Germaine Koh
curriculum vitae

Updated September 2007
solo exhibitions ... group exhibitions ... additional articles ... curatorial + critical activity ... education + biographical

 

Germaine Koh is represented by Catriona Jeffries Gallery
274 East 1st Ave., Vancouver V5T1A6 Canada
tel. +1(604)7361554, e-mail cat_jeffries_gallery(a)telus.net
  
Germaine Koh - Canadian, no fixed address, born 1967 in Malaysia
Germaine Koh is a Canadian visual artist active internationally. Her conceptually-generated work is concerned with the significance of everyday actions, familiar objects and common places. Her recent schedule has included shows at the BALTIC Centre (Newcastle), De Appel (Amsterdam), Martin-Gropius-Bau (Berlin), Ottawa Art Gallery, and le Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin), Para/Site Art Space (Hong Kong), Frankfurter Kunstverein, Bloomberg SPACE (London), the Seoul Museum of Art, Artspace (Sydney), The British Museum (London), The Power Plant (Toronto), the Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), Plug In ICA (Winnipeg), Ex Teresa Arte Actual (Mexico City), the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions. She has participated in the Liverpool Biennial 2004, 1998 Biennale of Sydney, and La Biennale de Montréal 2000, and she was a finalist for the 2004 Sobey Art Award. Formerly Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Canada, she is also an independent curator and partner in the independent record label weewerk. Koh is represented by Catriona Jeffries Gallery, Vancouver.

 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 
2007
  • Centre A (Vancouver), "Overflow". Catalogue by Clint Burnham. Selected reviews: Robin Laurence, Georgia Straight, 8-15 February 2007; Cécile Lepage, l'Express du Pacifique, 5 February 2007; Alexandra Gill, The Globe and Mail, 20 January 2007
2006

2005

 
2004
2003
2002
2001
  • Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art and Gallery 1.1.1 (Winnipeg), "Germaine Koh: Around About", curated by Christina Ritchie. Catalogue by Cliff Eyland, reprinted in Border Crossings (February 2002). Selected reviews: Sigrid Dahle, Winnipeg Free Press, 8 December 2001.
  • Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), "Germaine Koh", curated by Keith Wallace. Catalogue by Laura U. Marks (PDF part1-312Kb and PDF part2-208Kb). Selected reviews: Robin Laurence, The Globe and Mail, 19 May 2001; Robin Laurence, The Georgia Straight, 24-31 May 2001; Joan Richardson, Vie des Arts, Summer 2001; Amy Cheng, Art & Collection, July 2001, Ron Nurwisah, Rice Paper 6:2, 2001.
  • Solo Exhibition (Toronto), "Watch". Reviews: Leah McLaren, The Globe and Mail, 24 February 2001; Kim Fullerton, Xtra!, 22 February 2001; Andrew J. Paterson, Lola, no. 9, Summer 2001; Rosemary Heather, C Magazine, Fall 2002.

2000

  • Latitude 53 (Edmonton), "Journal". Brochure by Alan Reed. Review: Chris Zdeb, Edmonton Journal, 23 October 2000.
  • Arte in Situ / La Torre de los Vientos (Mexico City), "by the way". Review: Cuauhtémoc Medina, Reforma (México City), 21 June 2000.
1999
1998
  • Centre des arts actuels SKOL (Montreal), "Des gages / Tokens". Publication: Joceline Chabot, text in SKOL 1998-1999 catalogue. Reviews: Marcus Miller, Hour (Montreal), 10-16 December 1998; Nicolas Mavrikakis, Voir (Montreal), 10-16 December 1998.
  • YYZ Artists' Outlet, Toronto, "Notices". Reviews: Kyo Maclear, Toronto Life, May 1998; Gillian MacKay, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), 25 April 1998; Anitra Hamilton, Lola (Toronto), no. 3, 1998; Sue-Ann Levy, Toronto Sun, 8 May 1998.
1997
  • Southern Alberta Art Gallery (Lethbridge), "Knitwork". Review: Joy Hickson, Lethbridge Herald, 18 July 1997.
  • Agnes Etherington Art Centre (Kingston, Canada), "Germaine Koh: Personal", curated by Jan Allen. Catalogue by Jan Allen and Wayne Baerwaldt. Reviews: Petra Halkes, C Magazine 56, 1997; Lee Parpart, Kingston Whig-Standard, 12 July 1997.
1996
  • eyelevel gallery (Halifax), "Knitwork". Review: Elissa Barnard, Halifax Chronicle-Herald/Mail-Star, 9 February 1996.
1995
  • Yukon Arts Centre (Whitehorse), "Knitwork".

  • B-312 (Montreal), "Knitwork / Tricot-âge". Exhibition folder by Michele White (PDF). Review: Jennifer Couëlle, ETC MONTRÉAL, no.25, February-May 1994.
1991
  • Gallery 101 (Ottawa), "The International Code of Signals Paintings". Essay by Daniel Sharp. Review: Nancy Baele, Ottawa Citizen, 5 September 1991.

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS  

 
2007
  • MKG127 (Toronto), "Happy Birthday & Friendly Greeting"
  • Ingenuity festival (Cleveland), curated by Steve Dietz
  • Kenderdine Gallery (Saskatoon), "Me & Them", curated by Micah Lexier
  • Artists Space (New York), "On Being An Exhibition", curated by Joseph del Pesco

2006
  • ISEA 2006 / ZeroOne San Jose
  • Artspeak (Vancouver) and Presentation House (North Vancouver), "Territory", curated by Melanie O'Brian and Helga Pakasaar. Selected reviews: Clint Burnham, Vancouver Sun, 10 June 2006.
  • Folly (Lancaster UK), "f.city"
  • Plug In ICA (Winnipeg), "Unlearn", curated by Steven Matijico.
  • Catriona Jeffries Gallery (Vancouver), "274 East 1st". Selected reviews: Clint Burnham, Vancouver Sun, 3 June 2006.
  • InterAccess and Humanitas Festival (Toronto), "The Networked City", off-site public art exhibition.
  • Sparwasser HQ (Berlin), "The Momental", curated by Patricia Reed.
  • Mercer Union (Toronto), "Infinity etc.", curated by Dave Dyment.
2005
2004

  • Liverpool Biennial International 04. Catalogue.
  • Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, "Sobey Art Award", touring 2005-06 to Yukon Arts Centre (Whitehorse), Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (Toronto), and Mackenzie Art Gallery (Regina). Selected press: Elissa Barnard, Halifax Chronicle Herald, 29 September 2004.
  • Edmonton Art Gallery, "Sense", curated by Catherine Crowston.
  • SF Camerawork (San Francisco), "Monument Recall", curated by Paula Levine, Trena Noval and Laurie Blavin. Publication ed.Trena Noval.
  • La Galerie d'art du Parc and other locations (Trois-Rivières), "Entre ciel et terre: 1e Biennale nationale de sculpture contemporaine", curated by Gaston St-Pierre. Catalogue. Selected reviews: Jérôme Delgado, La Presse (Montreal), 31 July 2004.
  • Gazon Rouge Gallery (Athens), "The Sneeze 80x80", curated by Pete Lloyd Lewis and Natasha Makowski, Summer 2004.
  • ZieherSmith Gallery (New York), "Important Canadian Art", Spring 2004. Catalogue.
  • Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, "FaceLIFT", curated by Allan Mackay.
2003

  • Seoul Museum of Art, "MosaiCanada: Sign and Sound", curated by Wayne Baerwaldt, Nancy Campbell and Keunhye Lim. Catalogue
  • YYZ Artists' Outlet (Toronto), "Psychotopes", curated by Markus Müller.
  • McMaster University (Hamilton), "RE:cycle". Catalogue by Ivan Jurakic.
  • Catriona Jeffries Gallery (Vancouver), "I Sell Security".
  • Frankfurter Kunstverein, "Nation", curated by Nicolaus Schafhausen
  • Gallery Neubacher (Toronto), "Social Life", curated by Si Si Penaloza. Exhibition essay.
  • Bloomberg SPACE (London), "Our Mutual Friend". Brochure.
  • Ottawa Art Gallery, "The Bigger Picture: Portraits from Ottawa", curated by Karen Love. Catalogue
2002

  • Gallery TPW (Toronto), "The Found and the Familiar", curated by Sophie Hackett and Jennifer Long, touring 2003-04 to Confederation Centre for the Arts (Charlottetown), Galerie Connexion (Fredericton), and Art Gallery of Bishop's Univerisity (Lennoxville). Catalogue by Sophie Hackett.
  • The Power Plant (Toronto), "IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR", curated by Xandra Eden, touring 2003 to Bellevue Art Museum (Seattle). Catalogue by Xandra Eden. Selected reviews: Sarah Milroy, The Globe and Mail, 19 June 2002; Danny Sinopoli, eye, 18 July 2002; Sophie Hackett, Xtra!, 8 August 2002; Regina Hackett, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1 August 2003.
  • Catriona Jeffries Gallery (Vancouver), "Signage". Exhibition publication by Clint Burnham.
  • Luft Gallery (Toronto), "Eine. Klein. Sighn."
  • Museo Universitario de Ciencias y Arte - Roma (Mexico City), "Rotación XIV".
2001
  • ÖRF Kunstradio (Vienna), "FREQUENCitY", curated by Steve Bates.
  • Latitude 53 (Edmonton), "Visualeyez" performance festival.
  • Kelowna Art Gallery, "Recent Acquisitions, Part 2".
  • Catriona Jeffries Gallery (Vancouver), "Art - Supernatural Fairytales (Pink Island).
  • Images Festival of Independent Film and Video (Toronto), "Window Shopping", curated by R.M. Vaughan.
  • Ed Video (Guelph), "Pacemaker" internet exhibition, curated by Mary Cross.
2000
  • La Centrale (Montreal), "Le mois de la performance". Catalogue.
  • Art Gallery of Windsor, "Tracking", curated by Helga Pakasaar.
  • Gendai Gallery (Toronto), "Recollection Project". Catalogue with essays by Bryce Kanbara and Richard Fung.
  • La Biennale de Montréal 2000, "Tout le temps / Every Time", curated by Peggy Gale (link to exhibition). Catalogue by Peggy Gale, with artist entry by Laura U. Marks (English text - texte français).
  • Mercer Union (Toronto)" Placecards". Brochure by Stacey Lancaster.
  • Blackwood Gallery (University of Toronto Erindale), "Logo City", curated by Barbara Fischer. Selected reviews: R.M. Vaughan, Azure, September-October 2000; Katharine Sealey, The Mississauga News, 24 May 2000.
  • Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY), "Making Light: Wit and Humor in Photography", curated by Joel Smith. Catalogue.
  • Kelowna Art Gallery, "Casual Viewings", curated by Ihor Holubizky.
  • Catriona Jeffries Gallery (Vancouver), "Self-conscious". Brochure by Pamela Meredith.
  • Optica (Montreal), "1000 gracias", curated by Luis Jacob and François Dion. Catalogue: Fin de siècle (Montreal: Optica, 2000).
  • W139 (Amsterdam), "The Global 500", curated by Jean Bernard Koeman, part of 17th World Wide Video Festival. Catalogue.
1999
  • City of Ottawa Art in Public Places Program, "Public Art at Arts Court". Catalogue. Review: Donna Wawzonek, Lola 5, Winter 1999-2000.
  • Ottawa Art Gallery, "In All the Wrong Places / Dans des lieux incongrus", curated by Sylvie Fortin.
  • Marcel Sitcoske Gallery (San Francisco), "Re: Rauschenberg", curated by Stuart Horodner.
  • Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), "Waste Management", curated by Christina Ritchie. Catalogue. Selected reviews: Dana Samuel, Fuse 22:4, 2000; Ingrid Chu, National Post, 8 April 1999; Gary Michael Dault, The Globe and Mail, 17 April 1999; Christopher Hume, Toronto Star, 15 April; Si Si Peñaloza, NOW, 8-14 April 1999; R.M. Vaughn, eye, 22 April 1999; Laura Bil, The Varsity, 13 April 1999; Arlene Stacey, Canadian Living, August 1999.
  • University of Western Ontario Art Lab (London), "Trans", curated by Cathy Thomas. Brochure. Reviews: Lola 4, summer 1999.
1998
  • Wiensowski & Harbord (Berlin), "Imitating Christmas", curated by Jens Hoffmann. Brochure.
  • Every Day: 11th Biennale of Sydney, curated by Jonathan Watkins (Australia). Books: Jonathan Watkins and Jo Spark, eds., Every Day catalogue; Susan Best and Charles Green, eds., In the every day (Sydney: Artspace Visual Arts Centre). Selected reviews: Ihor Holubizky, Canadian Art , Winter 1998; Trevor Smith et al., LIKE, Art Magazine, no. 7; Lisa Liebmann and Brooks Adams, Art in America, June 1999.
  • Gallery 101 (Ottawa), "Urban textures urbaines", curated by Tim Dallett. Brochure by Tim Dallett. Review: Cheri Marple, Ottawa XPress, 27 August 1998.
1996
  • London Regional Art and Historical Museums, "London Live Young Contemporaries '96", curated by James Patten, touring 1997-98 to Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Catalogue. Selected review: Robin Metcalfe, Canadian Art, Spring 1997.
  • Gallery 101 (Ottawa), "Representechnics", curated by Tim Dallett. Catalogue: Image/Duration: installations of the moving image (Gallery 101, 1999).
  • Franklin Furnace (New York), "The Rite of Spring".
1995
  • Scotland Street Museum (Glasgow), "Fairytale in the Supermarket", curated by Judith Findlay and Kirsty Ogg as part of "Fotofeis 95 International Festival of Photography in Scotland".
  • Center on Contemporary Art (Seattle), "Home Remedies and Magnificent Obsessions", curated by Susan Purves. Selected reviews: Robin Updike, The Seattle Times, 27 July 1995; Bruce Barcott, Seattle Weekly, 19 July 1995; Regina Hackett, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 14 July 1995.
  • Gallery 44 (Toronto), "PROOF (2)". Brochure.
  • The New Gallery (Calgary), "Bodies of Evidence", curated by Dionne McAffee. Brochure
  • Artcite (Windsor), "Velvet Fever and Other Kitsch Inclinations".
  • OR Gallery (Vancouver), group exhibition curated by Janis Bowley. Brochure by Janis Bowley. Review: Robin Laurence, The Vancouver Sun, 13 May 1995.
  • Randolph Street Gallery (Chicago), "I Love What I'm Doing", organized by Mary Murphy, Karen Reimer and Jane Saks. Exhibition folder.
1994
  • Maison de la culture Frontenac (Montreal), "Fibres nerveuses", curated by Anne Marie Léger. Catalogue by Anne Marie Léger, Fibres nerveuses (Ville de Montréal). Review: Raymond Serratchez, La Presse (Montreal), 7 January 1995
  • Eastern Edge (St. John's) and SAW Gallery (Ottawa), "Home", curated by Caroline Langill.
  • La Centrale/Galerie Powerhouse (Montreal), "Nicole Lebel / Germaine Koh". Brochure by Nicole Thérien. Review: Henry Lehmann, Montreal Mirror, 2 June 1994.
  • Ottawa Art Gallery, "Monuments in the present tense", curated by Jean-François Renaud. Brochure by Jean-François Renaud. Review: Nancy Baele, Ottawa Citizen, 17 April 1994.
1991
  • Arts Court (Ottawa), "March 1991 mars", curated by Philip Fry. Catalogue. Review: Elizabeth Ritchie, Parachute no.63, July-September 1991.
1990
  • Gallery 101, "Another Picture I", curated by Daniel Sharp. Essay by Daniel Sharp. Review: Nancy Baele, gallery review, Ottawa Citizen, 30 August 1990.


ARTICLES UNRELATED TO EXHIBITIONS

 
2006
  • Sascha Hastings, "Postmark Berlin", Canadian Art, Spring 2006, pp. 62-67.
2005
  • Vanessa Joan Müller, “Sprache jenseits des Alphabets / Speech Beyond the Alphabet“, Be Magazine no. 12, 2005, p. 122-127.
2002
  • Pennina Barnett, "Small Gestures and Acts of Grace: An Interview with Germaine Koh," Women: a cultural review (Oxfordshire, UK), 13:3 Winter 2002, pp. 354-369.
  • Marc Mayer, Christopher Brayshaw et al., "Fresh Eyes," TIME Magazine Canadian edition, 14 October 2002, pp. 58-65 (view 302Kb PDF or text-only HTML version).
2001
  • Sarah Milroy, "The Best of the Rest," The Globe and Mail (Toronto), 3 November 2001, p. V7.
  • Joel Smith, "Roll OVer: The Snapshot's Museum Afterlife," Afterimage, September-October 2001, p. 8-11.
  • Mathew Kabatoff, "Signals--An Interview with Germaine Koh," Rhizome.org, 31 January 2001.
  • Patrice Loubier, "Énigmes, offrandes, virus: formes furtives dans quelques pratiques actuelles," Parachute (Montreal), no. 101, January-March 2001, pp. 99-105.
2000
  • Catherine Osborne, "Smoke and Buttons," Canadian Forum, March 2000, pp. 29-31 ( 553Kb PDF).
1999
  • Patrice Loubier, "Pour une sculpture qui disparaît / For a Disappearing Sculpture" Espace, no. 50, Winter 1999-2000, pp. 6-11.
  • Diana Nemiroff et al. "8 for 2000," The Globe and Mail (Toronto), 6 November 1999, p. F1, F10 ( 128Kb PDF).
  • Keith Wallace, "The beauty of rupture: Artists of Asian descent and Canadian identity," Art Asia Pacific, no. 24, October 1999, pp. 66-73.
  • Ihor Holubizky, "Spotlight: Germaine Koh", Canadian Art, Spring 1999, pp. 34-8 ( 420Kb PDF).
1998
  • Gillian MacKay, "Taking it to the streets", The Globe and Mail, 7 November 1998, p. E2.
  • Hal Niedzviecki, "Pop: Product: Person: Cultural appropriation in the ad age", Adbusters (Vancouver), no. 21 (Spring 1998), pp. 22-30 (link to article).
1997
  • Jan Allen, "Germaine Koh: getting personal", Art/Text (Sydney), no. 59 (November 1997-January 1998), pp. 50-1 ( 289Kb PDF).
1996
  • Interview with Hal Niezviecki, Broken Pencil (Toronto), no. 4, Winter 1997.
1995
  • Paul Lukas, "Inconspicuous Consumption," New York Press, 26 April-2 May 1995, p.12. Reprinted in Beer Frame, (New York), no. 5, 1995; in "Culture To Go", City Pages (Minneapolis), 1 May 1996, p.26; and in Lukas, Inconspicuous Consumption (New York: Crown, 1997), pp. 177-8.
1994
  • Kirk Finken, "Ad Hoc gallery: profile of an underdog", profile, Ottawa XPress, 6 April 1994, p.10.
  • Nancy Baele, "Gallery gives showcase for ad hoc spirit" artist/curator profile, Ottawa Citizen, 13 February 1994.


CURATORIAL AND CRITICAL ACTIVITY

 

2004
  • Guest curator, Prototype: Contemporary Art from Joe Friday's Collection, Carleton University Art Gallery (Ottawa). Catalogue forthcoming.
2003
  • "Jin-me Yoon: Welcome Stranger Welcome Home" catalogue essay in Home and Away (Vancouver Art Gallery, 2003).
  • Sessional lecturer, University of Guelph.
2002
  • Organizer (with Phil Klygo), weewerk presentation space (Toronto), launched 2002. Selected press: R.M. Vaughan, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), 28 January 2003; Catherine Osborne, Lola (Toronto) no. 15, Spring 2003.
  • "Shinobu Akimoto" essay, YYZine, Spring 2002.
2001
  • "Give Aways: a partial account," essay in MIX (Toronto), no. 27.2, Fall 2001, pp. 24-29.
  • Review for Lola (Toronto) no. 10, Fall 2001.
  • "Slipping In and Away," text project in Les Commenseaux (Montreal: Centre des arts actuels SKOL, 2001).
  • "Private Thoughts / Public Moments" review, Fuse (Toronto), vol. 23, no. 4, p. 43-4.
  • "Shelley Ouellet" and "Persona Volare" reviews, Lola (Toronto), no. 9, Summer 2001.
  • "Havana Biennial" review, Frieze (London), no. 59, April 2001, p. 106-7.
  • Co-organizer (with Phil Klygo) The Art-World Wrestling Federation Open Championships, Mercer Union (Toronto).
  • "Soft Design for Mushy Thought," MIX (Toronto), no. 26.3, Winter, pp. 24-28.
2000
  • Reviews for Lola (Toronto), no. 6, Spring 2000.
  • Guest curator, c/o la Ciudad, SAW Gallery (Ottawa), travelling to Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto Erindale Campus ( PDF brochure).
1999
  • "Stan Douglas", ETC Montréal, September-December 1999, pp. 54-7.
  • "Threshold", Parachute (Montreal), no. 93, January-March 1999, p. 48-9.
1998-99
  • Acting Assistant Curator, Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Canada. Permanent collection installations included Landmarks (1999) and Disappearing Images (1999). Publications:  essays in Crossings (1998).
1998
  • Reviews for Lola, no. 3, Winter 1998.
  • Guest curator, Chaos Theories, SAW Gallery (Ottawa).
1992-98
  • Curatorial Assistant, National Gallery of Canada. Selected publications: "Miyajima: Thousand Road".
1993-97
  • Part-time Professor, Visual Arts Department, University of Ottawa.
1996
  • "Lynne Cohen", Contact Sheet (Syracuse), no. 89
  • Coordinator, "Asides: asian artists speak" lecture and screening series, SAW Gallery (Ottawa).
1995
  • Session chair, "Downsizing: minimalism in the 90s", Universities Art Association of Canada.
1995
  • "Geographies of Desire," C Magazine (Toronto) no. 46.
1994
  • Guest curator (with Daniel Sharp), Practice Ground, Ottawa Art Gallery.
1993-94
  • Founder, ad hoc gallery, Ottawa.
1993
  • "Kirsten Mosher: Sandra Gering," Flash Art International (New York), January-February, p. 92.

 

EDUCATION

 

  • 1993 Master of Fine Arts, Hunter College of City University of New York
  • 1990 Bachelor of Arts (Theory and History of Art), University of Ottawa
  • 1989 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio), University of Ottawa