Bio
Born Auckland, New Zealand. Lives and works in Norwich, UK.
gretchen geraets is a New Zealand born artist with a history of engaging in artist run spaces. Her art practice spans across installation and image making. She is interested in the intimacies of personal lived experience, idiosyncratic perception/s of the world and the everyday as erotic. Her research often investigates the role of the hermit in creative practice.
Currently, gretchen is developing a new body of work that seeks to make visible the productivity of motherhood through the support of an Elephant Trust Grant (2021–2022). Concurrently, she is undergoing an extended period of research that seeks unique ways of working with bronze that interweave personal experience/s, through the support of an Arts Council England DYCP grant (2022). Alongside her studio practice she is exploring the possibilities and politics of exhibiting in personal/domestic space, such as the bedroom and rear garden.
gretchen is MA Photography subject leader and Lecturer in Photography on the BA (Hons) and MA Photography programmes at Norwich University of the Arts (0.4). She is the co-founder and co-director of artist run spaces Canary Gallery in Auckland and g&A studios in Sydney. She received an MFA Fine Art with Distinction from Goldsmiths in 2014, where she was selected for the Kunsthochschule Weißensee/Goldsmiths Exchange Programme (2013–2014).
Education
2017–2018 Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Art, Norwich University of the Arts, UK
2012–2014 MFA Fine Art, with Distinction, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
1999–2001 Bachelor of Visual Arts in Sculpture, A-, Auckland University of Technology, NZ
Awards / Grants / Residencies
Current
2022 DYCP Award, Arts Council England, UK
2021 The Elephant Trust Grant, UK. 2021–2022
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2020 Freelands Foundation Emergency Grant, UK
2017 kunstort ELEVEN residency, Starzach, DE
2014 LoBe residency, Berlin, DE
2014 Pan Macmillan Art Space Award, Pan Macmillan Art Space, London, UK (collaboration). 2013–2014
2014 Kunsthochschule Weißensee / Goldsmiths Exchange Programme, Kunsthochschule Weißensee, Berlin, DE and Goldsmiths, London, UK. 2013–2014
2013 The Goldsmiths Fifteen, Joya: arte + ecología residency, Cortijada Los Gázquez, ES
Artist run spaces / Contributions to communities
2005–2006 Co-Founder and Director of g&A Studios, Sydney, AU
2003–2005 Co-Founder and Director of Canary Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Exhibitions / ...
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)
Open Studios, Bow Arts, Bow Arts Quarter, London, UK
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
2012
2x2, Long white CLOUD Gallery, London, UK (collaboration)
Disappearing Act, Long white CLOUD Gallery (rear gallery), London, UK. 2012–2013 (collaboration)
2011
GW: Open Artist Studios, Cell Projects, Grosvenor Works, London, UK
Photomonth East London: International Photography Festival. Blink, Long white CLOUD Gallery, London, UK
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
2006
Disappearing Act–, g&A Studios, Sydney, AU
Cones of Zontact, Loose Projects, Sydney, AU
Shit Show, g&A Studios, Sydney, AU
The Big Show: 2006 Firstdraft Annual Directors’ Choice Show, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney, AU
Because You’re Worth It, g&A studios, Sydney, AU
2004
Gretchen Geraets, [Performance], Department of Births Deaths & Marriages, Auckland, NZ
National Drawing Award, The Physics Room, Christchurch, NZ
National Drawing Award, Artspace, Auckland, NZ
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
Teaching
Current
Lecturer in Photography, Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich, UK. 2017 Jan–current
Subject Leader, MA Photography, Norwich University of the Arts, UK. 2018 Aug–current
Participation / Membership
Current
Member, Association of Photographers’ Education Working Group, UK
Facilitator, Modalities of Care Reading Group, Norwich, UK
Member, OutPOST, Norwich, UK
Fellow, The Higher Education Academy, (FHEA), UK. 2018–
Union Rep, University and College Union (UCU) NUA branch, Norwich, UK. 2018–
Member, Human Interfaces Research Group, Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich, UK. 2017–
Collaborations / Commissions
2009–2015 Image maker, Alan & Gretchen Ltd, Photographic Collaborative, London, UK
2004–2009 Image maker, g&A studios Ltd, et al., New York, USA (2008–2009), Auckland, New Zealand (2003–2004, 2007–2008), Sydney, Australia (2005–2006). Moved to London, UK Oct 2009
Select Clients: Victoria Tourism, Elephant Family, BMW Magazine, Sony, Volkswagen, Lexus, Nokia, Fiat and Nike.