Teaching and Research Profile
Anthony Downey has been teaching on the MA in Contemporary Art at Sotheby's Institute of Art - London for eight years. He was appointed Programme Director in 2006. Prior to his current teaching role, he lectured at Goldsmiths College and Birkbeck College (both University of London).
Since joining the Institute, Anthony has completed his PhD and is currently researching a book on ethics, politics and aesthetics (in preparation) and the production of knowledge in contemporary art (forthcoming, 2010).
He sits on the Editorial Board of
Third Text and writes for a number of publications including
Aperture (New York),
Flash Art, Third Text, Brumaria, and
Wasafiri. He has recently completed essays on Relational Aesthetics, human rights, Teresa Margolles and the ethics of commemoration, contemporary Iranian Art, identity politics, and the aesthetics of the real in contemporary art.
He has selected a number of his recent publications and conference papers below. Some of these are linked to PDFs.
*=forthcoming
Books
*Aesthetics, Ethics, and Politics: Art as Process and Event (in preparation)
Chapters in Books
The Lives of Others: Artur Zmijewski’s ‘Repetition’ and the Aesthetics of Surveillance’, in Conspiracy Dwellings: Surveillance in Contemporary Art, Edited by Outi Remes and Pam Skelton (Cambridge Scholars Press: Cambridge, forthcoming 2010)
‘Diasporic Communities and Global Networks: The Contemporaneity of Iranian Art Today’, in Different Sames: New Perspectives in Contemporary Iranian Art (Thames and Hudson: London, forthcoming 1 April 2009), ISBN-10: 0954508343
‘Practice and Theory’, Anthony Downey in Conversation with Yinka Shonibare, in Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art: A Sourcebook of Artist’s Writings (revised ed.), edited by Kristine Stiles and Peter Selz (University of California Press: California:, 2009).
‘The Burden of Representation: Contemporary Visual Arts in the Middle East’, in Representing Islam: Comparative Perspectives, in preparation.
‘Selling Contemporary Art and Used Cars: Art and Value’, in Art Business, ed. by Derek Chong and Iain Robertson, (Routledge: London, 2007).
‘The Afterlife of the Corpse: Teresa Margolles and the Ethics of Commemoration’, in Understanding Art Works (Lund Humphries: London, 2009), pp. tbc
Journal Essays
* 'Zones of Indistinction: Giorgio Agamben’s “Bare Life” and the Ethics of Aesthetics’ Third Text, issue 97, spring 2009, pp. tbc
*’At the Limits of the Image: Representations of Torture in Popular Culture’, Brumaria, 10, Spring 2009, pp. tbc.
* What was Lost: Manifesta 7 and the Soul of Modernity, Third Text, vol. 22, issue 6, 2009, pp.787-790.
‘Towards a Politics of (Relational) Aesthetics’, Third Text, issue 86, vol. 21, no. 3. May 2007.
‘Belatedness All Over Again: The African Pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennial’, Third Text, Vol. 21, Issue 6, November, 2007, pp. 781–785.
‘Light(en) Up: the Centrum fur Licht Kunst’, Art and Architectural Journal, Spring issue , 2007.
‘Yto Barrada, “A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project” ’, Third Text, vol. 20, Issue 5, (Routledge, 2006), 617-626.
‘Critical Imperatives : Notes on Contemporary Art Criticism and African Cultural Production’, Wasafiri, no. 47, (Routledge, 2006).
Steve McQueen, Journal Of Visual Culture, Vol. 5, no 1. April 2006. ISSN 1470-1429.
‘Curating Africa: ‘Africa Remix’ and the Categorical Dilemma’, Wasafiri, no. 46, winter 2005.
‘Kara Walker: Grub For Sharks — A Concession for the Negro Populace’, Third Text, issue 73, vol. 19, no. 2, (March, 2005), pp. 203-205.
‘The Spectacular Difference of Documenta 11’, Third Text, Issue 62, 2003.
Conferences and Symposia
*Chairperson, Artist’s Roundtable Discussion, Tate Britain Triennial Conference: Global Modernities, Tate Britain 14th March 2009.
* Thresholds of a Coming Community: Aesthetics, Ethics, and Politics, Art History and Its Global Provinces AAH 2009 Annual Conference, Manchester University 2-4 April.
The Lives of Others: Artur Zmijewski’s ‘Repetition’ and the Aesthetics of Surveillance, Art and Espionage, SocialEast: Forum on the Art and Visual Culture of Eastern Europe, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, Febraruy 26, 2009
Discerning the Indiscernible: Contemporary Art and Ethics. ‘Zones of Conflict: Rethinking Contemporary Art in a time of Global Conflict, Tate Modern, 29-30 November, 2008
‘At the Limits of the Image: Representations of Torture in Popular Culture’, Symposium on Iconoclasm and Iconolatry. Image, terrorism and blindness at CENDEAC, Murcia, Spain, 14-14 October 2008.
'Documenting Disappearance', London School of Economics, May 15th, 2008 www.lse.ac.uk
‘And I Bring Back Untold Treasures: The Curator As Artistic Importer’, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 14th May.
‘The Burden of Representation: Contemporary Visual Arts in the Middle East’ , Representing Islam: Comparative Perspectives, Manchester University, 5-6 September 2008
‘Emerging Contemporary Art Markets: Iran’, London Business School, May 30th 2008-05-22
‘Critical Imperatives: Africa Remix and the Curatorial Dilemma’, Programme in Museum Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, April 8th 2008.
‘Beyond Identity Politics: Excessive Identities in the work of Yinka Shonibare, Aimé Ntakiyika, and Samuel Fosso’, Diasporic Bodies and Visual Culture, Department of the History of Art and Visual Studies, Cornell University, April 12th, 2008
‘Time Was When’: Duration in the Work of Zarina Bhimji, Yto Barrada, Fatou Kande Senghor, and Allan deSouza’. International Conference on Time and Photography, Leuven and Louvain-La-Leuve, 13th March-15th March, 2008.
‘Yto Barrada and the Politics of Aesthetics, Colour Photography: From Autochrome to Cibachrome, Courtauld Institute, November 10th 2007
‘James Joyce and the Politics of Mimicry’, 11th Annual Trieste Joyce School, Tieste July 2007.
‘Re-Presenting Contemporary Photography’, Royal Academy Schools, PhotoLondon May 17th, 2006
‘Naming the Place: Photography and Contemporary Art’, Royal Academy Schools, PhotoLondon May 20th, 2006.
‘Fantasy: Brian Griffiths, Chad McCail and Saskia Olde Wolbers’, British Art Talks Tate Britain, February 8th , 2006
‘Dubliners’, XIX International James Joyce Symposium, Dublin ( June,2004).
SKIN: texture/textuality/word/image conference at University of London, ( April 13-15 2004).
‘Countering Douglas Hyde: “Bad Books” and imitations in “An Encounter”’, Invited paper for XIX International James Joyce Symposium. Paper title (Dublin, June, 2004).
‘Doubling All the Time: Mimicry in “Dubliners”’. Symposium paper for XVIII International James Joyce Symposium, Trieste 2002.
Invited Public Talk with Panel Chairman for “Post-Colonialist Joyce” at XVIII International James Joyce Symposium, Trieste 2002
Committee member and local organiser of XVII International James Joyce Symposium, Goldsmiths College, London June 2000
Interviews
Setting the Stage: Yinka Shonibare in Conversation with Anthony Downey’, in Yinka Shonibare MBE, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, October 2008.
‘Arlene Gottfried: Midnight’, Space Gallery, London PLUK (London), no. 25, June/July 2005.
Isaac Julien, Untitled, issue 31, spring 2004
Interview, “Fabrications and Fabulations: An Interview with Yinka Shonibare”, BOMB Magazine, New York, Fall issue 2005
Grace Ndiritu and ‘Responsible Tourism’, Chisenhale Gallery, London, March 15th, 2007.
Ian Davenport, Warwick University, February 1st 2006
Francesca Bonami, ‘Universal Eye’, Hayward Gallery, London, October 7th 2005.
Steve McQueen in conversation, South London Gallery, London (November 4th 2004).
Christian Boltanski, South London Gallery, April 2nd 2002.
Exhibition Catalogue Essays
‘Neither Here Nor There: 5 Artists on Time’, Agency Gallery Publications (London/A61 (Koln), February 2008.
‘Globalized Sites/Localized Concerns: Middle Eastern Art Today’, Contemporary Middle Eastern and Iranian Art Sale (Sotheby’s: London), October 2008
‘Recursive Logic: Lucas Samaras Through the Looking Glass, in Lucas Samaras (Stephen Friedman Gallery: London), 2007
‘Seeing (and not seeing) the Whole Picture:The Aesthetics of Land Politics in Contemporary Kuninjku Bark Painting’, Rarrk-London, (Josh Lilley Publications|: London), 2007, pp. 14-20. (ISBN 978 0 9556955 0 5 )
Global Warming is Good for You: Aesthetics and the Politics of Environmentalism, in Die Green, Live Pretty (Adventure Ecology/Arts Co.: London), 2007, ISBN:978-0-9557440-0-6
Nigel Cooke ‘A Portrait of Everything’, South London Gallery Publications, 2006. ISBN 1898461309
‘The Search for the Sublime: Scaling Nature in Robin Forster’s Photographs’, MOCA catalogue, London, 2005
Exodus: Between Promise and Fulfilment, Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, Published by Kettle’s Yard, June 2003. (ISBN 1 904561 01 2)
‘Is there anyone home’, Kerry Stewart at Centro de Arte de Salamanca, Spain, June 2003. ( ISBN 84-95719-49-5)
Magazine Essays
‘Virtual Revolutions: The 2009 Iranian Elections & Their Aftermath’, Aperture, autumn 2009.
‘Thresholds of a Coming Community: Photography and Human Rights’, Aperture, spring 2009, pp. 36-43.
Beyond Identity Politics: Excessive Identities and the Issue of Agency in the work of Contemporary African Artists, Art South Africa, spring 2009
‘Aesthetics Redux: Art, Protest, and Autonomy’, Untitled, Spring issue, 2007.
‘Utopia Remembered’, Contemporary, May 2003
‘Imposture and Contemporary Art Practice’, Contemporary, April, 2002
‘Matthew Barney’s “Cremaster 3”’, Contemporary, October 2002
Book Reviews
David Goldblatt ‘Intersections’ (Prestel, 2005), PLUK (London), no. 26, August/September 2005.
‘No Future: Sex, Seditionaries and the Sex Pistols’, Contemporary, Issue no. 69.
‘Ethical Joyce’ by Marian Eide, James Joyce Quarterly, Vol. 40, issue 3, 2004.
WG Sebald’s ‘On the Natural History of Destruction’, Contemporary, issue 50, 2003
‘Semicolonial Joyce’ James Joyce Literary Supplement, Volume 13, Number 2, Summer 2002
‘Chaos Theory and James Joyce’s Everyman’ James Joyce Broadsheet, December 2001
Exhibition Reviews and Short Texts
‘Sustainable Photography: Simon Starling’s “One Tone, II”’ , Next Level, Autumn 2007.
Thomas Hirschhorn ‘Substitute 2’ @ Stephen Friedman, London, Flash Art, vol. XL, no. 254, 2007
Mark Wallinger @ Tate Britian, Flash Art, vol. XL, no. 253, 2007
Rob Fischer @ Max Wigram Gallery, London, Flash Art vol. XL, no. 253, 2007
Liverpool Biennial, Flash Art, vol. XXXIX, no 252.
Frieze Art Fair, Flash Art, vol. XXXIX, no 251, 2006
Orla Barry @ IMMA, Dublin, Flash Art, vol. XXXIX, no 250
Nicole Wermers @Herald St., London, Flash Art, vol. XXXIX, no 250
Crisis! What Crisis?: ‘Le Dolce Crisi’ and Contemporary Italian Photography, PLUK (London), issue 30, 2006
Jose Damasceno @ Thomas Dane, Flash Art, vol. XXXIX, no 249, June-July 2006
Eddie Martinez, ‘Horse with no Name’, Ziehersmith Gallery, New York, Art Review, May 2006.
Paul Seawright @ Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, Circa, spring issue, 2006.
‘Through the eyes of contemporary Arab photographers’ @ Institut de Monde Arabe, Paris, Flash Art, vol XXXXI, no 248, Mar-Apr 2006.
Kerry James Marshall @Camden Arts Centre , Flash Art, vol XXXXI, no 248, Mar-Apr 2006.
‘Joyce in Art’, James Joyce Quarterly, Vol. 41. No. 2. 2006
Paul Seawright at the Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, PLUK (London), issue 28, 2006
The Atlas Group @ Anthony Reynolds, London, PLUK (London), issue 28, 2006
‘Postcards from the Edge: Universal Experience and the Photographic Imaginary’, PLUK (London), issue 28, Nov/Dec. 2005.
Review of Wolfgang Tillmans @ Maureen Paley, Flash Art, vol XXXXI, no 246, Nov.-Dec. 2005.
Guy Tillim @ Photographers Gallery, PLUK (London), no. 26, August/September 2005.
Carey Young @ ibid. projects, London, Flash Art, vol XXXXI, no. 242, May-June, 2005
Georges Adéagbo @ DC: SAAL, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Wasafiri issue no. 45 (Summer, 2005), pp. 69-72.
Steve McQueen, ‘Once Upon a Time’, Bridge Magazine, Spring 2005.
Saskia Olde Wolbers, South London Gallery, PLUK (London), no 25, June/July 2005.(issn 1473 9933)
‘Depth of Field: Six Photographers from Lagos’, PLUK (London), no. 24, May 2005.
Profile of Autograph: Association of Black Photographers, PLUK (London), no. 24, May 2005.
‘No Slate/On Slate’, in Stories about Painting, Chelsea College of Art, summer 2005.
Henrik Plenge Jakobsen @ South London Gallery, Flash Art, XXXXI, no. 241, March-Feb. issue, 2005
‘Contemporary African Art: Shifting Landscapes’ at the Venice Biennale 2003, Third Text, Issue 66, 2004
Collum Morton @ Gimpel Fils, Flash Art, XXXVIII, no. 239, Nov.- Dec. issue, 2004
Michael Landy, ‘Semi-Detached’ @ Tate Britain, Flash Art, XXXVIII, no. 238, Oct.-Nov. issue, 2004
XIX International James Joyce Symposium, Dublin 2004, for the James Joyce Literary Supplement, Autumn 2004.
Mike Nelson ‘Triple Bluff Canyon’ @ Modern Art Oxford, Flash Art, XXXVII, no. 237, July-Sept issue, 2004
Tom Friedman @ South London Gallery for New York Arts Magazine, August, 2004
Steve McQueen @ Thomas Dane Gallery, London. Contemporary issue no. 64, 2004.
Thomas Hirschhorn @ Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Contemporary, issue 62, 2004.
Yinka Shonibare, Wasafiri, spring 2004
Yinka Shonibare ‘Play With Me’ @ Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, New York Arts Magazine, January/February 2004
‘Incommunicado’ @ Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, Contemporary, issue 58 2003
‘David Goldblatt:51 Years’ at MAO, Oxford, Third Text, Issue 63, 2003
Lorna Simpson @ IMMA, Dublin, Contemporary, issue 50, 2003
Michael Krebber @ Chrisitian Nagel Galerie, Berlin, Contemporary
Simon Morley, Contemporary, issue 58, 2003
Jorge Pardo/Gerhard Richter ‘Refraction’ @ Dia Foundation, New York, Contemporary, issue 52
Diller and Scofidio @ Whitney Museum of American Art New York, Untitled, Autumn 2003
Fischli and Weiss @ Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Contemporary, January 2003
Asta Groting @ Freud Museum, London, Contemporary, issue 50, 2003
Irish Museum of Modern Art, Ireland, Contemporary, issue 53 2003
Van AbbeMuseum, Holland, Contemporary, issue 53 2003
Yinka Shonibare: Dorian Gray, Wasafiri, March 2002
Christian Boltanski @ South London Gallery, New York Arts Magazine, Vol. 7 , No. 7. July/August 2002
Steve McQueen’s ‘Western Deep’, Wasafiri, Winter issue 2002/03
Article on the XVIII International James Joyce Symposium, Trieste 2002, James Joyce Literary Supplement, Volume 13, Number 3, Winter 2002
Juliao Sarmento @ Lisson Gallery, Contemporary, March 2002
Willie Doherty @ Matt’s Gallery, Contemporary, April 2002
Stan Douglas @ Serpentine Gallery, Contemporary, May 2002
Felix Gonzalez-Torres @ Sadie Coles, Contemporary, June 2002
Charles Mason and Maurizio Pellegrin @ Nuova Icona Gallery Venice, Contemporary, September 2002
LOCATION : UK (Mark Wallinger, George Shaw, Christopher Stewart et al.) @ Gimpel Fils Gallery, Contemporary, October
Paul Winstanley @ Kerlin Gallery, Contemporary, November 2002
Berlin>London Exchange ( British Council and Goethe Institute sponsored), Contemporary, November 2002
Igor and Svetlana Kopystianksy @ Lisson, London, for Contemporary, November 2002
“Fraktale III”, Berlin for Contemporary, December issue, 2002
Samuel Beckett’s “Comedie”, International Journal of Beckett Studies, Volume 9 Issue 1, Spring 2001
Samuel Beckett’s Comedie,, Contemporary Visual Arts, March 2001
“I am Making Art” @ Anthony Wilkinson Gallery , Contemporary Visual Arts, April 2001
Juan Munoz, Double Bind @ Tate Modern, Circa, Winter Issue 2001
Katharina Fritsch @ Tate Modern, Contemporary Visual Arts, December 2001
“XVII International James Joyce Symposium”, James Joyce Literary Supplement, Volume 13, Number 1, Spring 2000
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