

2010     Hudson News (NY): ‘Bourgeau and Goss at BCB Art’ by John Paul Keeler, May 14.

2009     Detroit News: ‘Pontiac show unwraps the art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’ by Michael Hodges, December 17.

2009     The Art Newspaper: ‘Letter from America: Jef Bourgeau’ by Lucio Pozzi, November 20.

2009     Oakland News: ‘Detroit Art Debuts In Beijing’ by Joseph Szczesny, February 15.

2009     Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin): ‘Made In Detroit’ by Christiane Meixner, January 1.

2008     New York Arts Magazine: ‘Quantum Circus: The Intelligent Design Process’ by Amanda Vail, October.

2008     Berliner Zeitung: “Melancholische Grüße aus Detroit”  by Ingeborg Ruthe, December 5.

2008    Oakland Press: ‘Artwork from Europe to be displayed in area’ by Joe Szczesny, August 6, p. C-1.

2008    Crain’s: ‘Detroit welcomes Berlin artists to the Museum of New Art’ by Liz Voss, July.

2008    Metro Times: ‘City of Possibilities: Exhibit shows why Berliners embrace the Motor City’ by Rebecca Mazzei, July 23.

2008     Oakland Press: ‘Windy City Trade: Detroit artists send work to Chicago’ by Liz Voss, February 24.

2007     Detroit News: ‘Bad boy back’ by Michael H. Hodges, September 9.

2007     The Art Newspaper/Il Giornale Dell’Arte:  ‘MONA d’Invenzione’ by Lucio Pozzi, May, p. 57.

2007     Reason Magazine (Los Angeles): ‘Shocking the bourgeoisie – it’s nice work if you can get it’ by Cheryl Miller, January, pp. 74-75.

2006     Metro Times Detroit: ‘The return of the minute man’ by Rebecca Mazzei, December 13-20.

2006    Metro Times Detroit: ‘Questioning Identity’ by Nolan Simon, October 12.

2006     The Wall Street Journal: ‘The Invisible Artist’ by Jacob Hale Russell, Sunday January 1, p. 3.

2005     Metro Times Detroit: ‘Art damage: A night of creative destruction by Jef Bourgeau’, October 19.

2005     Metro Times Detroit: ‘Swinging naked, slinging pie and multiphonic monks: On 25 years of art in Detroit’ by Rebecca Mazzei, October 19.

2005     Detroit News: ‘Exhibit captures demise of Detroit, terrorism and war’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 25.

2005     Artdaily (Mexico City): ‘Norwegian’s first American solo show’ by Ignacio Villarreal, March 12.

2004    Circa Art Magazine (Ireland): ‘Murder Mystery: Bad News or Art Sham?’ by Isobel Harbison, September 7.

2004     Real Detroit Weekly: ’Before the right one’ by Natalie Haddad, July 21-27, p. 11.

2004     The Detroiter: ‘When the audience becomes the art: Biennale 2004’ by Christina Hill, May 28.

2004     Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Building Excitement: Biennale 2004’ by Natalie Haddad, May 12-18, cover story.

2004     Metro Times Detroit: ‘Le Poseur in Wolf’s Clothing’ by Anita Schmaltz, May 26, pp. 20-22.

2004     Detroit News: ‘Renewed interest in reviving downtown Pontiac art scene’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 14.

2003     Tema Celeste (Milan): ‘Saving MONA’, artist protest, December, p. 20.

2003     Metro Times Detroit: ‘Pie in the eye’ by Lisa Collins, April 30-May 6.

2003     Real Detroit Weekly: ‘An Artcore moment’ by Natalie Haddad, Jan 29.

2002     Detroit News: ‘Art exhibits paint a better image for downtown storefronts’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, September 14.

2001    Detroit News: ‘Metro Detroit artist finds home for contemporary art’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, May 16, p. 1D.

2000     Detroit Free Press: ‘Museum of New Art uses the term loosely’ by Frank Provenzano, October 15.

2000     Windsor Star (Canada):  ‘Rules be Damned’ by Craig Pearson, October 12.

2000     Art Newsroom (England): ‘Police Raid Museum’ by staff, March 17.

2000     Detroit Free Press, ‘Tradition, repression and censorship targeted’ by Keri Guten Cohen, March 12, p. 2F.

2000     Detroit News: ‘Jef Bourgeau Fears No Art’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 10.

2000     Oakland Press (Michigan): ‘Artist gets ticketed as panel discusses censorship’ by Erica Blake, March 5.

2000     Detroit Free Press: ‘Will controversy follow Jef Bourgeau’s new exhibit’ by Frank Provenzano, January.

2000     Detroit Free Press: ‘Art dwells at 7 N. Saginaw in Pontiac’ by Keri Guten Cohen, January 16.

2000    MediaChannel (New York): ‘When did the media start hating artists?’ by Robert Atkins (Arts Editor and a Research Fellow at Carnegie Mellon's STUDIO for Creative Inquiry), January.

2000     Dialogue (Ohio): ‘Art Until Now No More: DIA CENSORS ITS OWN EXHIBITONS’ by Jeanette Wenig Drake, January/February issue, p.  41.

2000     ARTnews, ‘The Three Day Show’ by staff, January issue, p. 50.\

1999      FineLine (Detroit): ‘A portrait of influence’ by Frank Provenzano, December issue.

1999     Le Monde (Paris): ‘Un directeur de musee americain reporte une exposition par crainte de la polemique’ by staff, November 24.

1999    Il Mattino (Naples): ‘Scandalo a Detroit’ by staff, November 24.

1999     New York Times: ‘Another Art Battle, as Detroit Museum Closes an Exhibit Early’ by Robyn Meredith,November 23.

1999     The Independent (London): ‘Artist stages protest’ by John Davison, November 23.

1999     Chicago Sun-Times: ‘A matter of art’ by staff, November 23.

1999     Flash Art (Milan): ‘Let’s Destroy Art to Make Art: kaBOOM!’ by Giancarlo Politi, November/December.

1999     Fineline (Detroit):  ‘Size hardly matters’ by Frank Provenzano, Spring issue.