Brian Black a Multidisciplinary Approach

Brian Black has been a practicing artist living in Southern California since 2000. His multidisciplinary practice focuses on space, physicality & object interaction. In 2004, he met his long-time collaborator artist Ryan Bulis. Since that time, much of his performance work has been associated with the collaborative they call Brian & Ryan. Brian has also kept an individual art practice and exhibits nationally and internationally.

Education

2000 Northern Illinois University

MA Degree, Sculpture

1995 Northern Illinois University

BFA, Sculpture

BSED, Art Education

Exhibition History

2023 Franconia Sculpture Park Performance Art Fellow

Safer, MN

2023 A Map Project

San Diego, CA

2023 Project Blank Working Title

San Diego, CA

2022 Park Social initiative

San Diego CA

2022 Other Places art fair: Wheelbarrow Valet

Santa Rosa CA

2022 Syntax an arrangement

Art Produce, San Diego CA

2021 Other Places art fair: Highest High-Five

San Pedro CA

2020 Other Places art fair (Virtual)

San Pedro CA

2020 Art Produce Residency

Art Produce, San Diego CA

2019 Global Frequencies

Lincoln, NE

2019 Words Matter (as part of the To Do Mending Project)

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, CA

2019 Edge to Edge

Fahle Galerii, Tallin Estonia

2019 Brian & Ryan Save Kitchmas

Visual Space Gallery, San Diego CA

2019 Soundpedro

FLOOD Gallery, San Pedro CA

2019 Gray Matter

Ship in the Woods, Encinitas CA

2018 Brian & Ryan Kitschmas Time Again

Vivid Space, San Diego CA

2018 Importante/Impotente Partido Tenis

Happening, Tijuana México

2018 Hot Diggity Dog

Surrealist Dinner Party, MOCA Tucson AZ

2018 Sensorium: Living Space

Vanguard Culture, San Diego CA

2018 Soundpedro

San Pedro, CA

2018 Everyone’s Asking If I’m Okay

Icing Room, London UK

2017 TalkTalk

Ship in the Woods, San Diego CA

2017 Brian & Ryan Kitschmas Clinic

Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson AZ

2107 Wrong Sound Biennial

International: Pavilion for San Diego, CA

2017 NOISE: Art in Odd Places

AIOP ORLANDO, Orlando FL

2017 Brian & Ryan Sound Collection Helmets

San Diego Art Institute: Project Space, San Diego, CA

2017 Dis_Arbitration

Liberty Station, San Diego CA

2017 Factory @ MOCA

Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson AZ

2016 Irrational Exhibits 9: Field Reports

Lace Gallery, Los Angeles CA

2015 Brian & Ryan Present a Kitschmas Special

Lux Art Institute, Encinitas CA

2013 AIOP: Model

New York, NY

2012 Local Motion

Jacobs Art Gallery, San Diego CA

2012 Un-common Spaces

Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles CA

2011 Irrational Exhibits 8

Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA

2010 Here not There

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, CA

2009 Cross-Walk-A-Thon

Broker Gallery, San Diego, CA

2009 Irrational Exhibits 7

Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA

Major Projects and Collaborations

2020 Conceptual Art Teaching Paper/Presentation

University Illinois

2019 Media Arts: Little Saigon Stories

Crawford High School, San Diego CA

2018 Mega Arts: Artist Presenter

San Diego Museum of Art

2014 Mega Arts: Artist Presenter

Mingei Museum

2014 Portrait of a Community Mural

San Diego Cultural Art Alliance: Graffiti Program

2009 Stories of Colina Park Documentation of Community Leaders

LISC Service Learning Grant

Awards and Grants

2023 Artist in Residence Performance Fellowship at Franconia Sculpture Park

2020 Artist in Residence at Art Produce

2015 San Diego Foundation Grant

2014 San Diego Foundation Grant

2011 PLT (Plant a Learning Tree) Grant

2010 Jimmie Johnson and Lowes Toolbox for Education Grant

Included Publications

2023 Conceptual Art and Teaching

2022 Syntax an Arrangement Catalog

2021 Irrational Exhibitions Anthology

2018 Emergency Index: Highest High-Five

Related Work Experience

2018-2022 San Diego State University Teacher Mentor Program

2020 Diversity & Inclusion Outreach Program SDSU School of Art + Design

2013-Current Education Director of the San Diego Cultural Arts Alliance

2018-2020 Chair of the District VAPA Advisory Council

2000-Current Art Instructor Crawford High School

2007-2008 Assistant Curator Brokers Building Gallery

2004-2008 Board Member of Brokers Building Gallery

2009 Visiting Artist for AIGA LINK Program

2009 Visiting Artist for Point Loma Library

2012 Artist Lecture for Local Motion Exhibit at Jacobs Art Gallery

Franconia Sculpture Park Performance Fellowship Residency 2023

Brian Black in collaboration with Ryan Bulis was selected for the Franconia Sculpture Park Performance Residency program June 10th -June 29th, 2023. During their residency, they completed a series of “failed” camouflage performances called Hidden Topiary. Both artists attempted to blend into the 40 acre environment and simultaneously be discovered there; the duo activated sculptural objects throughout their residency and interacted with park goers challenging their sense of space and perception.

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Park Social San Diego 2022

Brian Black in collaboration with Ryan Bulis was selected for the Park Social Initiative in 2022. During this six-month residency at Chollas Lake in San Diego, the artists activated spaces throughout the park centering most of the performances in or around the lake. Actions during this residency included: Can Talk Across the Lake, Daily Stick Message, Remote Controlled Flotsam in the lake, The Stick Library, and the Water Billboards. They also produced two publications highlighting the park and activities to do with in the park.

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Art Produce Artist in Residence 2020

Brian Black was an Artist in Residence at Art Produce from May 4-June 13, 2020. Viewers were originally going to be encouraged to directly contribute sounds to an installation that stimulated memories and guided the growth of the installation. This original focus was altered due to to the ongoing COVID crisis. To account for health and safety requirements, Brian invited viewers to be interviewed and recorded their memories with the large storefront window separating them. These recordings were infused into the installation which transformed on a weekly basis. Brian also recorded a series of live performances throughout this residency.

Contact Me

brianblack.artist@gmail.com