Biography
Aotearoa New Zealand–British. Lives and works in Norfolk, UK.
Sometimes language comes before the thing.
Gretchen Geraets (1979) is a visual artist who works across sculpture, photography, and installation. Her practice navigates idiosyncratic mis/understandings, moments of silencing, bodily dissociation, absence, and recall. She is interested in the intimacies of personal lived experience, and the everyday as erotic. Her practice-based research is informed by feminist thought, situated knowledge, temporality, and literature.
In 2022 Geraets received a DYCP Award from Arts Council England. In 2021 she was awarded a grant from The Elephant Trust. In 2013 she was selected for the Weißensee/Goldsmiths Exchange Programme. She is a lecturer and MA Photography subject leader at Norwich University of the Arts. She is the co-founder and former co-director of artist-run spaces Canary Gallery in Auckland and g&A studios in Sydney.
Geraets received her Bachelor of Visual Arts in Sculpture from the Auckland University of Technology, Aotearoa New Zealand, and her MFA with distinction from Goldsmiths, London.
Forthcoming exhibitions:
'Mother lode', Norfolk, UK. 2022
Current research activity:
Currently, Geraets is developing a new body of work 'Mother lode' to make visible the productivity of motherhood with the support of an Elephant Trust Grant (2021–2022). The first iteration of this research will be presented as a solo exhibition in 2022. Concurrently, she is researching unique ways of working with bronze to interweave personal experience/s using her body as material with the support of an Arts Council England DYCP grant (2022). At 'home', on her ARiM residency, she is exploring the possibilities of exhibiting in personal and domestic spaces, such as the bedroom and bathroom.
Current Awards and residencies
Eye Mama Book, longlist. 2023
DYCP Award, Arts Council England, UK. 2022–2023
Current Memberships
The Art Working Parents Alliance (AWP), UK. Oct 2022–
Member, Association of Photographers’ Education Working Group, UK. Mar 2022–
Member, OutPOST, Norwich, UK. Nov 2021–
Facilitator, Modalities of Care Reading Group, Norwich, UK. 2021–
Fellow, The Higher Education Academy, (FHEA), UK. Aug 2018–
Union Rep, University and College Union (UCU) NUA branch, UK. 2018–Oct 2022
Member, Human Interfaces Research Group, Norwich University of the Arts, UK. 2017–
Current Teaching
Lecturer, BA and MA Photography, (0.4) Norwich University of the Arts, UK. Since January 2017
Subject leader, MA Photography, Norwich University of the Arts, UK. Since Aug 2018Previous
Alma mater
2018 Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Art, Norwich University of the Arts, UK
2014 MFA Fine Art with distinction, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
2001 Bachelor of Visual Arts in Sculpture, Auckland University of Technology, NZ
Selected awards and residencies
2022 Research sabbatical, Norwich University of the Arts, UK. (Oct–Nov)
2022 An Artist Residency in Motherhood (ARiM), UK
2021 The Elephant Trust Grant, UK. (2021–2022)
2020 Freelands Foundation Emergency Grant, UK
2017 kunstort ELEVEN residency, Starzach, DE
2014 LoBe residency, Berlin, DE
2013 Kunsthochschule Weißensee / Goldsmiths Exchange Programme, Kunsthochschule Weißensee, Berlin, DE and Goldsmiths, London, UK. 2013–2014
Selected shows and projects
2022
Outpost Studios Summer Show ’22, Outpost Project Space, Norwich, UK
studioUS, Primeyarc, Great Yarmouth, UK
2021
ARTMATTERS, Art Auction for Headway, Assembly House, Norwich, UK
Studio holder Show '21, OUTPOST Project Space, Norwich, UK
2020
Abs.: kunstortELEVENartspace, Museum Reutlingen, Reutlingen, DE
2019
Multiplicity-Individuality, Human Interfaces Creative Lab (H.I.C.L.), [Online]
Bax, B. (Ed.), Bax, Olivier (Art Editor), 2019. Ambit 235, London [Magazine, Artist Page]
Geraets, J. 2019. Everything's something in place : writings, 1980-2015. Pokeno: Titus Books [Book, Cover Image]
2017
On AiR, Ausstellung im Landratsamt, Tubingen, DE
Artists and Makers of Essex House, Bow Arts, London, UK
2016
ART/Converters! 2016, Studio 1.1, London, UK
Open Studios, Bow Arts, London, UK
2015
Hidden in Plain Sight, The Gallery at NUA, Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich, UK (collaboration)
2014
Projekt, Blair Zaye & STS project space, London, UK
The Tomorrow People, selected and curated by Elevator Gallery, London, UK
Goldsmiths MFA Show, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
futures past, LoBe, Berlin, DE
*Student & Recent Graduate Show, Catalyst Arts, Belfast, NI
2013
Pan Macmillan Art Space Award, Pan Macmillan Art Space, London, UK (collaboration)
Long white CLOUD Gallery (rear gallery), London, UK (2-person/collaboration)
2012
2x2, Long white CLOUD Gallery, London, UK (2-person/collaboration)
Disappearing Act, Long white CLOUD Gallery (rear gallery), London, UK. 2012–2013 (2-person/collaboration)
2011
Photomonth East London: International Photography Festival. Blink, Long white CLOUD Gallery, London, UK (collaboration)
INTO THE WILD, Long white CLOUD Gallery, London, UK (collaboration)
The Royal Photographic Society, 153rd International Print Exhibition, touring exhibition, Birmingham Institute of Art & Design, Birmingham, UK and Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland Isles, UK
2010
The Royal Photographic Society, 153rd International Print Exhibition, touring exhibition, Banbury Museum, Oxon, UK; Aberystwyth Arts, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK and Allen & Overy LLP, London, UK
2008
Still Life, A Centre for Art, Auckland, NZ (solo)
2006
Disappearing Act–, g&A Studios, Sydney, AU (2-person/collaboration)
Cones of Zontact, Loose Projects, Sydney, AU
Shit Show, g&A Studios, Sydney, AU (2-person/collaboration)
The Big Show: 2006 Firstdraft Annual Directors’ Choice Show, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney, AU
Because You’re Worth It, g&A studios, Sydney, AU (2-person)
2004
Gretchen Geraets, [Performance], Department of Births Deaths & Marriages, Auckland, NZ (solo)
Interrelationships, The Auckland University, Auckland, NZ
New New Zealand Art, MOP Projects, Curated by Ben Curnow. Sydney, AU
Pure Feeling, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, AU (collaboration)
I Think I Can, Canary Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Selected self-published
g&A studios (Ed.). 2005. Unrealised Projects, Sydney: g&A studios
Curnow, B. (Ed.). 2004. New New Zealand art, New Zealand: Canary Gallery
Photography archive: Collaborations and commissions
Image makers, Alan & Gretchen Ltd, et el., 2003–2015
Font: Franklin Gothic URW Book/Demi
Support using public funding by Arts Council England.