M. Michelle Illuminato
102 East End Avenue Apt. #1 Pittsburgh, PA 15211 607.661.5300
Education
1996University of Wisconsin - Madison, Wisconsin, Master of Fine Arts
1992Carnegie Mellon University - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honors
Selected awards, funding, honors
2015Sprout Fund and Office of Public Art, Pittsburgh, PA
2009Think Tank 4 Fellowship Award, Institute for Integrative Teaching, one of 12 nationally selected Fellows.
2009MARK Professional Practice Program, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, NY
2008Mellon Park, Katharine Seamans Garden, finalist, Pittsburgh, PA
1999Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Grant
1999Puffin Foundation Grant, New Jersey
1998 - 1999Research Fellow, Studio for Creative Inquiry, Carnegie Mellon University, invited and received support
1997A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust Fund, Pittsburgh Foundation.
1995Best Special Event in Pennsylvania 1994, for Aliquippa Project, Pennsylvania Downtown
1993 - 1994Various support for Aliquippa Projects including: Heinz Foundation Grant, Mellon Bank, PNC, Tuscarora Plastics, Aliquippa Alliance for Unity and Development, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
1993Key to the City of Aliquippa and May 15, 1993 named Michelle Illuminato Dayfor 24 Hours in Aliquippa.
Internationalexhibitions, projects, residencies
2014Cite des Arts Internationale, Paris, France, artist residency, (January – March)
2013Internationales Waldkunst Zentrum (International Forest Art Center), Darmstadt, Germany, 6-week artist residency.
2013Stadtgarten: Urbanität, Mobilität, Freiheit, Vogelfrei 10, Darmstadt, Germany
2010 Explor-art 2010: International workshop of territory exploration, AreaOdeon, Monza, Italy, one of 16 international artists from 14 countries, residency and exhibition. International jurors: Smack Mellon, NY, mARTadero: Cochabamba, Bolivia, Hangar: Barcelona Aksioma: Ljubljana, Slovenia, Kulturni Centar GRAD: Belgrade, Serbia, META: Monza, Italy
2008Cite des Arts Internationale, Paris, France, artist residency, Project: SLIP (January)
2008Cite des Arts Internationale, Paris, France, artist residency, Project: SLIP (June-July)
2006Guide/Vodic, Kontekst Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia, next question + Kim Beck, (solo)
2006Outside Project: Belgrade, Serbia. Cultural and exhibition program for artists from Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, and the Accademia of Fine Arts, Belgrade. Supported by U.S., Italian and Serbian cultural and educational organizations. I co-organizedwith Dejan Atanackovic (Serbia) andEdoardo Malagigi (Florence), traveled to Serbia in November to meet with U.S. Embassy and other organizations, raised nearly 20,000 in funding, facilitated a bi-lingual (Italian/English) studio workshop for students that culminated in exhibitions at a defunct 17th century bath house,the SKC radio station, and gallery at the Accademia of Fine Arts.Two weeks included: lectures, tours, studio workshop, social meetings, meeting with Major of Belgrade, boatride on the Sava, and culminated in the exhibitions.
2006MIX: Musical Swap Meet, The Cube (Art Caffe Kocka), Belgrade, Serbia. (solo, event)
2005Paradise Garden, Vogelfrei 6, Kunstentdeckungen in Privatgärten, Darmstadt, Germany (invited, group)
2005Living Statues/Statue Viventi, next question, La Corte Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy (solo)
2005Outside Project: Florence, Italy, facilitated/participated, artist residency, group exhibition
2005Due Settimane/Two Weeks, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milano and Ballabio, Italy, artist residency and exhibition, Junk Is Back/La Spazzatura e Tornata, Organizedresidency with Maria Teresa Illuminato. Eighteen artistsoccupied/worked in large unused former cheese factory, Ballabio, Lake Como
2003TransitARTen (Ways of Transit), Vogelfrei 5, Kunstentdeckungen in Privatgärten, Darmstadt, Germany
2001- 2004Per Te, un Fotoromanzo, next question, researched, wrote, and ‘performed’ in Florence, Rome, Italy and IKEA, Los Angeles, CA, resulted in online version, poster-size prints and a photo-story book.
2001Mapping Florence, next question, interactive installation, SACI, Florence, Italy
1997The Bread Game/Gra Chlebowa, Skoki Palace, Academy of Fine Arts, Poznan, Poland, residency, exhibition
1994The Exquisite Corpse, Project of Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
1992Progetto Cuspide, A.S.P.I.S., Cagliari, Sardegnia, Italy. Six-week community-based collaboration. Created works inspired by ex-distillery including a 200-foot long granite bowling alley, a giant periscope that looked out upon the community of Pirri, a live feed to a local café, and a nearly 1000-family bottle archive.
Public projects
2015Lost + Found Factory, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, PA
2015Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood Revisited, trolley tour inspired by Mister Roger’s Neighborhood factory tours. Featured at Open Engagement, Pittsburgh, PA
2011-2012Guide: Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie, NY Launched project on historic barge
2010 - on-goingPublic Meals: Local Table, self-initiated project, community meal from the bounty of local gardens. For fall 2011, will become community micro-funding event. Organize, committee, selection of proposals, co-cook. Alfred, NY
2010-on-goingRuralscape, on-going research into ruralness. Includes: photography, guide book, videos, and salon event/s that will open the dialogue and artmaking opportunity to national artists and thinkers in 2012. (self-initiated, seeking funding)
2010The DeTour Show, Invited to create live TV show for the much publicized art space, theWaffle Shopin Pittsburgh. Show included a number of guests including well-known documentarianRick Sebak and acclaimed animator James Duesing.
2010Wild Food Cook-Off, MK Gallery, Portland State University, Portland, OR.Selected as featured event for Open Engagement, the symposium of social practitioners. The public cooked foraged foods and competed in the event for the title, #1 Wild Cook of Portland. (solo, invited)
2009Soapbox Workshop,Stations, Community School of Music and Arts Gallery, Ithaca, and The String Room Gallery, Wells College, Aurora, NY Two galleries hosted the exhibition, with our project using the galleries and the space in between to walk and talk with local people. (group, invited)
2009MidPoint, geographical midpoint performance, Danby, NY (self-initiated)
2004AV Club, a project of next question, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, New York (solo) Invited to collaborate with 140 freshmen at Alfred University (before hired).
20002 Degrees of Separation, a project of next question, included in Unlimited Partnerships, CEPA Gallery, Buffalo, New York. Researched Buffalo’s southern neighborhood, conducted interviews and workshops. Culminated in 7-part installation, with listening stations, images, video, catalogue, and poetry reading by the Urban Girls. (invited, solo)
1996-1997A South Side Atlas/Spatial Investigations by Women and Girls, a project of next question, Brew House Space101, Pittsburgh.A cognitive mapping project that explored Pittsburgh’s South Sideculminated in 7-part installation, listening stations, poetry reading by well-known Pittsburgh poets.Included the results of a 6-month workshop we conducted for young photographers from Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild(solo)
1995 -1996Points of Entry, What do we win? The Neighborhood Game for All Ages, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh.Invited by curator Mary Jane Jacob for this 1.5-year project. Worked with 6 organizations and produced 4 public interactive installations and videos. (featured artist, book)
1993 -1994Adopting Aliquippa, Aliquippa, PA, self-initiated large scale art project and event that involved 150+ artists and residents exhibiting visual art, poetry, experimental sound and film. Handed over to non-profit, and continued under the name Aliquippa Embraces the Arts for 11 years.
1992 - 199324 Hours in Aliquippa, Aliquippa, PA, self-initiated large scale art project and event that involved 150+ artists and residents exhibiting visual art, poetry, experimental sound and film.
Exhibitions
2013 Exploding Boundaries, Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred NY
2012Ossuary Project (contributed work),Compendium 2012, Chazen Museum of Art, UW Madison, WI (group)
2011bookMARKS, Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (November)
20118 Hour Projects, Book Report, Penelec-Megahan-Bowman Art Galleries,Allegheny College, Meadville, PA (invited, group)
2011The Game Show NYC, Macy Gallery, Columbia University, New York, NY (selected)
2011 Ignition 4.0: Natural/UnNatural, The Fuse Factory, Electronic and Digital Arts Lab, Columbus, Ohio (selected, group)
2011 Local Histories: The Ground We Walk On, 523 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC (selected, group)
2010Spectra, Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred, New York (group)
2009To Let, Colonial Left, 111B The Commons, Ithaca, NY. Solo exhibition in downtown storefront (invited)
2009And Their Allocation, ECONOMICS: Art Gallery at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (invited, small group)
2009A Book About Death, The Emily Harvey Foundation, New York, NY, (large group, traveling show)
2009XXXX, Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred, NY (small group)
2008Some People Alfred, with Harrell Fletcher + Friends, Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred, NY (group)
2007Double X, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Herberger College of the Arts, Tempe, AZ (invited)
2006A.I.R. Birthday Bash, AIR Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (invited, group)
2006Art In Transit, PAT buses & SPACE Gallery, a project of next question, Pittsburgh, PA (selected, group)
2006100% Centennial, Regina Miller Gallery, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA, (invited, group)
2005Five +, James Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (invited, small group)
2005Live Video Karaoke, Warhol Museum, Ti Amo, next question video/performance, Pittsburgh (group)
2004War Room, Artist Image Resource Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (invited, group)
2004Objects in/and Visual Culture, Zoller Gallery, Penn State, State College, PA (invited, group)
2004Supervalitragilisticexcelluminaceous, Regina Miller Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (group)
2003I've got an answer / I've got an anthem, International Arts Group Exposition (I.A.E.) Laurelhurst Theater Portland, Oregon, USA (selected, group)
2001Liddle Obsessioniddle/a virtual archive of kiddle kulture, Arizona State University West, Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance Gallery, Phoenix, AZ (invited, solo)
2001 New Music and Arts Festival, Per Te, un Fotoromanzo, Bowling Green State University, Kennedy Green Room, College of Music, A project of next question. (invited, solo)
2001Domestic Affairs, City Arts Venue, Springfield, Indiana (group)
2001N-Space Gallery, SIGGRAPH, Invisible Places, Los Angeles, CA, next question, (invited, group)
2001BGSU Faculty Exhibition, Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery, Bowling Green, OH (group)
2000Suitcase Exhibition: Digital Secrets, Institute for Studies in the Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2000BGSU Faculty Exhibition, Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery, Bowling Green, OH (group)
1999Space Explorations, Sheehan Gallery, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, (solo)
1999BGSU Faculty Exhibition, Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery, Bowling Green, OH (group)
1999Points of View, Spinning Plate Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, next question (solo)
1998Time’s Passages: the journey to (K)now, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, Pittsburgh, PA (group)
1998Visiting and Adjunct Faculty Exhibition, Mesaros Galleries, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
1997Alchemy, Oglebay Institute, Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling, West Virginia (group)
1997Ten x 10 2, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Wood Street Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (group)
1997Alchemy, Millworks Gallery, Inc. Akron, OH (group)
1997JUNK, Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, The Workshop, Game project and exhibition (solo)
1996Prints & Projects, Foreland Street Studio, Pittsburgh, PA Produced print and exhibition (invited, group)
1996Alchemy, St. Vincent’s College, Latrobe, PA (group)
1996Potentiality—Activate the Art, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL (invited, group)
1996The Handless Maiden, Marathon Center, University of Wisconsin Wausau, with Emily Blair (selected, solo)
Books, catalogues, publications
20118 Hour Projects: Sustaining Practice, authors: Colleen Toledano, Darren Miller, Penelec~Megahan~Bowman Art Galleries, Alleghany College, Meadville, PA exhibition catalog
2011Belgrade GUIDE, 2nd edition, letterpress cover, reprinted by next question at NY Center for Book Arts
2011Donated By, by Michelle Illuminato and Brett Hunter, 101 pages, self-published
2009-2011State of Play, Integrative Teaching ThinkTank publication, contributing author, online /print (second edition)
2009Frontiers, a Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol. 30, #1, Knowledge That Matters: Feminist Epistemology, Methodology, and Science Studies, Eds. Susan E. Gray, Gayle Gullett, contributing author, cover image, additional images: xv, 65-67, 78-82
2005Paradise Garden, Vogelfrei 6, Kunstentdeckungen in Privatgärten, Darmstadt, Germany
2001-2004Per Te, un fotoromanzo, a project by next question, printed and online versions
2003TransitARTen, Vogelfrei 5, Kunstentdeckungen in Privatgärten, Darmstadt, Germany
2001SIGGRAPH catalogue, N-SPACE Gallery Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA, website and CD.
2001Unlimited Partnerships, CEPA Gallery, essays by Grant Kester, next question and other participating artists.
1997Points of Entry, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Jeanne Pearlman, Mary Jane Jacob, contributing authors: Levi-Strauss, Daniel Martinez, Group Material, Fred Wilson, Michelle Illuminato, Ann Carlson, Lonnie Graham, RAM Publications, Los Angeles, CA
Selected articles
2013Kunstspaziergang auf fremden Rasen, Echo Online 8/17/13
2013 2,6 Kilometer Kunst, Von Annette Kramer-Alig, Darmstadt Echo, 8/23/13
2013Performer auf de Rasen, Freizeit, 69 Jahrgang, Nr. 194, Frankfurter Rundschau, 8/22/13
2013Stadtgarten: Urbanität, Mobilität, Freiheit, Vogelfrei 10, Darmstadt, Germany
2011Artists to Exhibit Creative Process, Cortney O’Brien, The Campus,V. 136 Issue 2, feature, pgs. 1, 5, photo 9/2
2010United States of Monza, Vorrei (Cultural Magazine), Monza, Italy, Simone Camassa 11/12
2010Arte Explor-art 2010: ecco I selezionati di AreaOdeon, il Cittadino, Monza, Italy Alessandra Sala, pg. 52, 10/14
2010Explor-art ad AreaOdeon, “Siamo pronti a crescere’, Il Cittadino, Monza, Italy, Alessandra Sala, pg. 51, 11/18
2010Le citta possibili di Explor-art, Il Cittadino, Monza, Italy, Alessandra Sala, pg. 50, 11/11
2010To AU Art Profs selected for International Workshop in Italy, The Alfred Sun, 11/11/10, pg. 9
2010‘Open Engagement’ at PSU shines light on emerging art form, The Oregonian, Portland, OR D.K. Row,5/16
2009Storefronts as Art Exhibits, Tompkins Weekly, Volume 3, No. 40, July 13-July 19, pg. 1, Pamela Goddard
2008Ruralscape, The Alfred Sun, 4/08
2005Five Plus, an exceptional exhibit by women artists, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Mary Thomas 10/12
2005Exhibition showcases striking imagery…, Kurt Shaw, Pittsburgh Tribune Review 10/05
2005 Fall Arts Preview: Observe and imagine, Mary Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/8
2005 Art in Our Neighborhoods, Lynne Margolis, Pittsburgh Magazine, Spring
2005 Gender Identity…Showcased In Warhol Exhibit, Gina Frey, OIA Newswire
2004The War Room, New People, Mollie McClelland, November issue, Pittsburgh, p. 18.
2003Bowling Green Gets Linked, Art Voice.
2000Art Papers Magazine, Review of 2 Degrees of Separation, Caroline Koebel, November
2000Art Voice, Multiple Unlimited Collaborations and Urban Girls, M. Smith, June 8-14, 32
1999Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Points of View, Mary Thomas, July
1999In-Pittsburgh review of Points of View, July
1999Pittsburgh Magazine, November issue
1997Tribune Review, Michele Orner, Lost in Space? Artists ask Women to Explore
1997Beaver County Times, Hoops!
1996In Pittsburgh, Manny Theiner, Space is the Place, Feature
1996New Art Examiner, Richard A. Schindler, Democracy is Fun! Joseph Beuys and the Aesthetics of Activism
1996The News, Fourth Annual Arts Festival in Aliquippa
1996In Pittsburgh, Tey Stiteler, A Town Driven by Art, Feature cover
1996In Pittsburgh, Chris Potter, Unlike the...public art, Points of Entry...
1996Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Donald Miller, Three Rivers Arts Festival Designs New Points of Entry
1996The Observer, David Kaufman, Squirrel Hill Happening
1996The Forum, Wausau, WI
1996City Pages, Wausau, WI Patricia Wyckoff, Visual Art …out of the gilded frame ... of a video camera
1996Wausau Daily Herald, Wausau, WI Sharon Piller, Review
1995New Castle News, Trio of Works
1994Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Donald Miller, Artists in Two Cities Work Magic
1994Pittsburgh Magazine, Mike May, Art Editor’s Pick— Alchemy 1994
1994In Pittsburgh, Colleen McKay, Gnostics for the Next Century, Cover story
1994The News, South Edition, Aliquippa, PA, Aliquippa Arts Festival Attracts…
1994The Times, Beaver, PA, Torsten Ove, Folks give Aliquippa’s image artistic…
1994The Times, Patricia Connelly Weekend Cover, Three feature articles, and map
1994Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Donald Miller, Aliquippa Artwork Blooming
1994In Pittsburgh, J. Decker, Adopting Aliquippa: Art as economic developmentengine
1994The New Art Examiner, Chicago IL Chris Potter, Group A, Review
1994The News, Ione Morgan, Changes taking place for downtown Aliquippa
1994The Times, Saturday begins Adopt a Piece of Aliquippa project
1994The Times, Bruce Antley, Looking for Volunteers, Community wants to...
1994Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Donald Miller, Fifty Years of Group A
1994In Pittsburgh, Margie Romero, What you saw in Art 1993
1993In Pittsburgh, Margie Romero, Perfect 10’s
1993Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Donald Miller, Art Festival Sparkles and Sputters
1993The Beaver County Times, The Artist’s Life: Using Fantasy… Photos
1993Beaver County Times, D. Utterback, Artsy Aliquippa: I Never Saw So Many People Here
1993Beaver County Times, D. Utterback 24 Hours in Aliquippa, City Hosts Show... A1 Photo
1993The New York Times, Barnaby Feder, Survival a Struggle in a Town the Steel Forgot, C1
1993Beaver County Times, Torsten Ove, Aliquippa on Parade...
1993Greenwich Time, Greenwich, CN, Student’s Combine to Help City’s Renaissance
1993Valley Tribune, Beaver Falls, PA, Art Project to Brighten Aliquippa, A1
1992Flash Art, Milan, Italy, Progetto Cuspide Review
1992Il Gazzettino, Venice, Italy, Spazi vuoti recuperati dagli artisti
1992Il Giornale dell’Arte, Milan, Italy, Sbarco americano e giocattoli cubofuturisti #120
1992La Unione Sarda, Cagliari, Dagli Stati con (grande)stupore...
Selected radio + television
2006Belgrade Environmental News, Belgrade, Serbia, Guide/Vodic Project June, interview
2006B 92 Radio, Belgrade, Serbia, Guide/Vodic Project interview
1997WQED, Pittsburgh, PA, Sunday Arts Calendar, Producer: Susan Morris, The South Side Atlas
1996CBS Radio, New York, National Broadcast, Osgood File (Charles Osgood) Producer, Susan Morris What do we win?
1996WQED, Pittsburgh, PA Sunday Arts Calendar, Producer: Susan Morris. What do we win?
1994WMBA Radio Station, Ambridge, PA, Talk Show with Sam Nicatero. Interviews from May - August
1994WBVP Radio Station, Beaver Falls, PA, Four Interviews from June - August
1994KDKA Television Station, Channel 2 News, Pittsburgh, PA Covered Adopting Aliquippa, July 30, 1994.
1994WPXI Television Station, Channel 11 News, Pittsburgh, PA Covered Adopting Aliquippa, July 30, 1994.
1993KDKA Television, Channel 2 News, Pittsburgh, PA Ralph Ionatti, 24 Hours in Aliquippa, Feature story.
1993WPXI Television Station, Channel 11 News, Pittsburgh, PA Covered 24 Hours in Aliquippa, April 30
1993WMBA Radio Station, Ambridge, PA Talk Show with Sam Nicatero
1992Vidiolina, Sardegnian News Program, Spotlighted, Progetto Cuspide.
1992Tele Margarita, Venice, Italy, Spotlighted, Progetto Cuspide.
Selected online sites
2011Integrative Teaching International, Educators Showcase, featured educator, November 2011
2011PAUSE, Guide: Poughkeepsie Project, and OurHudson
2010Ruralscape,
2010Wild Food Cook-Off,
2010Studio Visits, lecture and talk show (educational project),
2009-2011The Line Project (educational project),
2009Soapbox Workshop,
2009Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Spectra,
2009to Let,
2009Next Question,
2006Outside Project site,
2002 LINKS Public Art, (educational project)
2000 Unlimited Partnerships, CEPA, 2 Degrees of Separation, Essays by Grant Kester, and participating artists,
Lectures, panels + workshops
2015Three Rivers Arts Festival Public Art Panel, Lost & Found Factory, Pittsburgh, PA