Briony_Fer Knowpia

Briony Fer, FBA is a British art historian, critic, and curator; professor of history of art at University College London. She has written extensively on diverse topics of 20th century and contemporary art. She has written essays on numerous contemporary artists, such as Gabriel Orozco, Vija Celmins, Jean-Luc Moulène, Roni Horn, Ed Ruscha, and Rachel Whiteread. A focus of her research is on the art of American sculptor Eva Hesse, as when she wrote for the catalogue for the artist's 2002 retrospective curated by Elisabeth Sussman at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art in 2002.^[1]

Early life and education edit

Studying art history at Sussex University, Fer gained her BA in 1979. She finished her PhD in 1988 with a dissertation on the Soviet and French avant-gardes, written at Essex University (where she worked with Professors Dawn Adès and Michael Podro.

Career edit

In 1980 Fer joined the Art History Department at the Open University (OU), where she developed the essays published in the Modernity and Modernism textbooks, released in 1993 by the OU and Yale University Press. She joined the Department of History of Art at University College in 1990, where she was promoted to Professor in 2005.

Fer has also curated numerous exhibitions, such as the recent show of Gabriel Orozco at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh in 2013.^[2]

Other activities edit

Fer was a member of the juries that selected Isa Genzken (2019),^[3] Michael Rakowitz (2020),^[4] Senga Nengudi (2023)^[5] and Otobong Nkanga (2024)^[6] for the Nasher Prize.

Publications edit

Publications by Fer edit

On Abstract Art (2000, Yale University Press)
The Infinite Line (2004, Yale University Press)

Catalogues with essays by Fer edit

Jean-Luc Moulene (2009)
Karla Black - Brains are Really Everything (2011)
Gabriel Orozco - Thinking in Circles (2013)

References edit

^ "'SFMOMA Presents eva Hesse Most Comprehensive Showing Ever Explores Materials And Processes". SFMOMA. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
^ "'New exhibition of Gabriel Orozco's work opens at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh". Art Daily. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
^ Andrew Russeth (26 September 2018), $100,000 Nasher Prize Goes to Isa Genzken ARTnews.
^ Claire Selvin (4 September 2019), Michael Rakowitz, Sculptor of Lost Heritage, Wins $100,000 Nasher Prize ARTnews.
^ Maximilíano Durón (21 September 2022), Groundbreaking Artist Senga Nengudi Wins $100,000 Nasher Prize ARTnews.
^ Maximilíano Durón (5 October 2023), Otobong Nkanga Wins $100,000 Nasher Prize for Sculpture ARTnews.