Research Update 2012

Dr Maggie McCormick's research focus is on the relationship between urban consciousness and cultural conceptualisation and how this is evidenced in contemporary art practice. The research forms the basis of publications, presentations, exhibitions and residencies in Australia, Europe and Asia with a current focus on China and Germany.

Current research projects

Skypetrait: transcontinental faces, a research project exploring drawing and portraiture in the public space of Skype to establish new knowledge in relation to identity in an urbanized and digitalized world. The research is undertaken with Professor Henning Eichinger as an inter university project between Art in Public Space, School of Art, RMIT University and Fine Art Conception, School of Textiles & Design, Reutlingen University, Stuttgart Region, Germany and presented in co-operation with the Goethe-Institut Australia. To be exhibited and published in 2013 at the City Library Gallery, Melbourne, Project Space/Spare Room, RMIT University, City Hall, Reutlingen, Stuttgart Region, Germany and produced as a full colour, hard copy publication and on line at ARTE Creative TV (France/Germany) in association with art residencies at Reutlingen University and RMIT University.

Selected recent research publications 2012

‘Urban Practice and the Public Turn’ in Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management, Macneill, K (Ed), Melbourne: The University of Melbourne.

‘AR(chi)Tecture: art, consciousness, architecture’ in Interspaces: Art and Architectural Exchanges from East to West conference proceedings, Marcello, F and White, A (eds), Melbourne: Australian Institute of Art History, The University of Melbourne, 2012.

Forthcoming 2013

‘The Transient City: the City as Urbaness’ in Re-imagining the City: art, globalization and urban space, Grierson, E and Sharp, K (Eds), Bristol, UK: Intellect Books.

Selected recent research conference presentations 2012

‘The Public Turn and Creative Practice’ at Vietnam Digital Design & Creative Industries forum, RMIT University/Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Creative Industries and Innovation, RMIT Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam campus, October 2012.

‘Public Art as Mediator’ at City, Public Art & Ecology forum, Shanghai Expo Center and East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, March 2012.

Current 2011

Chinalian: A cartographic self portrait of imagined and real consciousness and culture
Artist/researcher:
Dr Maggie McCormick























Chinalian is a visual map through which McCormick investigates what it means to be ‘Australian’ in a contemporary connected and urbanised world. The imagery draws on Zheng He’s 15th century navigational maps, a disputed 17th century map, a painting of the Ming Dynasty Yongle Emperor (Zhu Di), together with contemporary maps, texts and photographs taken by McCormick in Beijing while on a Red Gate Gallery residency. The fragmented montage incorporating photography, text and drawing references the review and re-assemblage of difference to create new cultural maps. This visual research draws on her ongoing research into the relationship between contemporary art practice and urbanisation, urban consciousness and contemporary cultural concepts.

In Gateway: Context, translation, place & displacement, a Meridians Project, 15 April – 23 May 2011, exhibition at the Museum of Australian Chinese History, Melbourne.

Researchers/artists from RMIT University, Melbourne and the East China Normal University, Shanghai, building on a first exhibition held in Shanghai, May 2010.

Dr Maggie McCormick

Curriculum Vitae

Qualifications
• PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, 2009.
• MFA (Master of Fine Art), School of Art, RMIT University, 2004.
• Bachelor of Education. State College of Victoria, 1979.

Current employment
• RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Course Coordinator, Major Research Project and Presentation, Master of Art (Art in Public Space) at the School of Art.
• The University of Melbourne, Australia. Tutor, at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning and at the School of Culture and Communication.

Selected awards, grants and residencies
• Red Gate Gallery RES ARTIS residency, Beijing. Awarded 2006.
• APA (Australian Post Graduate Award) to undertake a PhD. Awarded 2005.
• Melbourne Abroad Traveling Scholarship, The University of Melbourne. Awarded 2006.
• Short listed, Sieman’s Fine Art Scholarship, RMIT. Selected 2004.
• NSW Ministry for the Arts studio residency, Gunnery Studios, Sydney. Awarded 1999.
 
Selected published & presented papers• "Public Art as Mediator" in City, Public Arts & Ecology forum, Shanghai Expo Center and East China Normal University, Shanghai, March 2012.
• “Public Curating: moments in time and space” in The Curator in the Academy, edited by David Forrest. Melbourne Scholastic Publishing 2010.
• “AR(chi)Tecture: art, consciousness, architecture” paper presented at the Interspaces. Art + Architecture. Exchanges from East to West conference, The University of Melbourne, August 2010.
• “melbourneconnectionasia: transition from translation to transformation” chapter in Outer Site: the international art projects of RMIT Public Art. McCulloch & McCulloch 2010.
• “ Art + Urban, Transient, Mondiale Space” paper presented at Architects for Peace, Art + Social Space forum, RMIT University, June 2010.
• PhD thesis “The Transient City: mapping urban consciousness through contemporary art practice” Unpublished thesis, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, 2009.
• Chrysalis, Elisabeth Weissensteiner 2003-2009 introduction in catalogue, 2009.
• “The Transient City: consciousness and culture” paper presented at Art & Globalization: Urban Futures and Aesthetic Relations symposium, Global Cities Research Institute, RMIT University, 2009.
• “The Transient City”, Visions of the City panel, paper presented at the Melbourne Conference on China: 60 years of the People’s Republic of China, Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne, 2009.
• “The Transient City” paper presented at the Architecture + Philosophy series, RMIT University, Melbourne, 2008.
• “Suitcases, Maps, Wolves and Glass Walls: mapping urban consciousness and reflecting on gender asymmetry in contemporary art” in UNESCO Observatory e-journal, vol. 1, 2007.
• “A Tale of Two Tattoos: emerging cultural flows in and out of China” paper presented at the Architecture in the Space of Flows conference, Newcastle University, UK, 2007.
• “A Tale of Urban Tattoos: mapping urban consciousness through contemporary art” paper presented at Städtische Galerie, in association with Spendhaus Museum of Fine Art and Reutlingen University, Germany, 2007.
• “Dashanzi, Beijing: a tale of two tattoos” in Sense of Place, ABP Essay Competition (Third Prize), The University of Melbourne, published on line, 2006.
• “heretherebetweentherehere” in Home Alchemy catalogue, Yvonne Kendall and Henning Eichinger, Wilhelm-Fabry-Museum Hilden, Germany, 2006.
• “Translating Ideas” in melbourneconnectionasia catalogue, published by urbanart, 2003.
• “Globalisation” in Experimenta Media Arts, Mesh 14, on line journal, 2002.
• “Global Fusion” in Global Fusion catalogue, in collaboration with Claudia-Maria Luenig, and published by urbanart, 2002.
• “private, public, private” in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, vol. 1, no. 2, 2000.
• “Watch This Space” in Waterfronts of Art. Art for Social Facilitation, University of Barcelona, on line journal, 1999.
• “Kultural Kommuting. Melbourne/Berlin” in Artlink: The Big Pond, Australian Artists Overseas, vol. 18, no. 4, 1998.

Selected solo exhibitions
• The Transient City. Fortyfivedownstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne, 2007.
• Sighted in Shanghai. Metrolite public posters in transport shelters, Melbourne, 2004.
• The Taste of Red. Mass Gallery, Melbourne, 2000.
• Art/ectural. West Space Gallery, Melbourne, 1997.
• http://www.in.form/ed/ Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, 1996.

Other selected exhibitions
• Bristol International Postal Art Project, February 2010. Curator Helen Allsebrook, Centre of Fine Print research, University of Western England, UK.
• WIYIM (what is yours is mine) public work in collaboration with Charles Rocco in public poster format as part of Moving Galleries: transformations, June 2009.
• I See, I Site, I Sight. Two Lines Gallery, Beijing, 2006. Three person exhibition with Elisabeth Weissensteiner and Tony Scott. Gallery curator Li Gang.
• Global Fusion Close Up, Palais Porcia, Vienna, 2006. Group exhibition. Curators Claudia-Maria Luenig and Maggie McCormick.
• Wandering Between the Worlds: Ten Artists Between Austria and Australia, Kunstlerhaus, Vienna 2005. Curator Elisabeth Weissensteiner.
• Siemans Fine Art Scholarships Exhibition (short listed). RMIT Gallery at Storey Hall, Melbourne, 2004.
• Graduates Exhibition (selected). Dickerson Gallery, Melbourne, 2004.
• Egremont: A Show in a Suitcase. Galerie Arcade, Vienna, 2002. Curator Elisabeth Weissensteiner.
• Nü Horizons. Australian national tour. Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, Manningham Gallery, Melbourne, and Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney, 2003/2004. Curator Elizabeth James.
• Strategic (Re)Placement, Soho in Ottakring, Vienna, 2003. Curator Claudia-Maria Luenig.
• Nü Horizons - Australian Women Artists in China. Hangzou Academy of Fine Art and Donghua University Shanghai, China, 2002. Curator Elizabeth James. Funded by Arts Victoria.
• Celebrating the Exquisite Corpse. Travelling group exhibition opening at Bendigo Regional Gallery 2001. Curator Anonda Bell.
• DIY, artists and ARIs (artist run initiatives), School of Design Gallery, Monash University, Melbourne. Curated by Malcom Bywaters.

Selected curatorial work
urbanart projects: concept and coordination
• Global Fusion Close Up. Twenty-two photo based artists from Australia, Europe and Eastern Europe. Exhibitions held in public locations and galleries in Melbourne and Vienna, including Palais Porcia, 2005/2006. Co curated with Claudia-Maria Luenig.
• melbourneconnectionasia. Forty artists from Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Manila, Yogyakarta, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo exhibiting in Melbourne transport shelters and at the City Library Gallery, Melbourne, 2003/2004.
• Global Fusion. Forty two artists from Australia/Asia and Europe/Eastern Europe exhibiting at Palais Porcia and Wienstation in Vienna with an associated forum, 2002. Co curated with Claudia-Maria Luenig.
• Melbourne Vox Pops. An exploration of the city's identity through Global People, Family People, Community People and Public People, posters exhibited in transport shelters, Melbourne, 2002.
• Melbourne Up Close. Thirty seven emerging photographers, Photography Studies College, exhibited in tram shelters and at the Open Space Gallery, with an associated forum, 2001.
• ideas/in/transition. A series of exhibitions in the Public Office stairwell and tram shelters on the City Circle Tram route though out 2000. @ global city. Final exhibition in the series including forty three artist from fifty four cities.
• Kultural Kommuting. An year long public project pairing up eighteen artists in Melbourne and Berlin, exhibited at Platform, a subway exhibition space, and Bus Stop Art, Melbourne, and Galerie Treppenhaus, Berlin,1998. Co curated with Claudia-Maria Luenig.

Forerunners to urbanart: curatorial concept and coordination
• cityartpublicspace. Temporary Public Art Program of the City of Melbourne in non traditional showing venues including vacant shop fronts, first floor windows, transport shelters and a twelve storey vacant office building, Exhibitions changed monthly. 1993-1999.
• No Vacancy temporary galleries. Melbourne. Regularly changing exhibition program in up to nine vacant shop fronts. Initiated together with the National Association for the Visual Arts and the City of Melbourne 1991-1994.