gwen charles
United States
Working primarily in video and photography for the past 10 years, an extension of live performative actions for over 25 years, I merge elements of reality and magical realism to reflect on the absurdity of daily life using handmade objects and costumes. I work with translating visceral feelings in my body into movement using objects then translate these feelings and movements visually, currently captured through performance and video.
My past series of artwork connect to themes of the Anthropocene, ecofeminism and reconnecting to nature, using my body to express the female experience and the changing needs of the human body.
GlogauAIR resident from October 2024 to December 2024
Grief has been my greatest collaborator recently. While reflecting on the intensive period of caretaking of family lately and considering my increasing need for self-care, I have been creating a series of actions exploring metaphors related to rest, caretaking and loss.
This residency would allow me time to create a series of improvisations based on the theme of seeking comfort while speaking to the local community connecting to the themes in their own life. The completed works will be part of a photo/video series and possibly a short performance during open studios.
EDUCATION
TRANSART INSTITUTE, Berlin, Germany
MFA, 2013. Accreditation: Plymouth University, UK
THE NEW SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, NY, NY BS, 2012, Liberal Arts/ Media Studies
PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN, NY, NY 1993-1997 Fine Arts / Painting, BFA Candidate
BANK STREET College of Education, NY, NY, 1996-1997, Art Education Certificate candidate
GROUP EXHIBITIONS & FESTIVALS 2001- 2024
09/2024 ELECTION, Online exhibition, Precious things will be Destroyed, 2024 09/2024 HIDING, SHAG, Brooklyn, NY, Pink Ecstasy, 2015
10/2024 SKIN, Fresh Eye Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, Skin, 1995
10/2024 RADICAL REIMAGINING, The Newark Museum, Newark NJ, Pillows, 2022
03/2024 REFURBISH, Vivid Theater, Summit, NJ, Recover, 2023
12/2023 O MY SOUL, Collaboration with The Moving Architects, Women’s Club, Montclair NJ, Comforter,
2023 09/2023 INSPIRED BY WEIGHT OF AN OBJECT, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Recover,
2023 09/2023 CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES, The Newark Museum, Newark NJ, Long Rest, 2022
09/2023 UNWEARABLE ART SHOW, Drawing Rooms Gallery, Jersey City, NJ, 5 works
09/2023 SHAPES OF MOVEMENT, Lummi Island, WA, with Crystal Gregory and The Moving Architects
06/2023 A COMPLEXITY OF JOYS, MAPSpace, Port Chester, NY, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
06/2023 TOGETHER/ALONE, Stay at Home Gallery, Paris TN, Lullaby Cactus, 2021
06/2023 EMBODIED KNOWLEDGE, Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven CT, Cascading Eyelashes, 2018 05/2023 ROOTS, TSGNY, El Barrio ArtSPace PS109, NY, NY Root Crown, 2020
04/2023 {RE}HAPPENING FESTIVAL, Black Mountain College, NC, Cactus Care, 2020
04/2023 {RE}HAPPENING FESTIVAL, Black Mountain College, NC, Shapes of Movement
02/2023 FROM ALCHEMY TO NUMINOSITY, Ramapo College Gallery, Ramapo, NJ, Gold Frieze, 2016
12/2022 ERIE GALLERY NIGHT, Erie Museum, Erie, PA, Submersion, 2022
10/2022 ROE VS WADE, Virtual, Anthropology of Motherhood, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
09/2022 FALL FORWARD, with The Moving Architects, Dixon Place, NY, NY, Extended, 2019
08/2022 FRESH AIR with John Halpern, Emporium Capri, Capri Island, Italy, Bark Breathe, 2022
08/2022 CONNECTIONS: CHAUTAUQUA ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE, Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, CHQ, NY, Moss, 2022 08/2022 FREESPACE DANCE AND FRIENDS, with The Moving Architects, OSPAC, West Orange NJ, Extended, 2019 07/2022 WE WERE NEVER HUMAN, Bronx Academy Arts & Dance, Bronx, NY, Spoon Cactus, 2021
05/2022 ESTIA FEST, LaRussa Theater, Queeens, NY, Curio Cabinet, 2018
03/2022 TAKE ROOT, with The Moving Architects, Green Space, NY, Extended, 2019
12/2021 ACTING BALANCE[D], Spilt Milk Members Show, virtual, sMother 2021
11/2021 WITH CARE, Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn NY, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
11/2021 MAIL ART, The Center for Connection & Collaboration, Asheville, NC, Tryfuss, 2021
10/2021 ANTHROPOLOGY OF MOTHERHOOD, Sleeth Gallery, West Virginia, Spoon Cactus,
2020 10/2021 HATAK, North Willows Attic, Montclair, NJ, virtual, Hands on Healing, 2021
07/2021 POST/FUTURE PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL, Proteo Media, Virtual & NJ, Cactus Care, 2021
07/2021 NATURE/NURTURE, See Me, The Invisible Dog, Brooklyn, Spoon Cactus, 2021
06/2021 MATERNOCHRONICS, virtual, sMother, 2021
07/2021 MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE, Every Woman Biennial, Copeland Gallery, London UK, Pine Petting, 2020
06/2021 STONES THROW, GREEN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Diorama Room, Virtual, Stones Caress, 2021
06/2021 IN7 CREATIVE VIDEO RESIDENCY, Screening, Gardenship, Kearney NJ, Felled, 2021
10/2021 ANTHROPOLOGY OF MOTHERHOOD, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, Spoon Cactus, 2020
05/2021 TUNE INTO GREEN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Diorama Room, Virtual, Grooming, 2021
05/2021 WOMYN’S WERQ, Studio Montclair, Montclair NJ, Salt Moxa,
2018 05/2021 MOVEMENT, SciArt Magazine, Virtual, Revolve, 2020
03/2021 IF NOT NOW, WHEN?, Spilt Milk Gallery, virtual, Grooming, 2020
09/2020 HOMEWORKS, Spilt Milk gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, Revolve, 2020
09/2020 INSPIRED BY DANCE, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ, Forest Within, 2013
09/2020 LEANING INTO THE UNKNOWN: Artist Response to COVID-19, with TMA, Ramapo College, NJ, Jubilee & Knell, 2020 03/2020 IN EXCESS, SPRING/BREAK Art Fair, NYC, video collab with TMA & Crystal Gregory
03/2020 WOMEN PERSISTENCE, POWER, AND STRENGTH, SeeMe, digital screen, Bandit Coffee, NYC, Quell 02/2020 GLIMPSE, Gallery Aferro, Newark NJ, Sketchbooks 1994-5
02/2020 THREADS: Contemporary Textile Art, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Cascading
Eyelashes 12/2019 #ARTTAKESMIAMI, SeeMe digital screen, SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL Cascading
Eyelashes 11/2019 THREADS: Contemporary Textile Art, El Cuadrado Gris, Puerto Rico, Cascading
Eyelashes 08/2019 ELEVATE, with The Moving Architects, The Actors fund, NY, NY, Elevate
08/2019 FAST FORWARD, with The Moving Architects, Dixon Place, NY, NY, Deep Water
06/2019 SELF, Chashama Gala, co-sponsored by SeeMe, NY, NY, Lampara, 2012
06/2019 STATE OF THE ART, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair NJ, Hands on Hands, 2019
05/2019 VIEWPOINTS 2019, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair, NJ, Quell, 2018
04/2019 GASHAPON, coLAB Arts, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Cultural Center, Drawing Crystals, 2018 11/2018 WWXI: Eye of the Storm, Pingry School, Basking Ridge, NJ, Glacial Ablation
11/2018 GASHAPON, Creativity Caravan, Montclair NJ. Drawing Crystals,
2018 10/2018 Oh MotHER, Edinburgh, Scotland. Inflatable Collar, 2018
10/2018 THE DOLL SHOW, Ceres Gallery, NY, NY. KitKat, 1996
09/2018 ART LOTTO, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair. NJ, St. Sybil, 2018.
06/2018 CURRENTS NEW MEDIA FESTIVAL, Santa Fe, NW, Gold Scarf Loop, 2018
05/2018 KOREA BOJAGI FORUM, Seoul, Korea, Flow 2018
03/2018 WWXI: Eye of the Storm, HCCC, Jersey City, NJ Invisible islands, 2018,
12/2017 RED, Textile Study Group of NY, Noho-M55 Gallery, New York, NY, contorque, 2017
11/2017 AMERICA DAWN, live installation & video in collaboration with Moving Architects, Triskelion Arts, NYC 10/2017 SIGHT-SPECIFIC, curated by Kathy Imlay, Brassworks, Montclair NJ, Benevolent Eye series
10/2017 ATTITUDE OF OPENNESS: SNOREBARN COLLECTIVE: North Willows, Montclair NJ
10/2017 FALL FURTHER VI, collaboration with The Moving Architects, Pentacle, NY, NY, Point of Contact 10/2017 MONTCLAIR BANNER PROJECT, with Studio Montclair & Montclair BID, Montclair NJ, glass shards 07/2017 ON BELONGING AND THE VOID BETWEEN, Curated by Asha Ganpat, Gallery Aferro, Newark, NJ 04/2017 AMERICANA, video in collaboration with Moving Architects, The Tank, NYC & JCTC, NJ
12/2016 FREAKSHOW, Index Art Center, Newark NJ, hosted by Rebecca Jampol, Protective Eye Blessings,
2016 09/2016 …LIKE AN EGYPTIAN! Pierro Gallery, South Orange, NJ, Hedjet, 2012
08/2016 SPACEBODIES II, Uferstdios, Berlin, DE, Machine Movements, 2015
07/2016 FESTIVAL X-24, Gainsborough, UK, Detainment, 2012 & Venetian Blinds, 2012
06/2016 SUPER 8 AUCTION, Gallery Aferro, Eyes, 2015
05/2016 VISIONS FROM THE VANGUARD, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Eyes, 2015
01/2016 SPACEBODIES, Judson Church Gym, Mixer Movements, 2016
07/2015 5th EXPOSURE AWARD, See Me, Musee du Louvre, Paris, France, Flowerhead series, 2015
05/2015 WATER/COLOR, Studio Montclair Academy Square gallery, Montclair NJ, Waterdance, 2011
05/2015 A LITTLE NIGHT ART XII, Montclair, NJ, Flowerhead series, 2015
05/2014 PREPARED FIELD, Fallowtime Festival, Movement Research, Issue Project Room, NY, NY, S(n)ow, 2012 04/2014 JUXTAPOSE, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Junction, VT, Curated by Kyohei Abe, Clavicular, 2011
04/2014 WOMEN’S WORK, ArtSpace Patchogue, Patchogue, NY, Lampara, 2012
11/2013 PERFORMA, Maribor, Slovenia; Exhaustion Storage, 2011
07/2013 MFA Thesis exhibition, Supermarkt, Berlin, DE, Lampara, 2012
06/2013 LET IT GLOW, curated by Ann Lepore, Jersey City NJ; Plastica Prism, 2012
04/2013 ABSTRACT CURRENTS, POPRALLY, MoMA, NY, NY; Plastica Prism, 2012
10/2012 BREATHING SPACE, Carovec, Croatia; Plastica Prism, 2012
10/2012 TEN: a _gaia milestone, Jersey City NJ; Purple Zizi, 2012
05/2012 MONTCLAIR GALLERY WALK, UCC, Montclair NJ; Plastica Prism, 2012
04/2012 THE MEAL, Art House Co-op, Brooklyn NY; Sufferin’Succotash, 2012
03/2012 THE EXQUISITE CORPSE FILM FESTIVAL, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY
02/2011 IN HER STRENGTH, Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Jersey City, NJ, Unloading, 12010 03/2011 TOYS, Studio Theater Gallery, Middlesex County College Edison, NJ, Curated by Asha Ganpat, KitKat, 1996 07/2010 WASSAIC ARTS FESTIVAL, Wassaic NY, Summer Performance & Installation: Safety Kiosk, 2008
01/2009 ESSENCIAL MUSIC AND ART SHOW, NY, NY, curated by Ellie Colon, Stuff, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009 10/2009 NEWARK ARTS COUNCIL OPEN DOORS, Newark, NJ, Stuff, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009
10/2009 PRO ARTS MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Jersey City, NJ, Pom-Pom, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009
10/2009 A CENTENNIAL SHOW, Maplewood Arts Center, Maplewood, NJ, Amorphous polymer cells, 2009 10/2008 PEOPLE WITHOUT CLOTHES: NUDE, NAKED & NAUGHTY, Jersey City, NJ, 2 Bodhisattvas 04/2008 ART & THE CITY Gala and Art Auction, Newark Arts Council, Newark NJ, Double Dutch Bodhisattva 03/2008 WONDER WOMAN: WWIII,_gaia an environment for creative process, Jersey City, NJ, Stillness installation 02/2008 THREADS: Wearable Art Fashion Show, Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ, Safety Kiosk performance 02/2007 FAMILY DAY: ART WITHOUT WORDS, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Mattress Parade
10/2006 WEAR THIS OUT – A(D)DRESS, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken NJ, Green Connected 09/2006 ART PARADE, Deitch Projects, Creative Time, Paper Magazine, NY, NY, Mattress Parade
09/2006 PUBLIC ART IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE, NY, NY, Art in Odd Places, three Performances
09/2006 CLOSING NITE AT CB’s, CBGB’s GALLERY, NY, NY, Mattress Parade and Bedding Circus
02/2002 GIFTS AND GOBLINS: THE WOMEN’S PROJECT, Bay Shore, NY, Skin worn by Turner Dance studio 07/2001 BAY SHORE ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA, Bay Shore, NY, with Soulful Dance Theater, Magic Colors
RESIDENCIES
KALA INSTITUTE, BERKELEY, CA, SEPT 2024
KOLAJ INSTITUTE, New Orleans, LA Aug 2024
BISCHOFF INN, Tamaqua, PA, June 2024
ONISM, ImPulsTanz Symposium, Vienna, AU, July 2024
LAN MARK FARM, Felt Loom Mill, Sharpsburg, KY Spring 2023
MONIRA FOUNDATION, Performance Residency with the Moving Architects, April 2023 THE CRIT LAB, Fellowship 2023, Virtual, Spring 2023
CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTE, Visual Arts AIR, Chautauqua, NY Summer 2022
IN7 CREATIVE VIDEO RESIDENCY, Gardenship, Kearny, NJ June 2023 & 2021
AIR Wilson College Dance Program, with The Moving Architects Chambersburg PA Aug, 2017, 2018, 2019
NORTH WILLOW ATTIC RESIDENCY, North Willows Art Space, Montclair NJ, Spring 2018
WONDER WOMAN: WWXI_gaia an environment for creative process, Eye of the Storm, JC, NJ USA Spring 2018
SNOREBARN COLLECTIVE RESIDENCY, Berlin, DE, July 2019 / NYC, USA Oct 2017 /Santa Fe, NM USA, April 2016 JSKD, Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities, Studio Practice, Ljubljana, Slovenija, Dec 2014
CASA LIMANTOUR, Studio practice, Mexico City, Mexico, Aug 2011
CIC Choreographic Investigative Course, Facilitators: Ivy Baldwin & Jill Sigman, DNA Dance New Amsterdam, 2009 – 2010 WONDER WOMAN: WWIII, _gaia an environment for creative process, Women & War, Hoboken, NJ Winter 2008
TASARA CENTRE FOR CREATIVE WEAVING, Creative weaving and dye techniques, Calicut, India, Winter 1997
