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| FIONA MacDONALD |
Fiona MacDonald produces fictional worlds and details constructed from found objects,
living organisms, natural and artificial materials. Her sculptures and paintings portray the
desire for - and the necessary failure of - new spaces of the imagination. Unashamedly
beautiful, but never without dark undercurrents, MacDonald’s work evokes sensations of
overabundance and stagnation. Alternately seduced and brought up against the kind of
wrongness that only occasionally appears in nature (in such ways as the duck-billed
platypus looks stuck together with glue), she positions us at the edge of illusion and
materiality. Fiona studied at Leeds Metropolitan and Chelsea College of Art. Solo shows
include Habitat 2006, (Phoenix, Brighton) and upcoming at Long and Ryle, London, June
2007. She is a finalist in the Celeste Art Prize 2007. Fiona has exhibited her work in solo
and group shows in the UK and abroad and is at present a director and curator of
Standpoint Gallery in London.
living organisms, natural and artificial materials. Her sculptures and paintings portray the
desire for - and the necessary failure of - new spaces of the imagination. Unashamedly
beautiful, but never without dark undercurrents, MacDonald’s work evokes sensations of
overabundance and stagnation. Alternately seduced and brought up against the kind of
wrongness that only occasionally appears in nature (in such ways as the duck-billed
platypus looks stuck together with glue), she positions us at the edge of illusion and
materiality. Fiona studied at Leeds Metropolitan and Chelsea College of Art. Solo shows
include Habitat 2006, (Phoenix, Brighton) and upcoming at Long and Ryle, London, June
2007. She is a finalist in the Celeste Art Prize 2007. Fiona has exhibited her work in solo
and group shows in the UK and abroad and is at present a director and curator of
Standpoint Gallery in London.
Education
1995 – 1997 MA History and Theory of Modern Art – Chelsea College of Art
1989 – 1992 BA hons Fine Art – Leeds Metropolitan University
1988 – 1989 Foundation Course – Kent Institute of Art and Design
Solo Shows
2007 Long and Ryle, London
2006 Habitat, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
2004 On the Verge, Vertigo, London
Selected Group Shows
2007
Dirty Nature, Standpoint Gallery, London
Celeste Art Prize, London and Edinburgh
Creekside Open 2, APT, London
Intervention, Fieldgate Gallery, London
Irrational Exuberance, Maddox Arts, London (October 2007)
2006
Breeding Ground, APT, Deptford.
Enclosed Gardens, Long and Ryle, London
Drawn, An Lanntair, Stornoway, Scotland
The Marmite Painting Prize, The Residence, London
2005
Elsewhere, Standpoint Gallery, London
Furniture of Sorts, Stroud House Gallery, Glos.
Chata Mia, CESTA, Tabor, Czech Republic
30 x 30, Vertigo, Great Eastern Street, London
2004
Vital Arts, Royal London and St Bartholomew Hospitals, London
Rebecca Wordsworth Contemporary Art, Bath
Escape, Irregular Art, London
2003
Glimmer. Lock and Davies, London
Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton
2002
Hindsight, Karen Taylor Art, London
Vital Arts, Royal London Hospital
2001
Arcadia, Paton Gallery, London
Contradictory Pleasures, Union Chapel, London
I, Me, You, We, SVC, London
1996
Hystheoria, Chelsea School of Art, Manresa Rd,
1993
Young Artists South East, touring, Maidstone and Folkestone Library Galleries
1992
Pullit X, Pullit Gallery, London
Awards
Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England
Residencies
2006 Phoenix Arts, Brighton
2005 CESTA, Tabor, Czech Republic
1992 – 1994 Community Care for Mental Health, Maidstone, Kent
1992 –1993 Maidstone Priority Care Trust, Maidstone, Kent
Publications and press
Habitat Catalogue, text by Helen Williams and Loretta Stone – London 2006
Habitat 24 Hour Museum – Siba Matti, April 2006
Elsewhere Catalogue, text by Peg Rawes and Alasdair Duncan - London 2005
Elsewhere Telegraph Arts – May 2005
Arty no. 14 review of On the Verge at Vertigo - ‘Girls’ Issue Feb 2004
A-N magazine Cable Pitch image - June 2002 p24
Related Activities
2006 ongoing Standpoint Gallery, London - curator
2006 Arts Institute Bournemouth – visiting lecturer B.A. and M.A. Fine Art
2006 Phoenix Gallery – workshops
Sweets for Everyone – curator, Dyson Art, London
Elsewhere – curator, Standpoint Gallery
2003 ongoing City University – lecturer in history of art
2003-2006 Adult Education College for Bexley – art tutor
www.fionamacdonald.co.uk
1995 – 1997 MA History and Theory of Modern Art – Chelsea College of Art
1989 – 1992 BA hons Fine Art – Leeds Metropolitan University
1988 – 1989 Foundation Course – Kent Institute of Art and Design
Solo Shows
2007 Long and Ryle, London
2006 Habitat, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
2004 On the Verge, Vertigo, London
Selected Group Shows
2007
Dirty Nature, Standpoint Gallery, London
Celeste Art Prize, London and Edinburgh
Creekside Open 2, APT, London
Intervention, Fieldgate Gallery, London
Irrational Exuberance, Maddox Arts, London (October 2007)
2006
Breeding Ground, APT, Deptford.
Enclosed Gardens, Long and Ryle, London
Drawn, An Lanntair, Stornoway, Scotland
The Marmite Painting Prize, The Residence, London
2005
Elsewhere, Standpoint Gallery, London
Furniture of Sorts, Stroud House Gallery, Glos.
Chata Mia, CESTA, Tabor, Czech Republic
30 x 30, Vertigo, Great Eastern Street, London
2004
Vital Arts, Royal London and St Bartholomew Hospitals, London
Rebecca Wordsworth Contemporary Art, Bath
Escape, Irregular Art, London
2003
Glimmer. Lock and Davies, London
Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton
2002
Hindsight, Karen Taylor Art, London
Vital Arts, Royal London Hospital
2001
Arcadia, Paton Gallery, London
Contradictory Pleasures, Union Chapel, London
I, Me, You, We, SVC, London
1996
Hystheoria, Chelsea School of Art, Manresa Rd,
1993
Young Artists South East, touring, Maidstone and Folkestone Library Galleries
1992
Pullit X, Pullit Gallery, London
Awards
Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England
Residencies
2006 Phoenix Arts, Brighton
2005 CESTA, Tabor, Czech Republic
1992 – 1994 Community Care for Mental Health, Maidstone, Kent
1992 –1993 Maidstone Priority Care Trust, Maidstone, Kent
Publications and press
Habitat Catalogue, text by Helen Williams and Loretta Stone – London 2006
Habitat 24 Hour Museum – Siba Matti, April 2006
Elsewhere Catalogue, text by Peg Rawes and Alasdair Duncan - London 2005
Elsewhere Telegraph Arts – May 2005
Arty no. 14 review of On the Verge at Vertigo - ‘Girls’ Issue Feb 2004
A-N magazine Cable Pitch image - June 2002 p24
Related Activities
2006 ongoing Standpoint Gallery, London - curator
2006 Arts Institute Bournemouth – visiting lecturer B.A. and M.A. Fine Art
2006 Phoenix Gallery – workshops
Sweets for Everyone – curator, Dyson Art, London
Elsewhere – curator, Standpoint Gallery
2003 ongoing City University – lecturer in history of art
2003-2006 Adult Education College for Bexley – art tutor
www.fionamacdonald.co.uk
