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ALEX OLSON
(b. 1978, lives in Los Angeles)
EDUCATION
2008 MFA, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2001 BA, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 Crooner, Altman Siegel, San Francisco, CA
2015 Laura Bartlett Gallery, London, UK
Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
2013 Interior Address: Paintings by Alex Olson (Notes by M. Malliaris), Shane Campbell Gallery, Lincoln Park, IL
Bravo Zebra, Laura Bartlett Gallery, London, UK
2012 Palmist and Editor, Lisa Cooley, New York, NY
Selected Coats, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
2010 As a Verb, As a Noun, In Peach and Silver, Lisa Cooley, New York, NY
2009 The Mandrake, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Exteriors, &, Apartment 2, Los Angeles, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017 Slip Cover, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
PS8, PLAySPACE CCA Hubbell Street Galleries, San Francisco, CA
Fickle Food Upon A Shifting Plate, Studio_Leigh, London
Of a Well-Sucked Apricot Pit, Tif Sigfrids, Los Angeles, CA
Mary Mary, Glasgow, UK
2016 Breather, Laura Bartlett Gallery, London, UK
The Ocular Bowl, Kayne Griffin Corcoran, Los Angeles, CA
Will and Be Going To, Altman Siegel, San Francisco, CA
2014 Variations: Conversations in and Around Abstract Painting, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Reductive Minimalism: Two Generations of Women Artists in Dialogue 1960-2014, curated by Erica Barrish,
University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI
2013 The Museum of Public Fiction, Los Angeles, CA
Tenth Anniversary Show, Wallspace, New York, NY
Murmurs: Recent Contemporary Acquisitions, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Painter, Painter, curated by Eric Crosby and Bartholomew Ryan, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
The Stand In (Or a Glass of Milk), curated by Alexandra Gaty and Lauren Mackler, Public Fiction, Los Angeles, CA
2012 Made in LA 2012, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Verena Dengler, Ellen Gronemeyer, Helena Huneke, Alex Olson, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
Today, Lisa Cooley, New York
Jessica Dickinson, Liam Everett, Alex Olson, Josh Smith, Garth Weiser, Altman Siegel Gallery, San Francisco
2011 Laura Bartlett Gallery, London, UK
No Swan So Fine, curated by Joanna Fiduccia, Michael Benevento Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Drawing, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
No Barrier Fun, Lisa Cooley, New York, NY
Rental Gallery, New York, NY
Contemporary Topics in Painting Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, CA
2009 Don’t Perish, Leo Koenig Inc. Projekte, New York, NY
To the Left of the Rising Sun, Small A Projects, Greenwich, NY
Joe Bradley, Mario Correa, Allison Miller, Alex Olson, Redling Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Alex Olson and Lisa Williamson, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
Thunk, Khastoo Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Extra, Extra! China Art Objects, Los Angeles, CA
Boofthle Booth - Booth : Deux / The Hollywood Biennale, Pauline, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Mr. Reverse Psychology, Norma Desmond Projects, Los Angeles, CA
We Need A New Object, CalArts Graduation Show, Acuna Hansen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
New Insight, Art Chicago, Chicago, IL
As if This Land Were Yours, Eveningside Drive, Val Verde, CA
MFA Mid-Residency Show, Galleries at CalArts, Valencia, CA
2007 The Juice Is Loose, 507 Rose Gallery, Venice, CA
Exquisite Acts and Everyday Rebellions, CalArts, Valencia, CA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2017 Griffin, Jonathan. “Blind Faith.” Cultured. Feb./Mar.: 116-117.
2016 Griffin, Jonathan. “Review: The Ocular Bowl.” Frieze, Apr. 2016.
Hudson, Suzanne. “The Ocular Bowl, Kayne Griffin Corcoran.” Artforum. Summer.
Osberg, Annabel. “Kayne Griffin Corcoran: The Ocular Bowl.” Artillery Magazine. May 19. Web.
Pagel, David. “Critic’s Choice: The Ocular Bowl.” Los Angeles Times, Apr. 2016.
Muenzer, David. “The Ocular Bowl.” Artforum, Apr. 2016.
Wagley, Catherine. “A Maniacal Cartoon Cobra Slithers Into a Mid-Wilshire Gallery.” LA Weekly. May 18. Web.
2015 Olson, Loren ed. Feelings: Soft Art. “Alex Olson Talks to Alex Olson.” Skira Rizzoli.
Stern, Jamie. “Summer Colors: Jesse Wine at Limoncello, Alex Olson at Laura Bartlett Gallery. ARTnews.com, Aug.
10.
Stryker, Mark. “U-M museum showcases 2 generations of women minimalists.” Detroit Free Press. Jan. 4.
2014 Berardini, Andrew. "The empty-handed painter from your streets is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets."
Mousse, Mar. 2014: pp. 204-212.
Weingarten, Lea. "Creative License: Lea Weingarten." Luxe Magazine, Spring 2014: pp. 148-149.
Hudson, Suzanne. "Openings: Alex Olson." Artforum, Oct. 2014: pp. 268-269.
2013 Thomas, Jonathan. “Painter Painter: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA.” Frieze, Issue 156, Summer.
Crosby, Eric and Bathrolomew Ryan. Painter Painter: Notes for an Exhibition. Exhibition brochure. Minneapolis:
Walker Art Center. pp. 22-23.
West Branch, Number 72, Winter. Cover. Lewisburgh, Pennsylvania: Bucknell University.
Grabner, Michelle. "Surface Exchange." Alex Olson. London: Laura Bartlett Gallery.
2012 Travaglini, Cristina and Eric Crosby. “’Painter Painter’ interview by Cristina Travaglini.”
Kaleidoscope, Issue 17, Nov.: pp. 128-135.
Jones, Kristen M. “Alex Olson.” Frieze, Issue 151, Nov.: pp. 172.
Crosby, Eric. “Remarks on Surface: An Interview with Alex Olson.” Walker Art Center Blog, Oct. 5, 2012.
Holte, Mihael Ned. “Made in L.A. 2012.” Artforum, Oct.
Coburn, Tyler. “Made in L.A.” ArtReview, Issue 61, Sept.: pp. 137.
Moon, Lesley. “Alex Olson.” Made in L.A. 2012. Exhibition catalogue. Los Angeles: Hammer
Museum in collaboration with LAXART.
Abrams, Amy and Christine Y Kim. “Christine Y Kim.” Art in America, June.
Griffin, Jonathan. “Alex Olson.” Frieze Art Fair Yearbook 2011-2012. ed. Sam Phillips. London: Frieze.
2011 Fiduccia, Joanna and Michael Ned Holte, in conversation. “These Memories Can’t Wait.”
Kaleidoscope, Issue 09, winter 2010-11: pp. 50-55.
Schultz, Charlie. “Meme: Abstract Los Angeles.” Modern Painters, May.
Tang, Jo-ey. “The Potential of Twist Ties Remains Elusive.” PaperMonument.com. Jan.
2010 “Alex Olson.” Portfolio. ANPQuarterly, Vol. 2, Issue 5: pp. 68-75.
Gartenfeld, Alex. “Surface Tension.” Interview, Aug.: pp. 47.
Nelson, Arty. “Abstract L.A.” Slake, Issue 1: pp. 115.
Olson, Alex. “Coco.” Matisse, Issue 1, ed. Carter Mull and Jesse Willenbring: pp. 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9.
Petrovich, Dushko. “Early Autumn Orchard: Alex Olson.” PaperMonument.com, Sept.
Smith, Roberta. “Varieties of Abstraction.” New York Times, Aug. 6: pp. C21.
Sutphin, Eric. “The Grammar of the Grid.” ArtCritical.com, Sept. 30.
2009 Gunn, Dan. “Artists in Analog.” Artslant, Nov. 16.
Holte, Michael Ned. “Boofthle Booth - Booth : Deux / The Hollywood Biennale.” Artforum, Apr.
Pagel, David. “’Thunk’ Delivers Some Artful Funk.” Los Angeles Times, July 3: pp. D10-D11.
Weinberg, Lauren. “Alex Olson and Lisa Williamson.” Time Out Chicago, Dec. 31.
2008 Berardini, Andrew. “Notes From the Underground,” LA CityBeat, Sept. 18.
“New Insight,” Art Chicago catalogue.
Weissman, Benjamin, ed. Beyond the Valley of the Ultra, CalArts MFA publication: Canada.
AWARDS
2011 Steep Rock Arts Residency
2010 Nancy Graves Foundation Grant
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Los Angeles Country Museum of Art
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis