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| SHEENA MACRAE |
Macrae’s installations comprise of video and sculpture, photography and sound, her work has
an elemental quality that extracts essence through an economy of time, defracting and
dispersing visual and sonic elements to uncover the formal limits of film language.
Macrae adjusts, redelivers and reworks original film and television footage as if a ‘found’
archive of the familiar, the already known. Her practice of post-production ¬ editing,
acceleration, layering ¬ makes strange the familiar through its structural parts.
Macrae works primarily in film, installation and wall-based work. She addresses and explores
societies¹ fascination with speed, entertainment, information and creating meaning through
popular culture and film language.
She graduated with a BFA from Emily Carr University, Vancouver and a MA in Fine Art from
Goldsmiths College, London. She has recently had a monograph exhibition at Musée d'Art
Contemporain Val-de-Marne, Paris, and solo shows at Centre for Contemporary Photography,
Melbourne, Vzigalica, City Museum, Ljubljana, and shown at Nettie Horn, London, Beaux-arts
de Paris and Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin.
Odyssey
7'00" 2006
In a recent installation at the MAC/VAL Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne in France,
Sheena Macrae's single channel video was reflected into three giant mirrors. This installation
created an infinity chamber of lines, endless stripes extending into the reflected echoing
image, playing with the film’s original desires of sci-fi pseudo speculations of infinity and
eternity.
“The quality of the epic always resides in a single breathless moment. As if the universe were
anchored by sync points, where for just one video frame, one thirtieth of a second, all of its
truths are revealed in fragmented, incomprehensively overwhelming glory. It’s an indefinable
sentiment, expansive beyond language, residing in the intangible realms of the metaphysical.
A place not unlike your tv screen. Perhaps Sheena Macrae is a diviner; her ability to extricate
the essence from the epic is uncanny…Like a drug or a diamond, a screen-size cosmos for
the taking. Ergonomic, perfect, and larger than life.” -- © Patricia Ellis, excerpt from Flatpack
TV, 2005
EDUCATION:
2002 -2000
Goldsmiths College, University of London, Masters of Fine Art
(Post Graduate Studies Scholarship, British Columbia Arts Council)
2000 -1999
Goldsmiths College, University of London, Post Graduate Diploma of Fine Arts
1999 -1997
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, Canada. Bachelor of Fine Arts - Film/Video
(Helen Pitt Scholarship)
1995 -1992
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, Canada. Diploma of Fine Arts - Film/Video
SOLO EXHIBITS:
2006/7
Deux ex Machina Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne (MAC-VAL), Paris, France.
Curated by Frank Lamy
2006
Sheena Macrae, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane, Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly
2005
Dallas, Galleria Huuto, Helsinki, Finland. Curated by Anton Nikkilä
Retro Continuity, St Paul’s Gallery, London. Curated by Dawn Shorten
Focal 2005, Focal Solo, Ruthin Wales.
2004
Dallas, Vox Populi, Philadelphia, USA. Curated by Matt Suib
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS:
2008:
Suffragette City, London
Matt Franks, Sheena Macrae, Richard Ducker, Fieldgate Gallery, London
2007:
New Life and the Dream Garden, Fieldgate Gallery, London
2006
SynCity, Australian Centre for Photography, Australia touring tba. Curated by Mark Titmarsh
Pulsar 2006 Caracas, TBA, Caracas, Venezuela. Curated by Jean-François Rettig and Nathalie Hénon
All The Critics Love You, Loose Projects, commissioned by d/lux/Media Arts, Sydney, Australia.
Curated by Elizabeth Reidy
The Projection Gallery, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool. Curated by Bill Howard
The Suspicion of Beauty: New Romanticism, Basement Art Project.com, Curated by Yu Chen Wang
Bloc Assembly 3, Bloc Gallery, Sheffield. Curated by Bloc members
Wormhole Saloon III, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. Curated by Joel Cahen
Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne (MAC-VAL) Un dimanche au musée, Paris.
Curated by Frank Lamy , Stephanie Airaud
Car Boot Fair 2006, Old Truman Brewery by Carter Presents, Jamie Robinson, London.
Curated by Ashton and Hayward
Intro out, Xilourgio Mulos Cultural Center, Greece. Official selection
Basement Screen , The Residence, London. Curated by Yu-Chen Wang
Sequence, The SPACE, London. Curated by Mathijs Lieshout and Yu-Chen Wang
2005
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin. Paris Curated by Jean-François Rettig and Nathalie Hénon
West Space, Melbourne. Curated by Robb Kelly
Avanto Festival, Helsinki, Finland. Curated by Anton Nikkilä
Screening Program, Phatspace, Sydney, Australia. Curated by Tsering Frykman-Glen
ARC Biennial, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane, Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly
Sequence, de Rode Bioscoop, Amsterdam. Curated by Yu-Chen Wang
Sheena Macrae, Stephen Palmer & Joe Woodhouse, Waygood Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Remix Suite, This Is Not Art Electrofringe Festival, Newcastle, Australia. Curated by Soda Jerk
Residency Exhibition, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly.
Out of Darkness, Light House Cinema, Wolverhampton, mac Cinema Birmingham, The Old Market Hall
Cinema, Shrewsbury , Metro Cinema Derby. Curated by Paul Rooney
Imaginaria Festival Internazionale di Cinema Libero*, Conversaro, Italy. Official selection *
Awarded Best International Videoart Prize
XXVII Moscow International Film Festival, Moscow. Official selection
25, Exposure Gallery, Swansea, Wales.
Hermeneutic, The Pool, Curated by Jessica Hill.
Dessins D’Artistes A L’Ecole, Institut Universitaire de Mormation de Maitres, Paris Curated by Frank
Lamy and Philippe Coubetergues. (2005-2008)
2004
Critical Home Video, Latitude 53, Edmonton, Alberta. Curated by David Mabb
Winter Fate, Space, Triangle, London. Curated by Erica Scourti.
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Cinémathèque Françise, Paris, France.
Shapeshifters, M-Projects, Edward Mitterand Paris, France. Curated by Anthony Gross
Draw_Drawing, London Biennale, Gallery 32, London. Curated by Giacomo Picca
Cindarella, Workspace Tower Bridge, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
Portabello Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Curated by Portabello Film Festival, J. Barnett
Fleamarket, temporarycontemporary, London. Organised by Anthony Gross
Ready, Steady, Go, Three Colts Gallery, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
2003
The Kiosk, The Physics Room, Christchurch, New Zealand. Curated by Rosemary Ford
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome 3, IPSO Facto, Nantes, France. Curated by Frank Lamy
Critical Home Video, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand. Curated by David Mabb
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome 2, Le Cube, Paris. Curated by Frank Lamy
Flying High, Rm303 Achilles House, Auckland, New Zealand.
Curated by S*W*A*B, Dan Arps and Matt Franks
Shortlisted by Sadie Coles, Sadie Coles HQ for Observer Student Artists of the Year
2002
Critical Home Video, Artspace, Peterborough, Canada. Curated by David Mabb
Mirror, Mirror, Gallery 291, London. Curated by Monica Biagioli
Solid Gold, Vox Populi, Philadelphia, USA. Curated by Matt Suib
Blondes Buy More Peroxide, 1,000,000mph, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome, L’Autra Café, Paris. Curated by Frank Lamy
Blow Up Your TV, York City Art Gallery, York, England. Curated by David Mabb and Janet Hodgson
Eye Jam, Olgilvie Advertising, Canary Wharf, London. Curated by Amy Whitworth, Pernelle Gallery
Portobello Film Festival*, Westbourne Studios, London. Curated by Beth Mears, Bowiearts.
*Nominated for Best Film
Goldsmiths MA Show, Goldsmiths College, London.
Guns and Roses, 86 Brick Lane, London. Curated by Trailer: Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
Back to Mine, Deptford X, London. Curated by Neil Hammond
Portabello Film Festival Video Night, The Clinic, Soho, London. Curated by J. Barnett
Teeth and Trousers, Cell Project Space, Dalston, London. Curated by Richard Priestley and Millie Miritu
Portabello Film Festival, Portabello Festival, London. Curated by J. Barnett
Becks Futures2 Student Film and Video Festival, ICA, London. Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool.
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh. Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle. Sotheby’s, New York.
Insider Trading, Mandlebrot Hotel, London. Curated by Lisa Prior
RESIDENCIES/PUBLICTALKS:
2006
Gertrude Contemporary Art, Studio 18 Residency, Melbourne, Australia
2005
St. Paul’s Gallery, Retro Continuity, Public Talk.
Sydney Moving Image Coalition, Lanfranchi's Memorial Discoteque, Screening/Public Talk Series
Raw Space Artist Talk, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia
Inaugural Residency, Raw Space, Brisbane, Australia
The Elephant Vanishes, University of the Arts, London College of Communication
The Live Programme, Broadway Cinema, Nottingham Trent University, Screening/Public Talk Series
PUBLICATIONS
2005
Flatpack TV by Patricia Ellis, Retro Continuity Pamphlet
Focal 2005, Focal Solo Catalogue
Pressed for time? GWTW in five, Arts Hub Online magazine
Retro Continuity, Urban Junkies Online magazine
2002
MA Show Catalogue
2001
Artfocus Magazine, Volume 9, Issue 2, Teeth & Trousers Review
2001
Tank, Fall Issue 2001, Insider Trading Review
2000
Assembly Show Catalogue
www.sheenamacrae.com
an elemental quality that extracts essence through an economy of time, defracting and
dispersing visual and sonic elements to uncover the formal limits of film language.
Macrae adjusts, redelivers and reworks original film and television footage as if a ‘found’
archive of the familiar, the already known. Her practice of post-production ¬ editing,
acceleration, layering ¬ makes strange the familiar through its structural parts.
Macrae works primarily in film, installation and wall-based work. She addresses and explores
societies¹ fascination with speed, entertainment, information and creating meaning through
popular culture and film language.
She graduated with a BFA from Emily Carr University, Vancouver and a MA in Fine Art from
Goldsmiths College, London. She has recently had a monograph exhibition at Musée d'Art
Contemporain Val-de-Marne, Paris, and solo shows at Centre for Contemporary Photography,
Melbourne, Vzigalica, City Museum, Ljubljana, and shown at Nettie Horn, London, Beaux-arts
de Paris and Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin.
Odyssey
7'00" 2006
In a recent installation at the MAC/VAL Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne in France,
Sheena Macrae's single channel video was reflected into three giant mirrors. This installation
created an infinity chamber of lines, endless stripes extending into the reflected echoing
image, playing with the film’s original desires of sci-fi pseudo speculations of infinity and
eternity.
“The quality of the epic always resides in a single breathless moment. As if the universe were
anchored by sync points, where for just one video frame, one thirtieth of a second, all of its
truths are revealed in fragmented, incomprehensively overwhelming glory. It’s an indefinable
sentiment, expansive beyond language, residing in the intangible realms of the metaphysical.
A place not unlike your tv screen. Perhaps Sheena Macrae is a diviner; her ability to extricate
the essence from the epic is uncanny…Like a drug or a diamond, a screen-size cosmos for
the taking. Ergonomic, perfect, and larger than life.” -- © Patricia Ellis, excerpt from Flatpack
TV, 2005
EDUCATION:
2002 -2000
Goldsmiths College, University of London, Masters of Fine Art
(Post Graduate Studies Scholarship, British Columbia Arts Council)
2000 -1999
Goldsmiths College, University of London, Post Graduate Diploma of Fine Arts
1999 -1997
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, Canada. Bachelor of Fine Arts - Film/Video
(Helen Pitt Scholarship)
1995 -1992
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, Canada. Diploma of Fine Arts - Film/Video
SOLO EXHIBITS:
2006/7
Deux ex Machina Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne (MAC-VAL), Paris, France.
Curated by Frank Lamy
2006
Sheena Macrae, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane, Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly
2005
Dallas, Galleria Huuto, Helsinki, Finland. Curated by Anton Nikkilä
Retro Continuity, St Paul’s Gallery, London. Curated by Dawn Shorten
Focal 2005, Focal Solo, Ruthin Wales.
2004
Dallas, Vox Populi, Philadelphia, USA. Curated by Matt Suib
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS:
2008:
Suffragette City, London
Matt Franks, Sheena Macrae, Richard Ducker, Fieldgate Gallery, London
2007:
New Life and the Dream Garden, Fieldgate Gallery, London
2006
SynCity, Australian Centre for Photography, Australia touring tba. Curated by Mark Titmarsh
Pulsar 2006 Caracas, TBA, Caracas, Venezuela. Curated by Jean-François Rettig and Nathalie Hénon
All The Critics Love You, Loose Projects, commissioned by d/lux/Media Arts, Sydney, Australia.
Curated by Elizabeth Reidy
The Projection Gallery, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool. Curated by Bill Howard
The Suspicion of Beauty: New Romanticism, Basement Art Project.com, Curated by Yu Chen Wang
Bloc Assembly 3, Bloc Gallery, Sheffield. Curated by Bloc members
Wormhole Saloon III, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. Curated by Joel Cahen
Musée d'Art Contemporain Val-de-Marne (MAC-VAL) Un dimanche au musée, Paris.
Curated by Frank Lamy , Stephanie Airaud
Car Boot Fair 2006, Old Truman Brewery by Carter Presents, Jamie Robinson, London.
Curated by Ashton and Hayward
Intro out, Xilourgio Mulos Cultural Center, Greece. Official selection
Basement Screen , The Residence, London. Curated by Yu-Chen Wang
Sequence, The SPACE, London. Curated by Mathijs Lieshout and Yu-Chen Wang
2005
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin. Paris Curated by Jean-François Rettig and Nathalie Hénon
West Space, Melbourne. Curated by Robb Kelly
Avanto Festival, Helsinki, Finland. Curated by Anton Nikkilä
Screening Program, Phatspace, Sydney, Australia. Curated by Tsering Frykman-Glen
ARC Biennial, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane, Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly
Sequence, de Rode Bioscoop, Amsterdam. Curated by Yu-Chen Wang
Sheena Macrae, Stephen Palmer & Joe Woodhouse, Waygood Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Remix Suite, This Is Not Art Electrofringe Festival, Newcastle, Australia. Curated by Soda Jerk
Residency Exhibition, Raw Space Gallery, Brisbane Australia. Curated by Robb Kelly.
Out of Darkness, Light House Cinema, Wolverhampton, mac Cinema Birmingham, The Old Market Hall
Cinema, Shrewsbury , Metro Cinema Derby. Curated by Paul Rooney
Imaginaria Festival Internazionale di Cinema Libero*, Conversaro, Italy. Official selection *
Awarded Best International Videoart Prize
XXVII Moscow International Film Festival, Moscow. Official selection
25, Exposure Gallery, Swansea, Wales.
Hermeneutic, The Pool, Curated by Jessica Hill.
Dessins D’Artistes A L’Ecole, Institut Universitaire de Mormation de Maitres, Paris Curated by Frank
Lamy and Philippe Coubetergues. (2005-2008)
2004
Critical Home Video, Latitude 53, Edmonton, Alberta. Curated by David Mabb
Winter Fate, Space, Triangle, London. Curated by Erica Scourti.
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Cinémathèque Françise, Paris, France.
Shapeshifters, M-Projects, Edward Mitterand Paris, France. Curated by Anthony Gross
Draw_Drawing, London Biennale, Gallery 32, London. Curated by Giacomo Picca
Cindarella, Workspace Tower Bridge, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
Portabello Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Curated by Portabello Film Festival, J. Barnett
Fleamarket, temporarycontemporary, London. Organised by Anthony Gross
Ready, Steady, Go, Three Colts Gallery, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
2003
The Kiosk, The Physics Room, Christchurch, New Zealand. Curated by Rosemary Ford
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome 3, IPSO Facto, Nantes, France. Curated by Frank Lamy
Critical Home Video, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand. Curated by David Mabb
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome 2, Le Cube, Paris. Curated by Frank Lamy
Flying High, Rm303 Achilles House, Auckland, New Zealand.
Curated by S*W*A*B, Dan Arps and Matt Franks
Shortlisted by Sadie Coles, Sadie Coles HQ for Observer Student Artists of the Year
2002
Critical Home Video, Artspace, Peterborough, Canada. Curated by David Mabb
Mirror, Mirror, Gallery 291, London. Curated by Monica Biagioli
Solid Gold, Vox Populi, Philadelphia, USA. Curated by Matt Suib
Blondes Buy More Peroxide, 1,000,000mph, London. Curated by Juan Bolivar
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome, L’Autra Café, Paris. Curated by Frank Lamy
Blow Up Your TV, York City Art Gallery, York, England. Curated by David Mabb and Janet Hodgson
Eye Jam, Olgilvie Advertising, Canary Wharf, London. Curated by Amy Whitworth, Pernelle Gallery
Portobello Film Festival*, Westbourne Studios, London. Curated by Beth Mears, Bowiearts.
*Nominated for Best Film
Goldsmiths MA Show, Goldsmiths College, London.
Guns and Roses, 86 Brick Lane, London. Curated by Trailer: Juan Bolivar and Caroline Brockbank
Back to Mine, Deptford X, London. Curated by Neil Hammond
Portabello Film Festival Video Night, The Clinic, Soho, London. Curated by J. Barnett
Teeth and Trousers, Cell Project Space, Dalston, London. Curated by Richard Priestley and Millie Miritu
Portabello Film Festival, Portabello Festival, London. Curated by J. Barnett
Becks Futures2 Student Film and Video Festival, ICA, London. Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool.
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh. Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle. Sotheby’s, New York.
Insider Trading, Mandlebrot Hotel, London. Curated by Lisa Prior
RESIDENCIES/PUBLICTALKS:
2006
Gertrude Contemporary Art, Studio 18 Residency, Melbourne, Australia
2005
St. Paul’s Gallery, Retro Continuity, Public Talk.
Sydney Moving Image Coalition, Lanfranchi's Memorial Discoteque, Screening/Public Talk Series
Raw Space Artist Talk, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia
Inaugural Residency, Raw Space, Brisbane, Australia
The Elephant Vanishes, University of the Arts, London College of Communication
The Live Programme, Broadway Cinema, Nottingham Trent University, Screening/Public Talk Series
PUBLICATIONS
2005
Flatpack TV by Patricia Ellis, Retro Continuity Pamphlet
Focal 2005, Focal Solo Catalogue
Pressed for time? GWTW in five, Arts Hub Online magazine
Retro Continuity, Urban Junkies Online magazine
2002
MA Show Catalogue
2001
Artfocus Magazine, Volume 9, Issue 2, Teeth & Trousers Review
2001
Tank, Fall Issue 2001, Insider Trading Review
2000
Assembly Show Catalogue
www.sheenamacrae.com
