Thomas Trevor (curator) explained

Thomas Trevor
Nationality:British
Occupation:Curator, writer

Thomas Trevor (born 1962) is a British curator and writer on contemporary art.[1]

Trevor is Associate Professor of Contemporary Art and Curation at the University of Exeter.[2] [3] He was previously Artistic Director of The Atlantic Project,[4] in Plymouth, UK (2016–19), Guest Curator at the Whitechapel Gallery,[5] London (2015–16), Artistic Director of the 4th Dojima River Biennale[6] in Osaka, Japan (2014–15), curatorial consultant to the 1st ARoS Triennial [7] in Aarhus, Denmark (2014–15), Guest Curator at the Devi Art Foundation [8] in Delhi, India (2013–14), Director of Arnolfini[9] in Bristol, UK (2005–13), Associate Curator of the Art Fund International collection [10] (2007–12) and Director of Spacex (1999–2005) in Exeter, UK. Before that he was an independent curator based in London (1994–1999), initiating projects for institutions such as Camden Arts Centre, the Freud Museum and InIVA.[11]

Since the 1990s, Trevor has curated more than 100 exhibitions, placing a particular emphasis upon experimental, interdisciplinary practice and context-led projects.[12] Solo exhibitions include Cosima von Bonin,[13] Matti Braun,[14] Angus Fairhurst,[15] Jutta Koether,[16] Joelle Tuerlinckx,[17] and Lois Weinberger.[18] Group exhibitions include The Visible & the Invisible (1996),[19] the Home Series (2000–04), Port City (2007),[20] Far West (2008),[21] Museum Show (2011),[22] No Borders (2012)[23] and Version Control (2013).[24]

Biography

Trevor studied Fine Art at the Ruskin, University of Oxford and Goldsmiths College, University of London. As an artist based in London, in the 1990s, he participated in various group exhibitions, such as East Country Yard Show (1990), with contemporaries including Liam Gillick, Michael Landy, Sarah Lucas and Gillian Wearing.[25] In 1996 he co-curated a multi-site project, The Visible & the Invisible: representing the body in contemporary art & society, produced by InIVA, that took place in non-art locations around Euston, London, including first UK presentations by Tania Bruguera and Doris Salcedo, along with site-specific installations by Louise Bourgeois, Bruce Nauman, Yoko Ono, Donald Rodney and others.[26]

At Spacex, from June 1999, Trevor curated more than 50 exhibitions and "off-site" projects, placing a particular emphasis upon socially-engaged, context-based work.[27] Multi-site projects included Patterns (2001), with Samta Benyahia and Zineb Sedira, and Homeland (2004), presenting site-specific work by 44 artists in 8 different everyday locations.[28] He also curated projects for the Liverpool Biennial; Generator (2002),[29] Hortus (2004)[30] and, later, Far West Metro (2008);[31] and for Frieze Art Fair (2005) (with new film commissions by Yang Fudong, Mark Leckey, Daria Martin, Jimmy Robert, Imogen Stidworthy and Mika Taanila).

From October 2005 Trevor was Director of Arnolfini, overseeing a visual arts-led multidisciplinary programme of exhibitions, performance, dance, music and film, with a public programme of talks, seminars and learning & participation activities. In 2011, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Sir Nicholas Serota described Arnolfini as "one of a handful of the most significant contemporary cultural centres in Europe".[32] Long-term context-led projects in the city of Bristol include Maria Thereza Alves' Ballast Seed Garden (2007 ongoing) and Suzanne Lacy's University of Local Knowledge (2009 ongoing).[33] Trevor left Arnolfini in October 2013, after 8 years, to focus on developing curatorial projects internationally. The first of these, Black Sun (co-curated with Shezad Dawood), opened at the Devi Art Foundation, in Delhi, India, in November 2013.[34]

Trevor's recent curatorial projects include The Atlantic Project "After The Future",[35] [36] [37] a large-scale context-led project across the city of Plymouth, in the autumn of 2018, featuring site-specific installations by twenty artists from twelve countries, "Music for Museums",[38] a series of performances, films and sound interventions taking place throughout the Whitechapel Gallery, London, during the autumn of 2015, and "Take Me To The River" [39] for the 4th Dojima River Biennale, in Osaka, opening in July 2015, with artists from eight countries showing alongside established and emerging Japanese practitioners. Other projects in 2015 include John Akomfrah's Vertigo Sea (Associate Producer), commissioned for the 56th Venice Biennale, and a large-scale architectural commission by Do Ho Suh for the Art Fund International collection (Associate Curator) at Bristol Museum. In 2014 Trevor was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Gwangju Biennale and a member of the jury for the Korea Artists Prize at the national Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul.

Trevor was conferred a Doctorate of Letters (DLitt) at the University of Exeter in July 2014.[40] He has lectured widely, including talks in Aarhus, Beijing, Beirut, Bridgetown, Faenza, Seoul, Tehran, Venice, Yokohama and Zurich.[41] In 2012 he was a visiting lecturer on the Gwangju Biennale International Curators Course,[42] and in 2013 he gave the 4th ARKO lecture in Seoul, South Korea.[43] He has written numerous articles and produced more than 40 publications. He founded the Concept Store journal in 2008.[44]

Selected exhibitions

2018

2017

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1996

Selected writings and publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Who's Who. 2009. A & C Black. 9-781408-102480. 2351.
  2. Web site: Professor Tom Trevor . University of Exeter . 6 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Former Director of Arnolfini appointed to lead new Masters in International Contemporary Art . University of Exeter . 6 May 2020.
  4. Web site: The Atlantic Project . 6 May 2020.
  5. Web site: Whitechapel Gallery. 9 December 2016.
  6. Web site: e-flux. Dojima River Biennale 2015. 11 May 2015.
  7. Web site: ARoS Triennial. 9 December 2016.
  8. Web site: Devi Art Foundation. 9 December 2016.
  9. News: A-N. International Moves: Tom Trevor leaves Arnolfini. 4 January 2014. Artists Newsletter. 31 October 2013.
  10. News: Bristol Museum. No Borders, first exhibition of the Art Fund International collection. 4 January 2014. 29 November 2012.
  11. Web site: KWMC. Demanding Conversations. www.kwmc.org.uk. Knowle West Media Centre. 6 January 2014.
  12. News: Aesthetica. Tom Trevor. 6 January 2014. Aesthetica Magazine. 1 April 2010.
  13. News: Morrison. Harun. Cosima von Bonin. 5 January 2014. This is Tomorrow. 4 May 2011.
  14. News: Perry. Colin. Matti Braun. 7 January 2014. Frieze D/E. March 2013.
  15. News: Jones. Jonathan. Angus Fairhurst. 5 January 2014. The Guardian. 6 February 2009.
  16. Web site: Jutta Koether. Artforum. 9 December 2016.
  17. News: Searle. Adrian. Joelle Tuerlinckx: the artist who makes puzzles out of meteorites and Sellotape. 5 January 2014. The Guardian. 11 December 2013.
  18. News: Culture 24. Weinbergers Home Voodoo. 7 January 2014. 24 Hour Museum. 13 December 2006.
  19. Web site: InIVA. The Visible & the Invisible. www.iniva.org. Institute of International Visual Arts. 6 January 2014.
  20. News: Mahoney. Elisabeth. Port City. 5 January 2014. The Guardian. 19 September 2007.
  21. News: Mahoney. Elisabeth. Far West. 5 January 2014. The Guardian. 4 July 2008.
  22. News: Papachlimitzou. Regina. A Mosaic of Collective Unconscious. 6 January 2014. Aesthetica Magazine. 19 October 2011.
  23. News: Evans. Jenifer. No Borders?. 5 January 2014. Egypt Independent. 13 January 2013.
  24. News: Clarke. Leela. Version Control at Arnolfini. 5 January 2014. Aesthetica Magazine. February 2013.
  25. Web site: Curatorial Network. Tom Trevor. 4 January 2014.
  26. News: Tawadros. Gilane. Feminism: Three Views. 6 January 2014. Frieze. March 2007.
  27. Web site: InIVA. Tom Trevor. www.iniva.org. Institute of International Visual Arts. 6 January 2014.
  28. News: Art Daily. New Director appointed for Spacex. 6 January 2014. Art Daily. 15 October 2005.
  29. Web site: Generative. Generator. generative.net. Spacex Star. 7 January 2014.
  30. Web site: Spacex. Hortus. spacex.org.uk. Spacex. 7 January 2014.
  31. Web site: Art in Liverpool. Far West Metro. artinliverpool.com. Art in Liverpool. 7 January 2014.
  32. News: Art Daily. Arnolfini celebrates 50th anniversary. 4 January 2014. 25 September 2011.
  33. Web site: Arnolfini. University of Local Knowledge. www.arnolfini.org.uk. Arnolfini. 7 January 2014.
  34. News: Bajaj. Kriti. Total eclipse: The "Black Sun" across cultures. 5 January 2014. Art Radar Asia. 29 November 2013.
  35. Web site: The Atlantic Project: Excavating Plymouth's Failed Utopias . Frieze . 6 May 2020.
  36. Web site: Post-Utopian Narratives . Aesthetica . 6 May 2020.
  37. Web site: The Atlantic Project: After The Future . Art Monthly . 6 May 2020.
  38. Web site: Music for Museums. 9 December 2016.
  39. Web site: Dojima River Biennale. Take Me To The River. 11 May 2015.
  40. Web site: University of Exeter. Honorary Graduates 2014-15. www.exeter.ac.uk. University of Exeter. 3 December 2014.
  41. Web site: National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul. Rules of Engagement. British Council Korea. British Council Korea. 5 January 2014.
  42. Web site: Gwangju Biennale. International Curators Course, 2012. www.gwangjubiennale.org. Gwangju Biennale. 6 January 2014.
  43. Web site: ARKO. On Dialogue. ARKO website. Arts Council Korea. 5 January 2014.
  44. Web site: Arnolfini. Tom Trevor. 4 January 2014.
  45. Web site: Dojima River Biennale 2015. Real Kyoto.
  46. Web site: Vertigo Sea. 9 December 2016.
  47. Sam. Sherman. Jutta Koether. Artforum. September 2013 . 5 January 2014.
  48. News: Art Daily. Key works by the Cologne-based artist Matti Braun at Arnolfini. 5 January 2014. Art Daily. 6 October 2012.
  49. News: Papachlimitzou. Regina. The viewer as subject. 5 January 2014. Aesthetica Magazine. May 2011.
  50. Web site: BAS7 Finale symposium. Arnolfini in 2061. kurator.org. Kurator. 5 January 2014.
  51. Book: Tuerlinckx, Joelle. WOR(l)(D)(K) IN PROGRESS. 2013. Walther Konig. Koln. 978-3-86335-380-3.
  52. Book: Dawood, Shezad. Black Sun. 2013. Ridinghouse. 978-1-905464-84-5.
  53. Book: van Cauteren, Philippe. Lois Weinberger. 2013. Hatje Cantz. Ostfildern. 978-3-7757-3517-9.
  54. Book: Baudin, Katia. Cosima von Bonin, The Lazy Susan Series, Rotterdam – Bristol – Genève – Köln. 2011. Museum Ludwig / DuMont. Koln. 978-3-8321-9433-8.
  55. Book: Zitko, Otto. Me, Myself and I. 2011. Jovis. Berlin. 978-3-86859-132-3.
  56. Book: Cummings, Neil. Sel Portrait: Arnolfini. 2011. Arnolfini. Bristol. 978-0-9568886-1-7.
  57. Book: Hegyi, Lorand. Lois Weinberger. 2011. Silvana Editoriale. Milan. 9-782907-571548.
  58. Book: Kunst-Werke. Sigalit Landau. 2008. Hatje Cantz. Ostfildern. 978-3-7757-2104-2.
  59. Book: Trevor, Tom. Port City: On Mobility and Exchange. 2007. Arnolfini. Bristol. 978-0907738879.