Since 1981, Jef Bourgeau has eaten the brains and guts of the first hundred years of abstraction - only to transpose it all back onto canvas in new and playful ways as he drags and drops, scans, compresses and unpacks, crashes and reboots.
- Jerry Saltz, A Zombie On The Wall
"The work of American artist Jef Bourgeau is formed from a photographic combination of digital and analog practices."
In his Detroit studio, Bourgeau uses basic editing programs like Photoshop and Illustration to rework photo-based imagery into abstractions. Bourgeau then transfers these abstractions onto canvas as paintings. His work thereby captures a moment when analog and digital creation merge, connecting the disparate histories of photography, abstraction and computer innovation: placing Bourgeau firmly at the vanguard of those artists redefining what a 'painting' is in our tech-driven 21st century.
As an early innovator in digital art, Bourgeau has explored the boundaries of constructed space while playing with the interaction of standard perception and art. By folding and crumpling and crushing, his most recent work interrupts familiar art tropes and invites the viewer to untangle that history.
Jef Bourgeau's art has exhibited in galleries in London, Amsterdam, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, New Mexico, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Berlin, Beijing, and Austria. His work has shown in museums in Boston, Houston, Columbus, Detroit, San Jose, Cleveland, Portland, Honolulu, Mumbai, Roubaix, Vienna and Tokyo. It has been written about in the NY Times, Chicago Tribune, Art in America, the Village Voice, Art News, Flash Art, Reason, the Art Newspaper, Tema Celeste and Vanity Fair. His work has also been discussed and cited in several books, including: Visual Shock by Michael Kammen (winner of the Pulitzer Prize), Cultural Policy by Toby Miller and George Yudice, and The Artist's Quest for Inspiration by Peggy Hadden.
Select Exhibitions:
2019
This Is Tomorrow Calling (Too Much Interference), Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI.
Start Anywhere, Wright Gallery, Northport, MI.
2018
Waking Up In A Rainbow, Galerie Camille, Detroit.
2016
Intersections: Jef Bourgeau|Matt Eaton, Galerie Camille, Detroit.
2015
The New International Society II, Galerie Camille, Detroit.
2014
Zombie On The Wall, Galerie Camille, Detroit.
2013
Icons: A Retrospective, Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI
Detroit and Other Places, United Colors of Benetton (with catalog), Venice Italy
Bitters, Whitdel Gallery, Detroit
Illuminate[ion], The Art Gallery of the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Macomb MI
Under My Skin: I Love You So Much, Clock Tower Gallery, Oakland, CA
Art Endures – Thirty Years and Counting, PCCA Gallery, Rochester, MI
2012
Clandestine, Work Gallery|University of Michigan, Detroit, MI
2012 Biannual, Detroit Artists’ Market, Detroit
Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Level Gallery, Lawrence University, Southfield, MI
Naked or Nude, North End Studios, Detroit, MI
Grammar of the Elite, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI
Three Artists, BCB Gallery, Hudson, NY
Love for Sale, Work Gallery|University of Michigan, Detroit, MI
2011
Solo: Double Lives, Malt Cross Gallery, Nottingham, UK
Actual Size Biennial, Whitdel Arts – CAID, Detroit
Ghost Land, Art|Room, Pontiac, MI
2010
In Spite of the Evidence, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor
Made in Detroit, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna
The Geometry of Time, BCB Art, Hudson, NY
Spark, Butter Projects, Royal Oak, MI
2009
Solo: Almost Famous, Detroit Industrial Projects, Detroit
Shameless, Pop Gallery, Culver City
Change, Project Gallery, Ann Arbor
Pure Detroit, Art Channel Gallery, Beijing
2008
Changing Cities: Chicago, ThreeWalls Gallery, Chicago, IL
Made in Detroit, Galerie Eva Bracke, Berlin, Germany
Changing Cities: Bregenz, Galerie Lisi Haemmerle, Bregenz, Austria
2007
Lost & Found, Brick Lane Gallery in collaboration with Charles Saatchi Group, London, England
Intelligent Design: a traveling show, Silvermine Guild Art Center, New Canaan, CT
F*ck You/Commentary Criticism, Polish Yacht Club, Hamtramck, MI
Silence, Paint Creek Art Center, Rochester. MI
Black & Black, UFO Factory, Detroit
A Retrospective, Oakland University Art Gallery, Rochester, MI
2006
Quantum Circus, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
RE:The ‘D’, Wayne State University, Detroit
2005
Double Vision, The District Gallery, Birmingham, MI
FiftyFifty, C-Pop Gallery, Detroit
2004
Photography Now, Urban Institute for the Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI
A Day in the Life (video), The Majlis Cultural Center, Mumbai, India
In Flux, Marygrove College Gallery, Detroit
Untitled, 555 Gallery, Detroit
Paradise Lost, Musee d'Art et d'Industrie, Roubaix, France
A Day in the Life, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Actual Size, Detroit Contemporary, Detroit
2000-2003
Withdrew my work from circulation, as consideration for any conflicts with being the director of
The Museum of New Art (MONA) in Detroit.
1999
Documenta USA II, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Solo: Art Until Now, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit
Solo: Famous Artists, Galerie Blu, Pontiac, MI
1998
Art and the American Experience, Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
A Short History of the Combustion Engine, Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, OH
1997
Founds the Museum of Contemporary Art (MONA), Pontiac, MI
1996
The Auto Show, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Ecstasy, Art Seattle, Seattle
Bathroom Venus, San Francisco Art Hotel, San Francisco, CA
1995
Paradise Lost, SoMa Gallery, La Jolla, CA
Solo: Reading Art, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI
IN/Justice, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit
Interventions, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit
Words, Space Gallery, Chicago
1994
Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Gahlberg Arts Center, Glen Ellyn, IL
Solo: Art as Logo, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI
60 Rooms with a View, Art Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Solo: Late in the 20th Century, LedisFlam, New York
Vis-à-vis, Focus Gallery, Detroit
Solo: Jef Bourgeau, Zolla/Lieberman, Chicago
Art as Logo, The Drawing Room, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Elvis+Marilyn: 2xImmortal, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Boston
touring through 1997:
Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, FL
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH
San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville
Portland Museum of Art, Portland, OR
Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu
Takamatsu City Museum of Art, Japan
Sogo Museum of Art, Yokohama, Japan
Kumamoto Museum, Kumamoto, Japan
Hokkaido Museum of Art, Hokkaido, Japan
Mitsukoshi Museum of Art, Fukuoka, Japan
1993
Solo: Beyond Art, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI
New Dada, Book Beat Gallery, Oak Park, MI
Dirty Pictures: with Jock Sturges, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI
1992
Solo: The New Real, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI
Solo: Renovations, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI
1991
Two Man Show: with Stephen Magsig, Feigenson/Preston, Birmingham, MI
Solo: Art Until Now, O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI
1990
Solo: Boxes, Meadow Brook Art Gallery, Rochester, MI
Projects, Galleries and Museums to promote Detroit and its artists – coordinated, funded and directed by the artist Jef Bourgeau:
2011 Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography (DCCP), co-founded in Pontiac and oversaw the move to its current Detroit location.
2010-2012 ‘The Annex’, a Detroit gallery to show and exhibit international artists alongside those from Detroit. Opened with an exhibition of work by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Olaf Breuning, and the Saatchi 10.
2008-2009 ‘Changing Cities’, a multi-city project to exchange Detroit artists with those of other regions, at home and overseas. Successful swaps have been mounted within the last year between Chicago, Bregenz (Austria), Berlin and Beijing.
2006 ‘Moving Walls’, formed a collective of Cranbrook graduates, giving them a gallery to continue their work in Michigan.
2004 ‘ArtCore’, revived in empty storefronts in downtown Pontiac.
2003 ‘12x12’, a gallery was reserved within the Museum of New Art to present new work by a different artist from the Detroit region each month.
2002 ‘Michigan Institute for the Arts’, a 10,000 square foot space in downtown Detroit was turned into a museum that showcased Michigan artists.
2001 ‘ArtCore’, seven empty storefronts in downtown Detroit were renovated and given to art collectives to run as galleries.
2000 ‘Documenta USA’, traveled to the UICA in Grand Rapids, where it also included artists from that region of Michigan.
1999 ‘Documenta USA’, over 200 artists were invited to fill an archival box with their art. Most of the artists were from the Detroit region, but the project eventually included many established artists such as Christo, Peter Halley, Arman, Vito Acconci, and Jenny Holzer.
1998 ‘Aperto’, a project allowing any local artist to hang one work at the Museum of New Art until the next artist arrived. Planned for the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1999. Repeated at MONA in 2002.
1997 ‘The Detroit International Film & Video Festival’, bringing in 128 filmmakers from over 42 countries, from the USA, and England to Israel to Vietnam and China – sharing the screen alongside recent Detroit filmmakers’ work. Repeated over the next 8 years.
1997 ‘The Museum of New Art’, founding director of Detroit’s first contemporary museum.
Juror
2009 All Michigan Exhibition, Anton Art Center, Mount Clemens, MI
2008 All Florida Exhibition, Boca Raton Museum, Boca Raton, FL
1999-2000 Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Bloomfield, MI
1997-2002 Paint Creek Art Center, Rochester, MI
Recent Lectures
Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI
College for Creative Studies, Detroit
Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Bloomfield, MI
Michigan State University, Art Department, Lansing, MI
Catalogs, Books and Media
2013 Detroit and Other Places, United Colors of Benetton, Venice Italy
2007 ‘A User’s Manual’ by Jan van der Marck, catalogue for retrospective at Oakland University Art Gallery, Oakland University Press.
2006 ‘Visual Shock: A History of Art Controversies in American Culture’ by Michael Kammen, Knopf, p. 299.
2004 ‘Photography Now’ by museum staff, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts-Grand Rapids, April 4-May 8.
2002 ‘Cultural Policy’ Toby Miller, Sage Publications, p. 156.
2001 ‘A 21st Century Museum’ by Jef Bourgeau, foreword to the exhibition catalogue Lucio Pozzi at the Museum of New Art (Detroit), p. 3.
2000 ‘Arguing Art’ by Chris Walny, for Backstage Pass, PBS Detroit, televised Spring.
2000 ‘An Interview with Jef Bourgeau’, by Ken Paulson, Speaking Freely (for NYC Public Station 13), broadcast September 2000.
1998 ‘Art And The American Experience’ by Jan van der Marck, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, September 13 – December 6, p. 38 (image), p. 43 (text) for catalogue.
1998 ‘A New Kind Of Museum’ by Katherine Weider, for Backstage Pass, PBS Detroit, televised Fall.
1997 ‘Jane Speaks Modern Art’ by ArtLook staff, CD catalogue embedded in ARTnews, Summer issue.
1997 ‘Portfolio ’97’ foreword by Evie Wheat, Pontiac Artists’ Association, p. 5.
1996 ‘Cranbrook’s Auto Show’ by Jerry Herron, Cranbrook Art Museum, June 1 – September 1.
1995 ‘Interventions’ curated by Jan van der Marck, Detroit Institute of Arts, June 4-September 3, (a DVD catalogue).
1995 ‘IN /Justice’ by Carol Jacobsen, catalogue, Detroit Artists Market, March 17-April 14, p. 8.
1994 ‘ELVIS+MARILYN: 2xIMMORTAL’ edited by Geri DePaoli, foreword by David
Halberstam, commentary by Thomas McEvilley, a traveling exhibition with catalogue, Rizzoli publisher, p. 68.
1994 ‘Cover Story’ by staff, Gallery Guide, September issue, cover and p. 8.
1994 ‘Jef Bourgeau’, by Kathryn Hixson, catalogue essay for Gahlberg Gallery (Eileen Broido, director), College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
1994 ‘60 rooms with a view: Art Hotel’ by Peter Bouhof, Erik Hermida, Johan Jonker, Gabriele Rivet, catalogue of show, February 9-13, p. 42.
1993 ‘Summer Show’ by Cary Loren, Book Beat Gallery, catalogue of show, June, p. 17.
Bibliography
2012 Detroit Home: ‘Moving Up’ by Rebecca Powers, Summer 2012, p. 35.
2012 Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Water the Flowers And Shoot the Kids’ by Robert del Valle, May 2.
2012 Real Detroit Weekly: ‘My Girlfriend Is in a Coma… Or, She’s Just Not That Into You, Dude’ by Robert del Valle, March 14.
2012 Detroit News: ‘Sure to Challenge, Satisfy’ by Michael Hodges, February 16.
2011 Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Better Than Banksy’ by Robert del Valle, December 11.
2010 Vanity Fair (Italy): ‘L’Arte Si Mette Di Profilo’ by Editorial Staff, September issue.
2010 L’espresso (Italy): ‘Dal ripostiglio d’arte al Facebook Show’ by Silvia Zanardi, November 3.
2010 Hudson News (NY): ‘Bourgeau and Goss at BCB Art’ by John Paul Keeler, May 14.
2009 Detroit News: ‘Pontiac show unwraps the art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’ by Michael Hodges, December 17.
2009 The Art Newspaper: ‘Letter from America: Jef Bourgeau’ by Lucio Pozzi, November 20.
2009 Oakland News: ‘Detroit Art Debuts In Beijing’ by Joseph Szczesny, February 15.
2009 Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin): ‘Made In Detroit’ by Christiane Meixner, January 1.
2008 New York Arts Magazine: ‘Quantum Circus: The Intelligent Design Process’ by Amanda Vail, October.
2008 Berliner Zeitung: “Melancholische Grüße aus Detroit” by Ingeborg Ruthe, December 5.
2008 Oakland Press: ‘Artwork from Europe to be displayed in area’ by Joe Szczesny, August 6, p. C-1.
2008 Crain’s: ‘Detroit welcomes Berlin artists to the Museum of New Art’ by Liz Voss, July.
2008 Metro Times: ‘City of Possibilities: Exhibit shows why Berliners embrace the Motor City’ by Rebecca Mazzei, July 23.
2008 Oakland Press: ‘Windy City Trade: Detroit artists send work to Chicago’ by Liz Voss, February 24.
2007 Detroit News: ‘Bad boy back’ by Michael H. Hodges, September 9.
2007 The Art Newspaper/Il Giornale Dell’Arte: ‘MONA d’Invenzione’ by Lucio Pozzi, May, p. 57.
2007 Reason Magazine (Los Angeles): ‘Shocking the bourgeoisie – it’s nice work if you can get it’ by Cheryl Miller, January, pp. 74-75.
2006 Metro Times Detroit: ‘The return of the minute man’ by Rebecca Mazzei, December 13-20.
2006 Metro Times Detroit: ‘Questioning Identity’ by Nolan Simon, October 12.
2006 The Wall Street Journal: ‘The Invisible Artist’ by Jacob Hale Russell, Sunday January 1, p. 3.
2005 Metro Times Detroit: ‘Art damage: A night of creative destruction by Jef Bourgeau’, October 19.
2005 Metro Times Detroit: ‘Swinging naked, slinging pie and multiphonic monks: On 25 years of art in Detroit’ by Rebecca Mazzei, October 19.
2005 Detroit News: ‘Exhibit captures demise of Detroit, terrorism and war’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 25.
2005 Artdaily (Mexico City): ‘Norwegian’s first American solo show’ by Ignacio Villarreal, March 12.
2004 Circa Art Magazine (Ireland): ‘Murder Mystery: Bad News or Art Sham?’ by Isobel Harbison, September 7.
2004 Real Detroit Weekly: ’Before the right one’ by Natalie Haddad, July 21-27, p. 11.
2004 The Detroiter: ‘When the audience becomes the art: Biennale 2004’ by Christina Hill, May 28.
2004 Real Detroit Weekly: ‘Building Excitement: Biennale 2004’ by Natalie Haddad, May 12-18, cover story.
2004 Metro Times Detroit: ‘Le Poseur in Wolf’s Clothing’ by Anita Schmaltz, May 26, pp. 20-22.
2004 Detroit News: ‘Renewed interest in reviving downtown Pontiac art scene’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 14.
2003 Tema Celeste (Milan): ‘Saving MONA’, artist protest, December, p. 20.
2003 Metro Times Detroit: ‘Pie in the eye’ by Lisa Collins, April 30-May 6.
2003 Real Detroit Weekly: ‘An Artcore moment’ by Natalie Haddad, Jan 29.
2002 Detroit News: ‘Art exhibits paint a better image for downtown storefronts’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, September 14.
2001 Detroit News: ‘Metro Detroit artist finds home for contemporary art’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, May 16, p. 1D.
2000 Detroit Free Press: ‘Museum of New Art uses the term loosely’ by Frank Provenzano, October 15.
2000 Windsor Star (Canada): ‘Rules be Damned’ by Craig Pearson, October 12.
2000 Art Newsroom (England): ‘Police Raid Museum’ by staff, March 17.
2000 Detroit Free Press, ‘Tradition, repression and censorship targeted’ by Keri Guten Cohen, March 12, p. 2F.
2000 Detroit News: ‘Jef Bourgeau Fears No Art’ by Joy Hakanson Colby, March 10.
2000 Oakland Press (Michigan): ‘Artist gets ticketed as panel discusses censorship’ by Erica Blake, March 5.
2000 Detroit Free Press: ‘Will controversy follow Jef Bourgeau’s new exhibit’ by Frank Provenzano, January.
2000 Detroit Free Press: ‘Art dwells at 7 N. Saginaw in Pontiac’ by Keri Guten Cohen, January 16.
2000 MediaChannel (New York): ‘When did the media start hating artists?’ by Robert Atkins (Arts Editor and a Research Fellow at Carnegie Mellon's STUDIO for Creative Inquiry), January.
2000 Dialogue (Ohio): ‘Art Until Now No More: DIA CENSORS ITS OWN EXHIBITONS’ by Jeanette Wenig Drake, January/February issue, p. 41.
2000 ARTnews, ‘The Three Day Show’ by staff, January issue, p. 50.\
1999 FineLine (Detroit): ‘A portrait of influence’ by Frank Provenzano, December issue.
1999 Le Monde (Paris): ‘Un directeur de musee americain reporte une exposition par crainte de la polemique’ by staff, November 24.
1999 Il Mattino (Naples): ‘Scandalo a Detroit’ by staff, November 24.
1999 New York Times: ‘Another Art Battle, as Detroit Museum Closes an Exhibit Early’ by Robyn Meredith,November 23.
1999 The Independent (London): ‘Artist stages protest’ by John Davison, November 23.
1999 Chicago Sun-Times: ‘A matter of art’ by staff, November 23.
1999 Flash Art (Milan): ‘Let’s Destroy Art to Make Art: kaBOOM!’ by Giancarlo Politi, November/December.
1999 Fineline (Detroit): ‘Size hardly matters’ by Frank Provenzano, Spring issue.