Michael Asbury
Co-Investigator
TrAIN Research Centre for Transnational Art Identity and Nation
Michael Asbury is an art historian, critic and curator. Born in Teresopolis, Brazil, he later came to England and completed an MA in the Study of Contemporary Art at Liverpool University, followed by a PhD in the History and Theory of Art at the London Institute, now known as University of the Arts London. His masters research focussed on British art and architecture in the postwar period, while his doctoral thesis examined Hélio Oiticica and his relation to the development of modernism in Brazil and beyond.
Since completing his doctorate in 2003, Michael has worked at the University of the Arts London, initially as a Research Fellow, and now as a Reader in the Theory and History of Art and as Course Leader for the MA in Visual Arts: Transnational Arts, at Camberwell College of Arts.
He has curated numerous exhibitons including "Cao Guimarães" (2008), "José Patricio", "Anna Maria Maiolino" (2007), "Detanico and Lain: After Utopia" (2006) and "Antonio Manuel" (2005) at the Pharos Centre for Contemporary Art, Cyprus, "Sutapa Biswas" at Galeria Nara Roesler in São Paulo (2008), and "Artivists", a symposium and performance event co-curated with Claudia Weneger, in Peckham (2004). Most recently he curated Cildo Meireles' installation "Occasion" at the Rootstein Ropkins Parade Ground, Chelsea College of Art and Design, in conjuction with the artist's retrospective exhibition at Tate Modern.
He worked as a curatorial advisor for "Espaço Aberto/Espaço Fechado: Sites for Modern Brazilian Sculpture" at The Henry Moore Foundation in Leeds (2006), as associate curator on the Rio de Janeiro 1950-64 section of "Century City", the inaugural exhibiton at Tate Modern (2001), and as a consultant for various galleries, including The Barbican, Camden Arts Centre, South London Gallery, Tate Modern, and The Whitechapel Gallery in London.
He is currently editing a number of exhibition catalogues "Rosangela Rennó", "Pharos = 10", "Cao Guimarães", "José Patricio" and "Ana Maiolino", all with Pharos Publishers.
Previous editorial work includes "Transnational Correspondence", a special issue of the journal "Arte & Ensaios" (PPGAV-UFRJ, 2007), "Detanico & Lain: After Utopia" (Pharos 2007), and "Antonio Manuel" (Pharos, 2006).
His writing has been published widely, including: "From Constructivism to Pop: Avant-Garde Practices in Brazil, Britain and North America between the 1950s and 1960s" in "Crossing Cultures: Conflict, Migration and Convergence" (The Miegunayah Press, 2009), "Hélio Couldn't Dance" in "Fios Soltos do Experimental: a arte de Hélio Oiticica" (Perspectiva, 2008), "This Other Eden" in "Oiticica in London" (Tate, 2007), "Ricardo Basbaum: 'Would you like to participate in an artistic experience?'" in "Documenta 12" (Tashen, 2007), "The Bienal de São Paulo: Between Nationalism and Internationalism" in "Espaço Aberto/Espaço Fachado: Sites for Sculpture in Modern Brazil" (Henry Moore Institute, 2006), "Neo Concretism and Minimalism: On Ferreira Gullar's Theory of the Non-Object" in "Cosmopolitan Modernisms" (InIVA and MIT Press, 2005), "Changing Perceptions of National Identity in Brazilian Art and Architecture" in "Transculturation: Citites, Space and Architecture in Latin America" (Rodopi, 2005), "Marvellous Perversions" in "Unbound: Installations by Seven Artists from Rio de Janeiro" (Parasol 2004) and "Tracing Hybrid Strategies in Brazilian Modern Art" in "Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Painting" (Tate and ULP, 2003).
Read more about Michael Asbury and TrAIN at www.transnational.org.uk
