Biography

Carroll Dunham
(Born, 1949)

Carroll Dunham was born in 1949 in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Trinity College in Hartford in 1972, and developed the highly personal style for which he is well known: scenes in which multiple cartoonish and biomorphic figures interact, in colorful compositions that stage vibrant and often sexually suggestive narratives. In the early stages of his career during the 1980s, Dunham constructed these scenes on found pieces of plywood, allowing the natural patterns of the wood to determine the overall shape and form of his fantastic creatures. In these early works figure and medium interact haphazardly, in almost Surrealist fashion, and the resulting figures are highly reminiscent of graffiti. In time, Dunham’s works evolved towards more accentuated cartoon-like figures painted in a freer style and larger scale, but the psychological complexity and overall richness of style remained.

Carrol Dunham has exhibited extensively in the United States and Europe. Recent solo exhibitions of his work have been held in institutions such as the Museum Ludwig in Cologne in 2009, the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin College, New York in 2008, and the Drammens Museum in Oslo in 2006. He has also participated in exhibitions in major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Musée d´Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in Paris, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Reina Sofia in Madrid. His work has been explored in multiple essays and publications. Carroll Dunham lives and works in New York City.

AWARDS
2004
Skowhegan Medal for Distinction in Painting

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007
“Carroll Dunham Prints: A Survey,” Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio
"Carroll Dunham Paintings on Wood 1982-1987," Gladstone Gallery, New York
"Carroll Dunham Monotypes," Atle Gerhardsen, Berlin

2006
"Carroll Dunham," White Cube, London
“Monotypien,” Galerie Fred Jann, Munich
“Small Drawings,” Drammens Museum, Drammens, Norway
Galeri MGM, Oslo

2005
“Drawing,” Judin Gallery, Zurich
Atle Gerhardsen Gallery, Berlin

2004
“Composite Images: Paintings,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
“prints” Error! Contact not defined. Gallery, Berlin
“He, She, and It,” Gladstone Gallery, New York

2003
White Cube, London
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, CO

2002
“Carroll Dunham,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (catalogue)
"Carroll Dunham: Drawings 1985-2002,” Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
“Mesokingdom,” Metro Pictures, New York
“Drawings,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

2001
“The Search for Orgone,” Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
“The Search for Orgone,” Atle Gherhardsen Gallery, Berlin
“Carroll Dunham, New Paintings,” Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA
“Carroll Dunham: Recent Prints and Related Works,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

2000
Atle Gerhardsen Gallery, Oslo
N.e.g., Milan

1999
Metro Pictures, New York
Galerie Ghislaine Hussenot, Paris
Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro, NC
No Limits Events Gallery, Milan

1998
Nolan/Eckmann Gallery, New York (catalogue)
White Cube, London
London Projects, London
Atle Gerhardsen Gallery, Oslo

1997
Metro Pictures, New York

1996
“Carroll Dunham: Paintings and Drawings 1990-1996,” Guild Hall, Easthampton, NY; Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA; Forum for Contemporary Art, St. Louis
Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

1995
Bobbie Greenfield Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Carroll Dunham: Selected Paintings 1990-95,” School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

1994
“Works on Paper,” Lemburg Gallery, Birmingham, MI
Sonnabend Gallery, New York

1993
Sonnabend Gallery, New York
Galerie Lehmann, Geneva
Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York

1992
David Nolan Gallery, New York
Jablonka Galerie, Cologne
“Carroll Dunham: Selected Paintings and Prints” Wiedner Gallery, Trinity College,
Hartford, CT

1991
“Carroll Dunham: Drawings,” Gallery Mukai, Tokyo
Galerie Jahn und Fusban, Munich
Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Santa Monica, CA

1990
Sonnabend Gallery, New York

1989
Jablonka Galerie, Cologne
Sonnabend Gallery, New York

1988
“Selected Drawing,” Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Elkins Park, PA
“Drawings 1982-1983,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

1987
Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
Jay Gorney Modern Art, New York

1986
Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston
Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York

1985
Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York

1981
Artists Space, New York

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2006
“XXL: Size Matters,” Hudson Vallery Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, New York
"Couples Discourse," Palmer Museum of Art, University Park, Pennsylvania
"Group Show," Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
"Counterparts: Contemporary Painters and their Influences," CAC Virginia, Virginia Beach

2005
“Remote Viewing,” The Whitney Museum of American Art

2004
“Fabulism,” Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha
SITE Santa Fe Biennial

2003
“Funny Papers,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
“We Love Painting,” Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo
“160 Meisterzeichnungen,” Oldenburger Kunsteverein, Germany

2002
Metro Pictures, New York
"Bildmis und Figur,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

2001
“Some Options in Abstractions,” Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA
“Pop & Post Pop (On Paper),” Texas Gallery, Houston
“Locating Drawing,” Lawing Gallery, Houston
“American Art,” Galerie Rudolfinum, The Center for Contemporary Art, Prague

2000
“End Papers,” Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY
“Superorganic, Hydroponic Warfare: Carroll Dunham, David Dupuis, Alexander Ross,” Derek Eller Gallery, New York
“Art in America 2000,” US Department of Art in Embassies Program, Washington, DC
“Land & Houses, Two Sequences of Drawings,” Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York
“The Figure: Another Side of Modernism,” Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, New York
“00,” Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York
“The Figure in the Landscape,” Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York
“Open Ends,” Museum of Modern Art, New York
“Olav Chr. Jensen, Sarah Morris, Carroll Dunham,” Atle Gerhardsen Gallery, Berlin

1999
“Drawn By…,” Metro Pictures, New York
Gorney, Bravin + Lee, New York
“Art at Work: Forty Years of the Chase Manhattan Collection,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
“American Century, Part II,” Whitney Museum of American Art, New York “Drawing into Paint,” Foskick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred, NY
“Examining Pictures,” Whitechapel Art Gallery, London; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

1998
“Young Americans 2: New Art in the Saatchi Collection,” The Saatchi Gallery, London
“Exterminating Angel,” Galerie Ghislaine Hussenot, Paris
“Pop Surrealism,” Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT
“Codex USA: Works on Paper by Ameican Artists,” Entwistle, London
“Now and Forever Part 1,” Pat Hearn Gallery and Matthew Marks Gallery, New York
“The New Surrealism,” Pamela Auchincloss, New York
“Art and the American Experience,” Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, MO

1997
“Now on View,” Metro Pictures, New York
“Painting Project,” Basillico Fine Arts and Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York
“Abstract Painting,” Carrie Hadad Gallery, Hudson, NY

1996
The Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
“How the Chicken Crossed the Road,” Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris
“Nuevas Abstracciones,” Museo Nacional Centro de Reina Sofia, Madrid

1995
The Whitney Biennial, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
“New York Abstract,” Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
“Carroll Dunham, Lari Pittman,” Jay Gorney Modern Art, New York
“Contemporary Drawing: Exploring the Territory,” The Aspen Art Museum, CO
“Under Glass,” Charles Cowles Gallery, New York

1994
“Collectively Speaking: A Sampling of Private Collections,” The Art Museum of Santa Cruz County, CA
“What’s wrong with this Picture?,” Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Inc., Chicago
“In the Spirit of Things,” Stux Gallery, New York
“Dysfunction,” Arthur Roger Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Jay Gorney Modern Art, New York
“Summer Group Show,” Baumgartner Galeries Inc., Washington, DC
“Deadpan,” The Work Space at Dolgenos Newman & Cronin, New York
Sonnabend Gallery, New York

1993
“Projects,” Betsey Senior Contemporary Prints, New York
“What’s wrong with this Picture?,” Postmasters, New York
“A Series of Anniversary Exhibitions: Part II” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Group Show,” Postmasters, New York
“Extravagant: The Economy of Elegance,” Russisches Kulturzentrum, Berlin
“Drawings: 30th Anniversary Exhibition,” Leo Castelli Gallery, New York

1992
“American Art of the ’80s,” Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporani di Trento e Rovereto, Trento, Italy
“Carroll Dunham + Nicola De Maria,” Thomas Segal Gallery, Boston
“Works on Paper,” David Nolan Gallery, New York
“Carroll Dunham and Mel Kendrick: A Selection a Recent Work,” Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
“Drawn in the ’90s,” Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY
Illinworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta Gallery of Art, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL
“Emerging New York Artists,” Fine Arts Building, College of Fine Arts, Omaha, NE

1991
“Carroll Dunham, Mike Kelley, Cindy Sherman,” Metro Pictures, New York
“Sieben Amerikanische Maler,” Bayerischen Staatgemaldesammlungen, Munich
“Mel Bochner, Carroll Dunham, Barry Le Va,” Galerie Faust, Geneva
“Whitney Biennial,” The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
“Paintings and Drawings,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“The Thing,” Perry Rubenstein Gallery, New York
“Fall & Winter: 1991–1992,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Ralph Humphrey, Matthew Weinstein, and Carroll Dunham,” Perry Rubinstein, New York

1990
“With the Grain: Contemporary Panel Paintings,” The Whitney Museum of American Art, Fairfield County, Stamford, CT; Whitney Museum of American Art at Phillip Morris, New York
“Amerikanische Zeichnungen inden achtziger Jahren,” Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Museum Morsbriosh, Leverkusen, Vienna
Galerie Faust, Geneva
“Carroll Dunham and Terry Winters,” Gallery Mukai, Tokyo
“Waterworks,” ULAE, New York
“The Last Decade: American Artists of the ’80s,” Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York
“Organic Abstraction,” The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO

1989
“Horn of Plenty,” Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Flanders Contemporary Art, Minneapolis
“Wiener Diwan: Sigmund Freud-heute,” Museum des 20, Jahrunderts, Vienna
“A Decade of American Drawing: 1980–1989,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
“First Impressions: Early Prints by Forty-Six Contemporary Artists,” Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
“New Works by Gallery Artists,” Sonnabend Gallery, New York
“ULAE Prints,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

1988
“NY Art Now: Part II,” Saatchi Collection, London
“Group Show: Carroll Dunham, Kenji Fujita, Peter Nadin, Laurie Simmons, Meyer
Vaisman,” Jablonka Galerie, Cologne
“Vital Signs: Organic Abstraction from the Permanent Collection,” Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
“Altered States,” Kent Fine Arts, New York
Scott Hanson Gallery, New York
Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston
“Amerikanische Druckgraphik: Recent American Prints,” Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich

1987
“Drawing Acquisitions,” Museum of Modern Art, New York
“Schizophrenia,” Josh Baer Gallery, New York
“Coleccion Sonnabend,” Centro de Art Reina Sofia, Madrid; CAPC, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux, France, (catalogue); Art Köln, Cologne, West Germany; Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, West Germany, Galleria Nazionale D’Arte Moderna, Rome; Museo D’ Arte Moderna e Contemporani, Trento; Musée Rath, Geneva; Sezon Museum of Art, Tokyo; The Miyagi Museum of Art, The Fukuyama Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

1986
“Paintings & Sculpture: Recent Acquisitions,” Museum of Modern Art, New York
“Private and Public: American Prints Today,” Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
“Intuitive Line,” Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York
“Paravision,” Margo Leavin Gallery, curated by Collins and Millazzo, Los Angeles
“Art on Paper” (22nd Annual Exhibition), Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Reading, PA
“Drawing: Carroll Dunham, John Newman, Terry Winters,” Jeffrey Hoffeld & Co., New York

1985
“Painting as Landscape,” Parrish Art Museum, Southhampton, NY; Baxter Gallery, Pasadena, CA
“Currents: Carroll Dunham,” Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
International with Monument, New York
“BAM Benefit,” Mary Boone Gallery, New York
“Whitney Biennial,” The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
“Real Surreal,” Lorence Monk Gallery, New York

1984
“Brilliant Color,” Baskerville & Watson, New York
“Wedge Magazine Benefit Exhibition,” Nature Morte Gallery, New York
“Inner Vision: Drawing,” Barbara Krakow, Boston
“Drawing Show,” Barbara Toll Gallery, New York
“Summer International,” Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
“Figure in Paint,” Cable Gallery New York
“New York I Dag,” Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Aalborg, Denmark
“10 Year Anniversary Exhibition,” Artists Space, New York

1983
“Nine Painters,” Hallwalls, Buffalo, NY
“Carroll Dunham & Terry Winters,” Jan Bernier Gallery, Athens, Greece
“Tradition, Transition, New Vision,” Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
“New Biomorphism and Automatism,” Patricia Hamilton Gallery, New York

1981
“Four Painters,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
“New Talent, New York,” New Gallery, Cleveland; Hayden Gallery, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

1980
“Watercolors,” Institute for Art & Urban Resources/P.S. 1, Long Island City, NY

1979
“Selector’s Choice,” Baltimore Museum of Art

1978
“Lineup,” The Drawing Center, New York
“Young American Artists,” Schema Gallery, Florence

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Albertina Museum, Vienna
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, New York
Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland
Fort Wayne Art Museum, Indiana
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
St. Louis Museum of Art, St. Louis, Missouri
Tate Gallery, London
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York