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biography
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John Vella was born in Sydney in 1969 and since 1996 has lived in Hobart with his wife Sonia and daughter Sophia Lucia. Since dropping out of architecture in 1988, he has travelled the world, served as a waiter, labourer and telemarketer, loaded trucks, worked in a phone book factory, completed a DipFA with Distinction at the National Art School Sydney, a BFA (Hons) first class and an MFA, at the Tasmanian School of Art, Hobart.
John has developed independent and collaborative artistic projects, that have been exhibited (and reviewed) locally and nationally over the last 15 years. He has been a guest lecturer at a number of tertiary institutions and has served on the Contemporary Art Services Tasmania Board. In addition to having been awarded 3 major competitive commissions through the Art for Public Building Scheme (APBS) he has been the recipient of significant, competitive grants from Arts Tasmania and the Australia Council. His work is held in a number of public and private collections.
Vella lectured in Painting and Drawing at the Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania, from 1998-2000 and was recently appointed to the University as the Acting Head of Sculpture.
John Vella is represented by Criterion Gallery, Hobart.
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selected solo exhibitions
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| 2010 |
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HANGBANG, CAST Gallery, Hobart |
| 2009 |
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permissiontosit, Criterion Gallery, Hobart |
| 2006 |
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Fume, Devonport Regional Gallery Solo Commission Project, Devonport |
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Bath (yet to be acquired), Criterion Gallery, Hobart |
| 2005 |
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Inklein, Criterion Gallery, Hobart |
| 2004 |
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Apartment, curated by David O'Halloran, Melbourne |
| 2002 |
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Product Lines, Academy Gallery, Launceston |
| 2001 |
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On Loan from a Private Collection, Bett Gallery, Hobart |
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Going Off, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra |
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selected recent mixed exhibitions
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| 2010 |
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Karsten Schubert Photographic Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery |
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Because I?m Lucky, (with Elvis Richardson), Conical Inc. Gallery, Melbourne |
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New Acquisitions Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart |
| 2009 |
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I Walk the Line: New Australian Drawing, Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Sydney, curated by Christine Morrow |
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Portraits and Architecture, National Portrait Gallery Canberra, curated by Christopher Chapman |
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Finalist, City of Hobart Art Prize, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart |
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TRUST (Clarendon Estate), Tasmania (Ten Days on the Island), curated by Noel Frankham |
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SRL (Stigma Research Lab), in collaboration with UTAS School of Sociology and CAST various venues, curated by Michael Edwards and Sean Kelly |
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Group Action Four, Criterion Gallery, Hobart |
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Spatial Origami, In collaboration with the UTAS School of Architecture, and architect Chris Bosse, Tasmania (Ten Days on the Island) |
| 2008 |
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Ecchymosis, Criterion Gallery, Hobart |
| 2007 |
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MADE PUBLIC, curated by Paula Silva, Carnegie Gallery, Hobart |
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New Deities, curated by Catherine Wolfhagen, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart |
| 2007 |
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Nourish, curated by Zara Stanhope, CAST Gallery, Hobart |
| 2006 |
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Subpoena, with Louise Hubbard, Conical Inc., curated by Adrien Allen Melbourne |
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Partnership or Perish, curated by Margaret Baguley, Academy Gallery, Launceston |
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Object, curated by Ellie Ray, Devonport Regional Gallery, Devonport |
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Come with Me, Royal Botanical Gardens, curated by James Newitt, Hobart. |
| 2005 |
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Rhapsody 21C: Tasmanian Contemporary Art, curated by Malcom Bywaters, Academy Gallery, Launceston. |
| 2004 |
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Free Time, curated by Philip Watkins, CAST Gallery, Hobart |
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Riverine Sculpture Exhibition, Werribee Park, Melbourne |
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Interpreting 2004, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart |
| 2003 |
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Melbourne International Arts Festival, Melbourne curated by Robyn Archer in consultation with Juliana Engberg |
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Finalist: The Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, Werribee Park, Melbourne |
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Haven, curated by Kevin Murray, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart /Craft Victoria Melbourne / Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie (2004) |
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Bodybag - Somewhere over the rainbow. curated by Malcom Bywaters, Academy Gallery |
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selected articles and reviews
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| 2009 |
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I Walk the Line: New Australian Drawing, Art & Australia, Vol 47 No. 1 Spring, CRAIG JUDD |
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SRL: Stigma Research Laboratory, Artlink, vol 29 No. 3, ANDREW HARPER |
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SCAPE, Landscape Architecture Australia, August 09, pp.36-38, JUDITH ABELL |
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I Walk the Line: New Australian Drawing, Sydney Morning Herald, JOHN MCDONALD |
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Ten Days on the Island, Art Monthly June issue, pp. 22-25, DANIEL THOMAS |
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The sound of many hands clapping, Artlink, vol 29. No.2, pp 11-13, STEPHANIE RADOK |
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John Vella, permissiontosit, Gallery Guide, PHILIP WATKINS |
| 2008 |
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Commissions in Brief, Sculpture (USA publication) vol. 27, no.7 September, p.27, ELIZABETH LYNCH |
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Lifelines and Graduate Gallery, Artichoke vl. 23, pp. 89-92, JUDITH ABELL |
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SCAPE, featured on Stateline, ABC TV |
| 2007 |
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STUDIO:, Australian Painters on the Nature of Creativity, JOHN MCDONALD (book & DVD) |
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New Deities, Artlink vol 27 no.3, Briony Downes |
| 2006 |
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Commissions (Internationally juried public art commissions), Sculpture (USA publication) vol. 25 no. 8 October, pp.18.19, LAURA DILLON |
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FUME, Artlink, vol. 26 #4, p.117, JANE DEETH |
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Subpoena, Art around the galleries, A2 The Age, Nov 11, MEGAN BACKHOUSE |
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Subpoena, Visual Arts, Preview The Age, Nov 5, PENNY WEBB |
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Beyond the Big City, Art Gallery Guide, Nov/Dec, pp.14-15, ANDREW MACKENZIE |
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Silicone Wonder, Urbis (New Zealand), issue 33, pp.54-55, MELINDA WILLIAMS |
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Control-Shift, State of the Arts, p.81, ADAM HADDOW |
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Art Attacks, Good Weekend: Sydney Morning Herald / The Age, pp. 221-223, JOHN MACDONALD |
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Too Cool for School, Silicone Valley, Black + White, Special Issue 83 March 06, p.123, NICK DENT |
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Silicone Valley, Artichoke 14, pp.111-113, JUDITH ABELL |
| 2005 |
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Silicone Valley, Architectural Review (ar) 095 …andscape, pp.26-28, PHILIP WATKINS |
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Apartment, BroadSheet, vol 33 no 4, Feb, pp.44-45, ANDREW GAYNOR |
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inklein, Photofile 75: Spring 05, pp.71-72, CELIA LENDIS |
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Free time, Photofile 73: Summer 05, p.77, STEPHEN RAINBIRD |
| 2004 |
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… Visual Arts in Regional Australia, Craft Arts International 61, pp 68-74 JONATHAN HOLMES |
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Product Lines / Inklein artist page, Artlink, vol 24 #2, pp38-39 |
| 2003 |
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Placemats: a series of fundamental floors, Photofile 69: August 03, p.77, PHILIP WATKINS |
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Ten Days on the Island with Tasmanian Art, Art Monthly #159, May, pp32-34, DANIEL THOMAS |
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Border Crossings, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Spectrum) June 14-15, pp. 12-13, PETER HILL |
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Mixing Perception with Space: Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, The Age: The Culture Review, March 26, p. 6, ROBERT NELSON |
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The Divine Essentials, Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, The Weekend Australian Review, March 29-30, p.17, SUSAN MCCULLOCH |
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Out of the Gothic and into the Blue, Artlink vol 23 #1, p.60, KEVIN MURRAY |
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What Queue?, Artlink vol 23 #1, pp.66-67, MERRYN GATES |
| 2002 |
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Product Lines, BroadSheet, vol 31 no 4, Dec, p.26, SEAN KELLY |
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Cut Outs and Cardboard, Artichoke, 01/02, pp. 112-113, HELEN NORRIE |
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Product Lines, Monument 53, Dec/Jan 02/03, p.93, GERARD REINMUTH |
| 2001 |
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Touching From a Distance, exh. cat., essay by JULIE-ANN HALL |
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Art’s more fun with sea and sun, The Sydney Morning Herald, November 7, p.25, ANNE LOXLEY |
| 1999 |
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Undiscovered, unmasked: Artists for a new millennium, Australian Art and Collector Magazine, April-June pp33-40, EDWARD COLLESS |
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grants and awards
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| 2009 |
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UTAS Teaching Development Grant, UTAS Community Engagement Grant (part of team / SRL / HACRU) |
| 2003 |
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New Work Grant (established), Australia Council / Artsbridge Grant, Arts Tasmania |
| 2002 |
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Arts/ Events Grant, Arts Industry Grant, Arts Tasmania |
| 2001 |
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Pat Corrigan Artists’ Grant |
| 2000 |
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New Work Grant (emerging), Australia Council |
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public art commissions
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| 2007/8 |
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S C A P E, Hydro Consulting, Cambridge, Hobart
(International collaboration with Scottish artist Stephen Hurrel) |
| 2007 |
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Lifelines, Graduate Gallery, Royal Hobart Hospital |
| 2005 |
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Silicone Valley, Rose Bay High School, Tasmania. |
| 2004 |
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Coles Old World, Coles Sandy Bay, Tasmania. |
| 2002 |
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Munch Boxes, Clarence Dental Clinic, Tasmania. |
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curatorial projects
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| 2010 |
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ONLINE (fishing), Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart |
| 2009 |
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ONALOG, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart |
| 2008 |
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ONAROLL, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart |
| 2005 |
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Acidophilus, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart |
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refereed / published papers
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| 2009 |
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Remote control: Frangibility and the art of blood letting the permanent, presented at ACUADS Conference, Sydney |
| 2007 |
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Site Specificity, The Local And The Faking Of Belonging, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart |
| 2006 |
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Beauty as the beast: creativity, the exotic and the dark side of desirability, refereed / published paper presented at ACUADS Conference, Melbourne |
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Trailertrashed: Detritus inspired strategies for interrogating place, paper presented at Senses of Place, Conference, Hobart also published in Island Magazine |
| 2005 |
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Monumentalities: public art and the culture of civic branding, refereed / published paper presented at ACUADS Conference, Perth |
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represented in
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Artbank |
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University of NSW |
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Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery |
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Private and corporate collections |
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