The systems and structures within which we live contribute to our construction of meaning, fundamentally shaping our thoughts and actions. But we are not merely subjected to these influences; we can also shape and influence them. Julie McCalden’s work brings these complex relationships to the fore, to challenge 'the way things are' and our modes of thinking and behaving.
The systems and structures within which we live contribute to our construction of meaning, fundamentally shaping our thoughts and actions. But we are not merely subjected to these influences; we can also shape and influence them. Julie McCalden’s work brings these complex relationships to the fore, to challenge 'the way things are' and our modes of thinking and behaving.
There are 2 strands to her practice. The first comprises performative actions that gently push against the boundaries of the socially acceptable to challenge learned, shared behaviour. Frequently taking the form of dares, these actions are undertaken with Girl Gang, an amorphous group of women that resists categorisation. The second strand is of site-specific sculpture and immersive spaces that use familiar materials, scale and intensive, unskilled labour processes to question dynamics of power.
McCalden is also a writer, online editor, project manager and mentor working freelance across a range of projects, including Visual Arts South West and a-n. She is also an associate lecturer at UWE.
Selected Exhibitions
06/07/14 – 17/09/14
Revolve:R
Choisi Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland, CH
02/05/14 – 05/05/14
Spike Open Studios
Spike Island, Bristol
13/06/13
Coroners Court, Public Entrance
The Coroners Court, Bristol
28/11/12 – 31/01/13
Canal & River Trust Exhibition
Canal & River Trust & Contemporary Art Society, Gloucester
16/02/12 – 19/02/12
gal.li.mau.fry
Motorcade/FlashParade, Bristol
18/11/11 – 18/12/11
TO PAY RESPECT TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE THREE-MINUTE PUNK-ROCK SONG
Crate Studio and Project Space, Margate
05/11/11
FAZEBUK – asocialnetwork
Galerie Weltraum, Rumfordstr. 26, Munich
10/10/10 – 17/10/10
Smokescreen
Galerie Weltraum, Rumfordstr. 26, Munich
17/09/10 – 16/10/10
D.I.Y
Surface Arts, Warehouse, Water Lane, Exeter
02/07/10 – 25/07/10
From within the Bungalow
In a 1950’s bungalow, Pill
06/06 – 07/06
Year of the Dog, Doggy Day
Ale and Porter Arts, Bradford-upon-Avon
06/06
Chloe Brooks and Julie McCalden (Architecture Week)
Spike Island, Bristol
11/05
The Young Residentials II
LOT, Bristol
Other/self-initiated Exhibitions
07/15 – 08/15
Forthcoming: Exhibition at The Museum of Bath at Work
07/06/13 – 14/16/13
MA Show
Bower Ashton Campus, UWE, Bristol
26/01/12 – 29/01/12
Here Comes Everybody
Motorcade/FlashParade, Bristol
14/10/11 – 16/10/11
BV Open Studios
BV Studios, Phillip Street, Bristol
25/08/11 - 29/08/11
Travel. Agency.
Madescapes, Waring House, Redcliffe Hill, Bristol
19/11/10 – 21/11/10
BV Open Studios
BV Studios, Phillip Street, Bristol
07/10/10 – 29/11/10
Punctuated Space
The Beachcroft Space, Bristol
Performance/Actions
11/10/14
Posing, Girl Gang Dare, various monuments, Bristol
30/08/14
Action #2: How to Ride an Escalator like a Rainbow, Girl Gang Chiang Mai
27/08/14
Action #1: Athletics, Girl Gang Chiang Mai
30/03/14
Liberté, Egalité, Sororité, Girl Gang, undisclosed location, Bristol
24/06/13
Disgust, Girl Gang, undisclosed location, Bristol
04/08/12
Changing Rooms, Departure Lounge dare, IKEA, Manchester
22/07/12
Business Lunch, Girl Gang Dare, Debenhams, Bristol
23/11/11
Shit Fuck, Girl Gang Performance, Ubersong, Chapter, Cardiff
Curatorial
01/06/12 – 03/06/12
Bread & Roses, Motorcade/FlashParade
07/10/10 – 29/11/10
Punctuated Space, The Beachcroft Space, Bristol
Projects
08/2014
Initiated Girl Gang Chiang Mai
02/2014 – Present
Revolve:R - hand-made limited edition bookworks and giclée prints
02/2014 – Present
Reading Group: Art & Politics, Bristol. Part of a-n Re:view bursary project
01/03/11 – Present
Member of Girl Gang
06/2012 – 12/2012
Reading Marx’s Capital, reading group and talks programme, Bristol
01/03/11 - 16/12/12
Director of Motorcade/FlashParade artspace, Bristol
03/08/12 – 04/08/12
Participant in Departure Lounge, Manchester
05/07/10 – 19/11/10
Publicity Committee, BV Open Studios, BV Studios, Bristol
Writing/Publications
21/10/14
ADUK Conference, highlighting the differnces between England and Wales, for a-n
02/10/14
Bristol Biennial: What now? What next?, for a-n
15/09/14
Bristol Biennial: Impressive, radical and artist-led, for a-n
14/07/14
Hauser and Wirth open new arts centre in Somerset, for a-n
04/2014
Review of Rodney Harris’ public art works for New Ceramics
01/2014
The South West Scene, text commissioned by axisweb
26/01/12
Shoulder to Shoulder, text in Here Comes Everybody publication,
Motorcade/FlashParade, Bristol
10/05 – 05/07
Co-founder and editor of InPrint arts and culture magazine
Residencies
04/08/14 – 02/09/14
Surface Arts + Rumpueng Collaborative Residency
19/12/11 – 26/01/12
Collaborative Mini Residency, Motorcade/FlashParade, Bristol
23/08/10 – 17/09/10
Residency, Surface Arts, Exeter
06/05 – 11/05
Residency at LOT, Broadmead, Bristol
Funding/Awards
11/14
Shortlisted for Hardwick Gallery Exhibition
18/07/14
Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts, residency & project with MOBAW
06/14
Shortlisted for Southwest Show Case
10/02/14
Spike Island Studios Project Fund
27/01/14
a-n’s Re:view Bursary for mentoring
9/10/13
Art Party Conference bursary, axisweb
13/9/13
engage bursary; engage international conference 2013
06/13
Shortlisted for Exeter Contemporary Open 2013
10/09/12
Bristol City Council's Creative Seed Fund
08/05/12
Turning Point South West Curatorial Bursary
15/04/12
The Collects’ Spoon Fed micro funding scheme
11/11
Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts, for Motorcade/FlashParade
06/09/11
The Reid Trust, Grant for MA studies
01/10/11
The Sir Richard Stapely Trust, Grant for MA Studies
06/10/10
Spike Associates Project Fund Bursary, Spike Island, Bristol
05/09/10
The Reid Trust, Grant for MA studies
07/06
Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts, InPrint 2nd issue
06/05
The John Hullah Award, 2005, UWE, Bristol
03/05
BIG 2005, solo show, UWE, Spike Island, Bristol
Panels
15/06/13
Selection panel for Unknown Quantity, a Looking Glass exhibition
13/06/12
Selection Panel for M/FP Summer Residency 2012
11/06/12
Selection Panel for TRACE, a Context Arts exhibition
11/03/12
Selection Panel for studio holders at BV Studios
Representation
01/09/14 - present
Co-chair for Spike Studios, Spike Island, Bristol
01/07/13 –31/08/14
Funding Representative for Spike Studios, Spike Island, Bristol
09/10 – 06/11
MA Fine Art Student Representative at UWE, Bristol
Employment
06/14 – present
Communications and Programmes Animateur
a-n, The Artists Information Company
09/13 – present
Associate Lecturer Visual Culture Level 3
Creative Industries, University of the West of England
11/12 – present
Online Editor
Visual Arts South West
2011 – 2012
Junior Fellow for Postgraduate Studies
School of Creative Arts, University of the West of England
Qualifications
2010 – 2013
MA Fine Art
School of Creative Arts, University of the West of England
2002 – 2005
BA (Hons) Art and Visual Culture
Bristol School of Art Media and Design, University of the West of England
