Biography

Dona Nelson (b. 1947)

1968
1968
BFA, Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, NY

Solo Exhibitions

2016

2015

2014

2010

Erasing Tracing Racing Paint, Polly Apfelbaum, Dona Nelson at Michael Benevento, Los Angeles, CA, March 12–May 7, 2016.

New Paintings, with Thomas Erben Gallery, New York

Phigor, with Thomas Erben Gallery, New York

Volta New York, with Thomas Erben Gallery, New York

2008in situ: paintings 1973 – present, Thomas Erben Gallery, New York
 
2006Brain Stain, Thomas Erben Gallery, New York
 
2003Tactile Image, Cheim and Read, New York
 
2001Stations of the Subway, Cheim and Read, New York
 
2000Dona Nelson: Stations of the Subway, Octopuses and Arrangements (curator Ron Platt; catalogue essay Klaus Kertess) Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina
 
1999Parks and Portraits: Dona Nelson, 1983 – 88 (essay Sanford Schwartz) Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadeplhia, Pennsylvania
 
1996Michael Klein Gallery, New York
 
1995Michael Klein Gallery, New York
 
1993Michael Klein Gallery, New York
 
1990Michael Klein Gallery, New York
Scott Hanson Gallery, New York
 
1989Scott Hanson Gallery, New York
 
1985P.S.1 (a room of paintings), Long Island City, New York
 
1983Hamilton Gallery, New York
 
1982Oscarsson Hood Gallery, New York
 
1975
 
Rosa Esman Gallery, New York

 

1968
1968
BFA, Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, NY

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

2016

 

Off Screen, Jacob Ciocci, Storm De Hirsch, Paul Gagner, Dona Nelson, Raha Raissnia, Pieter Schoolwerth, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, May 20–June 20, 2016

Physical Painting, Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery, School of Art+Design, Suny Purchase, curated by Jennifer Samet, in conversation with Scott Wolniak, March 2016.

2015Pretty Raw: After and Around Helen Frankenthaler (curated by Katy Siegel) The Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University
Making Sense: Rochelle Feinstein, Deborah Grant, Iva Gueorguieva, Dona Nelson (curated by Margaret Miller and Megan Voeller) USF Contemporary Art Museum, Florida
 
2014NADA Art Fair, Thomas Erben Gallery, Miami Beach, Florida
In the Office of the Drunken Monkey, Tiger Strikes Asteroid New York
The 2014 Whitney Biennial, New York
NADA Art Fair, Thomas Erben Gallery, Miami Beach Florida
Outside the Lines (curated by Dean Daderko) Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, Texas
 
2013Dyeing Merging Multitasking (organized by Leeza Meksin) Ortega y Gasset Projects, Queens, New York
Untitled (Hybrid) (curated by Kate McNamara) Robert Miller Gallery, New York
Three in Doubles, Fjord, Philadelphia, PA
Sadie Benning, Thomas Kovachevich, Dona Nelson, Callicoon Fine Arts, New York
 
2012Low Epic (curated by Sheryl Oppenheim) Chashama, New York
Mary Boone Gallery, New York
Salon Zürcher, Zürcher Studio, New York
Simpatico (curated by Kate McNamara) Boston University Art Gallery, NY
 
2011Incipient Image (curator Stephen Maine) Lesley Heller Gallery, New York
Texture, txt, Regina Rex, Queens, New York
 
2010Vivid (curator Janet Phelps) Schroeder, Romero & Shredder, New York
40, Texas Gallery, Houston Texas
PASTORALE (curator Klaus Kertess) NYU, 80WSE, New York
Animate Matter (with Pia Maria Martin, Richard Staub, Rose Wylie) Thomas Erben Gallery, NY
 
2009Pushing Paint, Museum of Nebraska Art, Nebraska
Spaced Out/ On Time (with Joan Brown, Sadie Laska, Chris Martin, Katherine Berhhardt, Otis Houston Jr., Agathe Snow) Canada Gallery, New York
 
2008Thomas Erben Gallery at Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai, India
Affinities Redux (curator Kate McNamara) Ramapo College, New Jersey
Charasmatic Abstraction (with Chris Martin, Moira Dryer, Mike Cloud, John L. Moore) RIchmond Center for Visual Arts, University of Western Michigan, Kalamazoo, Michigan
 
2007CCS BARD Spring Exhibitions, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
 
2006Scope Miami, with Thomas Erben Gallery, New York
Still Life, Moyna Rowe Gallery, NY
 
2005Field Questions (curator Sid Sachs) Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
2004Art Basel Miami, with Cheim and Read Gallery, New York
 
2002WTC, Living in the Shadows, Bronx River Art Center, Bronx, New York
Wall Street Rising: Art Downtown, New York
Fordham University at Lincoln Center, New York
Jump, The Painting Center, New York
 
2001Vivid, Richard Salmon Gallery, London, England
(traveled to Mead Gallery, Warwich Arts Cener, Conventry; Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sutherland
 
1998Group Exhibition, Marlborough Gallery, Chelsea, New York
Small Paintings, Cheim & Read, New York
View II (curator Klaus Kertess) Mary Boone Gallery, New York
 
1997Essential Gestures (curator Bruce Harman) Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
 
1996Face to Face: Recent Abstract Painting, M.I.T. List Visual Art Center, Cambridge Massachusetts
Painting All-Over Again (curator Saul Ostrow) Palacia de Montemuzok, Zaragoza, Spain
Method and Multiplicity (curator Richmond Burton) Apexart, New York
 
199525 Americans: Painting in the 90’s, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 
1991American Narrative Painting and Sculpture: The 1980’s – from the Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, New York
 
1985Four Artists (curator Elizabeth Murray) Artists Space, New York
Ripe Fruit (curator Lisa Liebmann) P.S.1, Long Island City, New York
 
1982Body Language: Recent Figuration, Hayden Gallery, M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts
Contemporary Painting: Figuration, USCB, Santa Barbara, California
 
1972Grids, ICA, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
197126 Contemporary Woman Artists (curator Lucy Lippard) Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut
10 Young Artists: Theodoran Awards, Soloman R. Guggenheim Musuem
 
1968Whitney Independent Study Program, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
 

Selected Bibliography

2019In Dona Nelson’s magically messy paintings, the back is as revelatory as the front, David Pagel, Los Angeles Times, October 11
Dona Nelson, Annabel Osberg, Artillery Magazine, October 11
2015Review: ‘Pretty Raw’ Recounts Helen Frankenthaler’s Influence on the Art World, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, June 3
Subversive Color at the Rose Art Museum Martha Buskirk, Hyperallergic Weekend, May 31, 2015.
Dona Nelson: Thomas Erben Julian Kreimer, Art in America, June/July, pp.140-141.
Dona Nelson: Thomas Erben Barry Schwabsky, Art in Review, Artforum, Summer, 2014.
Dona Nelson: “Phigor” Roberta Smith, Art in Review, The New York Times, May 9
Go Figure: Dona Nelson’s “Phigor” Rick Briggs, Hyperallergic, May 3
Dona Nelson, Goings on About Town: Art, The New Yorker, May 12
The Alchemy of Phigor and Others Fabian Lopez, Title Magazine, April 21
 
2014Past, Present, Futurism Barry Schwabsky, The Nation, April 12, 2014
Vogue Magazine July issue, pp. 140 – 141
Whitney Biennial 2014 Brooks Adams, Art in America, May issue
Color-Blows and Line-Blows Barry Schwabsky, The Nation, April 21
Get With It; The Whitney Biennial Peter Schjejdahl, The New Yorker, March 17
One Last Dance in the Old Place Holland Cotter, The New York Times, March 7
Seeing Out Loud: There’s a Smart Show Struggling to Get Out of This Big, Bland Whitney Biennial Jerry Saltz, Vulture.com, March 5
Fresh Perspective – Abstraction Abounds at the Whitney Biennial Ted Loos, Vogue, March issue
State Of Our Art, According To Whitney Carol Vogel, The New York Times, February 28
 
2013Galleries: Woodmere show focuses on contemporary art, Edith Newhall, The Inquirer, June 3
 
2012
 
Ornate, pushy, celebratory – yet all compatible Cate McQuaid, The Boston Globe, September 19
2011At Regina Rex, Latin Roots Woven Together,  Stephen Truax, bushwichbk.com
Andrew Russeth, www.16miles.com, 02/02/2011
 
2010Woman power: Texas Gallery’s 40 sends a welcom jolt through the Houston art scene, Susie Kalil, Culturemap Houston.
Post-Minimal to the Max – This Season, New York’s Museums Rarely Transcend the Sea of Sameness, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, p. 1/23, February 14
40, Texas Gallert Houston Wendy Vogel, Aer Lies, Issue 66
 
2009Spaced Out/On, Time Roberta Smith, The New York Times, September 25
 
2008Art In Review: Dona Nelson Roberta Smith, The New York Times, p. E26, May 23
Goings on About Town The New Yorker, p. 16, May 19th
 
2007Get Thee to Elkins Park, Edith Newhall, The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 12
 
2006Dona Nelson at Thomas Erben, jameswagner.com, September 14
Brain Stain Carrie Moyer, The Brooklyn Rail, October
Art in Review: Dona Nelson Holland Cotter, The New York Times, September 22
Dona Nelson at Thomas Erben Stephen Maine, Art in America, p. 149, December
 
2003Dona Nelson at Cheim and Read Stephen Westfall, Art in America pp. 117-118, June
Ray of Light, Jerry Saltz, www.artnet.com/magazine/features, January 27
Previews, Contemporary #47/48, p. 38
Goings on About Town The New Yorker, pp. 19-20, February 3
Art in Review: Dona Nelson, Ken Johnson, The New York Times, February 23
 
2001Dona Nelson at Cheim and Read Paul Mattick, Art in America, pp. 124-125, June
Subway Series, Edith Newhall, The New Yorker, p. 68, January 15
Art, The New Yorker, p. 18, January 29
Dona Nelson: Stations of the Subway, Robert Mahoney, Time Out New York, p. 64, January 25-February 1
Dona Nelson, Ann Landi, ARTnews, p. 141, April
Art in Review: Dona Nelson Roberta Smith, The New York Times, February 16
Last Chance, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, February 23
 
1999Review/Art, Gerard Brown, Philadelphia Weekly, p. 34, January 27
 
1998Art in Review: Dona Nelson, Ken Johnson, The New York Times, p. E43, May 1
 
1997Abstracting the Familiar Faye Hirsh, Art in America, February
Essential Gestures (exhibition catalogue) Saul Ostrow, Johnson County Community College Gallery of Art, Overland Park, Kansas
 
1996Art in Review: Dona Nelson – Paradox Lake, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, p. 25, March 29
Dona Nelson, Alfred MacAdam, ARTnews, p. 149, June
Painting All-Over Again (essay Saul Ostrow) Palacio de Montemuzo, Spain (catalogue)
Face to Face: Recent Abstract Painting (essay Helene Posner) M.I.T. List Visual Art Center, Cambridge Massachusetts (catalogue)
 
199525 Americans: Painting in the 90’s (essay Dean Sobel) Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (catalogue)
Art Museum: Exhibit Embraes Pluralism, James Auer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 10
Dona Nelson: Trying all the Flavors, Judith E. Stein, ARTnews, October
 
1994Dona Nelson at Michael Klein, Linda Yablonsky, Artforum, p. 92, January
Dona Nelson at Michael Klein, Faye Hirsh, Art in America, pp. 112-113, May
A Year in the Life: Tropic of Painting, Jerry Saltz, Art in America, p. 99, Octover
Interview with Dona Nelson, Richard Whelan, Bomb Magazine, No. XXXXVI, pp. 34-39, Winter
 
1993Dona Nelson: New Paintings, Charles Hagan, The New York Times, p. C36, October 15
Art, The New Yorker, October 18
 
1991American Narrative Painting and Sculpture: The 1980s (essay William Liebermann) Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, NY (catalogue)
 
1990Art in Review, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, p. C22, August
Art, The New Yorker, p. 20, June 11
Dona Nelson, Paul Mattick, Arts Magazine, p. 96, October
In the Galleries, Hearne Pardee, Art and Antiques, p. 122, November
 
1989Dona Nelson’s Time Pieces, Lisa Liebmann, Artforum, pp. 90-93, March
Tales of Ordinary People Told in Bits and Pieces, Roberta Smith, The New York Times, March 31
Dona Nelson and Archie Rand at Scott Hanson, Civil Reid, Art in America, November
 
1985Four Artists (exhibition brochure) Elizabeth Murray, Artists Space, New York
Art in Review: Four Artists, Michael Benson, The New York Times p. C25, November 22
 
1983Faces Since the Fifties (essay Joseph Jacobs) Center Gallery, Bucknell University, Lewisberg, Pennsylvania (catalogue)
The Painterly Figure (essay Klaus Kertess) The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY (catalogue)
 
1982Body Language (essay Roberta Smith) Hayden Gallery, M.I.T. Cambridge, Massachusetts (catalogue)
Figuration (essays Phyliss Plous and Michael Klein) University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, California (catalogue)
Artists, Artists, Grace Glueck, ARTnews, p. 96, November
 
1975Art in Review: Dona Nelson, Hilton Kramer, The New York Times, January 25
Dona Nelson, Arts Magazine, March
Dona Nelson (letter to the editor) Artforum, September
 
197126 Contemporary Women Artists (essay Linda Shearer) Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (catalogue)
 
 
Curatorial Activity
 
2014Eight Young Figurative Artists Who Live in Philadelphia, curated by Dona Nelson, Fjord Gallery, November 7–23
2013In Front of Strangers I Sing, the 72nd Annual Exhibition, The Woodmere Museum, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, juried/curated by Dona Nelson and Rubens Ghenov, June to August
2007The Fluid Field: Abstraction and Reference, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, October
 
Public and Corporate Collections
 
 The Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
Kadist Art Foundation, San Francisco and Paris
Committee for the Visual Arts/M.I.T. Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City
Contemporary Art Museum, University of South Florida,Tampa, Florida
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
State University of New York, Albany, New York
William & Uytendale Scott Memorial Study Collection, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Nordstern, Cologne, Germany
Chase Manhattan Bank Collection, New York City
General Electric Corporation, Connecticut
Progressive Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio
Shearson Leaman/Paine Webber, New York City
General Mills, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Washington
The Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro, North Carolina
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
 
Projects / Residencies / Awards
 
20112011 FCA Individual Grant
 
2000Tesque Foundation (peer nominated grant)
 
1998Pollock/Krasner Grant
 
1994John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship
 
1990New York Foundation Grant
 
1987NEA Painting Grant
 
1979NEA Painting Grant
 
1978New York State CAPS Grant for Painting
 
1971Theodoran Purchase Award, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City
 

 

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