BEN RAK
Curriculum Vitae
Born: 1978, California, USA. Living and working in Sydney, Australia
Education
2011 – 2013 MFA, College of Fine Arts, UNSW Sydney
2008 – 2009 BFA Honours (1st class), College of Fine Arts, UNSW Sydney
2006 – 2008 BFA printmaking, College of Fine Arts, UNSW Sydney
Solo Exhibitions
2016 Pictures of Scratches – Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Manly
2015 Hoot-Dash Views – Gallery Smith Project Space, Melbourne
2013 Double Coding – Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney
2013 Performance Anxiety – Kudos Gallery, Sydney
2011 Socially Structured Movement - Iain Dawson Gallery, Sydney
2010 Consumed – Iain Dawson Gallery, Sydney
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 Aura: Repetition, reproduction and the mark of the artist
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
2017International Printmedia Festival, Artspace Mullae, Seoul, South Korea
2016International Printmaking Alliance Exhibition, Touring China
Taimiao Art Gallery, Beijing
Nanjing Jinling Art Museum, Nanjing
Tianjin Art Museum, Tianjin
Shijiazhuang Art Museum, Shijazhuang
Shenzhen Guanlan Original Printmaking Museum, Guanlan
20168th International Printmaking Biennial Douro, Portugal
2016Passage, Alive Jincheon Printmaking Museum, Jincheon, South Korea
201650 Years of Print, Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW
2016Sydney Printmaker’s 55th, Artsite Gallery, Sydney
2015A Start With No End, Touring China
The Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing
Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Wuhan
2015Out of Quarantine, Manly Museum & Gallery, Sydney
2015Expectation of Privacy, Renke Art Centre, Hangzhou, China
2015Changing Worlds, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
2015Sydney Contemporary Fair, Cicada Press Stall, Sydney
20152nd Global Print 2015, Douro Museum, Portugal
2015Core, Waiheke Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2015Collection focus: Modern Australia , Gold Coast City Gallery, QLD
2015Alternatives, 10x10 Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2015Seoul-Sydney : Contemporary Korean And Australian Prints,
Chugye University for the Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
2015Interchange : Contemporary Printmaking from Australia and Thailand
Mosman Art Gallery, NSW
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW
ANU Gallery, ACT
Silipakorn University PSG Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand (2014)
2015 Bestiary, University of Virginia, USA
2015 Cutback : Surfing Through Art, Gold Coast City Gallery, QLD
2015 Brides of Expansion, Gaffa Gallery , Sydney
2014 Semblance of Order, Aicon Gallery , New York, USA
2014 Workshop’d, Gosford Regional Gallery, NSW
2014 Antipodes, NorthArt Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014 Sydney-Lahore: Prints from the Collections of Cicada Press and Saeed Akhtar Studio , Saeed Akhtar Studio, Lahore, Pakistan
2014 Semblance Of Order, Koel Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2014 Fantasy Asia, IVS Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2014 New & Old Territories, Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, Sydney
2014 Seoul-Sydney : Contemporary Korean And Australian Prints, UNSW Galleries, NSW
2014 GLINT – Canberra Glassworks, ACT
2014 Everyday Celebrity – Gold Coast City Gallery, QLD
2014 Bridges of Expansion- SFSU, San Francisco USA
2014 Corporeal – Switchback Gallery, Federation University, VIC
2014 Editions II – Tacit Contemporary Art , Melbourne
2013 Contemporary Prints 2013 – Kent House Gallery, Sydney
2013 Conform/Confront – Hong Kong Graphic Arts Fiesta, HK
2013 Semblance Of Order – Parramatta Artist Studio, Sydney
2013 Drawing Now – IDG Gallery, Sydney
2013 Familiar/Unfamiliar – Toowoomba Gallery, QLD
2013 The Drive Home – Robert Blackburn Printshop, New York USA
2013 The Drive Home – Graphic Arts Workshop, San Francisco, USA
2013 Familiar/Unfamiliar – Swan Hill Gallery, Swan Hill, VIC
2013 Corporeal – Geelong Gallery, Geelong VIC
2012 330 Exhibition – Gallery Smith, Melbourne VIC
2012‘ Beginning with Printmaking – Integrative practice and crossing b orders, ’11th Nationwide Academies of Fine Arts Printmaking Biennial’, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
2012 Billboard Art Project – Atlanta, Georgia USA
2012 Familiar/Unfamiliar – S.P.A.C.E Gallery, Launceston TAS
2012 Familiar/Unfamiliar – Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW
2012 (Un)Seen Sculptures – Sydney NSW
2012 Mind & Reality – CofaSpace Gallery, Sydney NSW
2011 Messages From The South - Art Museum of National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan
2011 Mind & Reality – Roxaboxen Gallery, Chicago USA
2011 Familiar/Unfamiliar – C3 contemporary art space, Melbourne VIC
2011 PCA Print Commission - Megalo, ACT
2011 Pacific Rim Meets Istanbul - FASS Gallery, Istanbul Turkey. In conjunction with the Istanbul Biennale
2011 International Art On Paper Exhibition – Chiang Mai University Art Centre, Chiang Mai , Thailand
2010 Pac Rim Print Exhibition – SOFA gallery, Christchurch NZ
2010 Addiction – CofaSpace Gallery, Sydney NSW
2009 Hip Pop – United Galleries @ Saatchi&Saatchi, Sydney NSW
2009 30x40 – United Galleries, Sydney NSW
2009 Addiction – Alfred School of Art, New York
2009 Halfway House – COFAspace Sydney
2009 Footprints – Sydney MCA / Blank Space, Sydney
2008 Hip Pop - United Galleries, Sydney
2008 Itchy Feet - Kudos Gallery, Sydney
2008 1200K Fowlers Gap- COFA space, Sydney
2008 Dislocation – Kudos Gallery Sydney
2008 Urban – Gallery Red, Sydney
2008 Untitled – At The Vanishing Point Gallery, Sydney
2008 Dirty Hands– Breathing Colours Gallery, Sydney
2007 Artbeat – Melton
2007 Dislocation - Kudos Gallery Sydney
2007 Living Sydney - Crossbay Gallery, Sydney
Selected Curated Projects
2017 Aura: Repetition, reproduction and the mark of the artist
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
2014 Fantasy Asia – IVS Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2013 Mirror,Mirror – CofaSpace Gallery, Sydney NSW
2011 Mind & Reality – CofaSpace Gallery, Sydney NSW
Mind & Reality – Roxaboxen Gallery, Chicago USA
2010 Addiction – CofaSpace Gallery, Sydney NSW
Addiction – Alfred School of Art, New York
Prizes, Grants, Awards and Residencies
2014Warringah Creative Space Artist in Residence
2014Highly Commended Blacktown Art Prize - Sculpture
2014GLINT (Glass+Print) Residency, Megalo Studios and Canberra Glassworks, ACT
2014Chiangmai Art on Paper Residency , Thailand
2014Australia-Thailand Institute (DFAT) – Artist in Residence Grant for CAP Residency (Thailand)
2013Parramatta – Pakistan – Cicada Press Artist in Residence, Sydney
2012UNSW Research Travel Grant
2010Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship
2009Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, UNSW COFA
2009Winner National Tertiary Art Prize – people’s choice award
2008Winner Blacktown Art Prize – Works on Paper
2008Winner Cofa Annual 2008 - Art Scene award
2008Highly Commended Expose Your World
2007Winner Newtown NCA art prize – Photography
Finalist in:
2017Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award
2017The Print Center’s 91st Annual International Competition
2016Fremantle Print Award
2015Paddington Art Prize
2015Fishers Ghost Art Award
2015Geelong Print Prize
2015Fremantle Print Award
2015Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photo Award
2015Burnie Print Prize
2014Stencil Art Prize
2014Hobart Art Prize
2013Blake Prize
2013Paddington Art Prize
2013Australian Stencil Prize
2013Black Swan Portrait Prize
2013Hazelhurst Art on Paper Prize
2013Burnie Print Prize
2010Fremantle Print Prize
2010NSW Parliament Plein Aire Photographic Award
2009Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize
2009Blacktown Art Prize
2009Waverley Art Prize
2008Burnie Print Prize
2008Duke Gold Coast Art Prize
2008Fisher's Ghost Art Prize
2008MacarthurCook Art Award
2008'New Scientist' Scientific Photography Award
2008Waverley Art Prize
2007Waverley Art Prize
2007Willoughby Art Prize
2007Sydney Morning Herald 'Shoot the Chef'
2007Box Hill Biennial National Art Competition
Collections :
Alfred University School of Art, New York USA
Artbank, Australia
Arts Law Centre Of Australia, NSW Australia
Brooklyn Art Library, New York USA
Camberwell Grammar, VIC Australia
Canson Australia
Charles Sturt University Art Collection
Chiangmai Art on Paper Studios, Thailand
City of Kingston, VIC Australia
City of Maroondah, VIC Australia
Geelong Gallery, VIC Australia
Gold Coast City Art Gallery, QLD Australia
Grafton Regional Art Gallery, Grafton NSW Australia
Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi Pakistan
The Joan Flasch Artist Books Library, SAIC, Chicago USA
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
New Scientist Magazine, NSW Australia
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, Canada
Penleigh & Essondon School, VIC Australia
Print Council of Australia Archive, VIC Australia
San Francisco State University, USA
SGCI Print Collection, Zuckerman Museum Of Art, Georgia, USA
University of Canterbury, SOFA, New Zealand
University of Virginia, VA, USA
UNSW Art & Design, NSW Australia
Warnambool Art Gallery, VIC Australia
Commissions:
2013 Hakoah Room, Adina Bondi, NSW
2012 Molle Street Billboard Project, Tasmania
2011 Print Council Of Australia Print Commission
2009 Arts Law Centre Of Australia, NSW
Conference / Panel presentations
2016Contemporary Print Practice : Year Of The Print Symposium,
Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW
2014Guest Lecture at Southern Printmakers, Hazelhurst Gallery, NSW
2014Songlines: Community, Connection and Opportunity through print in the Asia-Pacific, SGCI Conference, San Francisco, USA
2013 Guest Lecture at Gallery P8, Tel Aviv, Israel
2013 Master Printers in Conversation Panel Discussion, Parramatta Artist Studios, Australia
2012 Guest Lecture at Tel Aviv Print Workshop, Israel
2012 Altruism, Alms & Palms, Mid-America Print Council Conference, Missouri USA
Publications :
Rak, B., 2014. SGC International Conference 2014. Imprint Magazine, Volume 49 Number 2 2014, pg. 32-33
Rak, B., 2013. Two Worlds – The Art of Ben Soedrajit. Imprint Magazine, Volume 48 Number 4 2013, pg. 18
Rak, B., 2013. Performance Anxiety. MFA Thesis
Rak, B., 2013. Mirror,Mirror. Exhibition Catalogue, March 2013
Rak, B., 2013. Pressing Prints/Pressing Palms. Imprint Magazine, Volume 48 Number 1 2013, pg 12
Rak, B. 2012 Blending Cultures, Mid-America Print Council Journal Volume 20, Numbers 3&4, 2012
Rak, B., 2010. Addiction. Imprint Magazine, Volume 45 Number 4 2010, pg 6
Rak, B. Identity Off The Rack. COFA UNSW 2009. Sydney. The Final Word Volume 1 , pg. 16-17. ISBN:[978-0-9805218-3-2]. A modified version of this article was also published in ‘The College Voice’ online magazine http://www.arc.unsw.edu.au/media/documents/cvoice/vol7issue2/Identity.pdf
Rak, B. Wear Me. 2009 Honours Thesis
Rak, B. Brands, Clothing and the Self. COFA UNSW 2009. Sydney Half Way House Volume 2, pg. 20-21. ISBN:[978-0-9805218-2-5]
Citations and Reviews of Exhibition/work :
Wadman, A. Surfing Through Art, Artshub.com.au http://visual.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/visual-arts/surfing-through-art-247305
Glint Article, Imprint
New York Postcard, Shaw, G. The Art Life, 30/1/15 http://theartlife.com.au/2015/new-york-postcard-from-the-blizzard/
Cutback : Surfing Through Art exhibition catalogue – cited in essay Cuttback L The Performance by Emma Collerton, pg 06. 2015
Kempson, M. Pakistan Revisited – the ‘graphic’ diplomacy of print, Imprint Magazine Volume 49, #4 Summer 2014. Pg 28-29..
Interchange Exhibition catalogue – cited in essays by Somporn Rodboon and Anthony Springford.
Jalil,R. Karachi to Sydney, The Friday Times, Oct 24th, 2014. http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/karachi-to-sydney/
Imran,A. Conversations Through Print, ArtNow Pakistan, Oct 6th, 2014. http://www.artnowpakistan.com/articles.php?article=Conversations-Through-Print
Jalil,R. Running The Printmaking Marathon, ArtNow Pakistan, Oct 4th, 2014. http://www.artnowpakistan.com/articles.php?article=Running-the-Printmaking-Marathon
Subzwari, S. Art : Ordered Chaos, The Express Tribune. Sept 21st 2014.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/763536/ordered-chaos/
Ali, S. Art Fiend : Defining Semblance, Dawn.Com , Sept 21st 2014. http://www.dawn.com/news/1132774/art-fiend-defining-semblance
Tahir,M. Playing with motifs: Artists employ recurring elements to express ideas, using silkscreen prints and etchings, The Express Tribune. Sept 14th, 2014. http://tribune.com.pk/story/761903/playing-with-motifs-artists-employ-recurring-elements-to-express-ideas-using-silkscreen-prints-and-etchings/
Rafi, H. Art & Artists Across Borders, Dawn.Com. Sept 13, 2014. http://www.dawn.com/news/1131587/art-and-artists-across-borders
Fantasy Asia Catalogue – including essays by Rebecca O’shea and Veera Rustomji, 2014.
Cousins, K. Glint: Glass and Print Canberra Glassworks Review, Sydney Morning Herald, July 11, 2014
Seoul-Sydney : Contemporary Korean And Australian Prints, exhibition catalogue. July 2014.
Butler, A., 2014. Semblance of Order. Imprint Magazine, Volume 49 Number 1 2014, pg. 12-13
Butler, A., 2013. Ben Rak : Performance Anxiety. Imprint Magazine, Volume 48 Number 4 2013, pg. 17
Kempson, M. 2013. Longing & Belonging. Catalogue Essay for ‘Double Coding’ exhibition
Semblance of Order catalogue – including essays by Abdullah M.I. Syed and Nafisa Rizvi. 2014
Amir,D., 2013. Ben Rak Exhibits in Sydney. J-Wire, 25/09/2013, http://www.jwire.com.au/news/ban-rak-exhibits-in-sydney/37367
Greenhalgh,D., 2013. Mirror,Mirror The First Throwdown Press Residency. Imprint Magazine, Volume 48 Number 2 2013, pg 39
Yishuzs Blog 2013, http://yishuzs.com/2013/07/artist-ben-rak/
Doley,K., 2013. Throwdown Press. Cofatopia Magazine, April 2013, pg 15
Butler, A., 2013. COFA printmaking extensions in China. Imprint Magazine, Volume 48 Number 1 2013, pg 13
Webb, P. 2013 Printmakers putting bodies on the line, The Age, March 8, 2013
Walton, I. 2013 Melbournin’, Trouble Magazine, Issue 99, March 2013
Kempson, M. 2012 Altruism, Community and the Importance of Mentoring College Voice, Volume 10, #2 2012 http://www.arc.unsw.edu.au/entertainment/publications/college-voice/volume-10-issue-2/altruism,-community-and-the-importance-of-mentoring-–-an-interview-with-michael-kempson-
Forster, S. 2011 PCA Commissioned Prints Imprint Magazine, Volume 47, #2 2012, pg 33
Forster, S. , Impact7 Month Of Print Program Imprint Magazine, Volume 47, #2 2012, pg 32
Forster, S. , Australia In Print Imprint Magazine, Volume 47, #1 2012, pg 38
Frost, A. , Metro Art Section. Sydney Morning Herald Dec 9th, 2011.
Kelly, D. , Keeping you posted… Imprint Magazine, Volume 46, #4 2011, pg 1
Imprint Magazine, Volume 46 Number 3 2011, pg 31 and 35
Creighton, A. , 2011. Ben Rak : Finding Authenticity. Imprint Magazine, Volume 46 Number 1 2011, pg 13
Johnston, M. , The Art of Selling New Ideas. Sydney Morning Herald Feb 27th, 2010.
Creighton, A. , 2010. We are all a bit inauthentic : Interview with Ben Rak. Art Month Sydney 2010 blog.
Domestic Blend blog. , 2010. FACPA2010 – Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award 2010 Opening Night.
Happenstance blog. , 2009. Profile : Ben Rak // Printmaking
Kollector blog. , 2009. Two from 30×40: Erin Flannery and Ben Rak
Lowe, C., 2009. 2008 New Scientist Eureka Prize For Science Photography. Explore Magazine, Autumn 2009, pg 22-23
Huynh, H., 2007. Papunya Tjupi and COFA UNSW workshop. Imprint Magazine, Volume 42 Number 4 2007, pg 33