Brian Barr

  • curatorial
  • cv/contact
  • bio/statement

Work

© 2011 - 2025

cv/contact

bbarrart@gmail.com

EDUCATION

MFA, American University, Washington, DC

BFA, The College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

AWARDS AND HONORS

2019

Faculty Development Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University

2015

Faculty Development Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University

2014

Kala Art Institute, Fellowship Award Residency, Berkeley, CA

2013
MacDowell Colony Fellowship, Peterborough, NH

Residency, The Luminary Center for the Arts, St. Louis, MO

SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2019

A formless thought that thinks of you, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Bedford Gallery at Longwood University, Farmville, VA

poiesis(mimesis), solo exhibition, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, VA

2018

Fictionhearted, two-person exhibition with Carson Lynn, Skylab Gallery, Columbus, OH

Diaphanous Shades, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Current Space, Baltimore, MD

Heartache and the Thousand Natural Shocks, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, The Neon Heater, Findlay, OH

2017

Nothing Beside Remains, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Shockoe Art Space, Richmond, VA

2016

The Shades of Night are Falling, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Rueff Galleries, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

2015

The Native Hue, solo exhibition, HATCH, Detroit, MI

2014

Data/Transfer/Object, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Cuchifritos Gallery, New York, NY

Heavy is the Head, solo exhibition, Popps Packing, Detroit, MI

2013

Fake Empire, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Flashpoint Gallery, Washington, DC

2012

Totems, collaborative solo exhibition with Lauren Rice, Vox Populi, Philadelphia,
PA

2006

Brian Barr, solo exhibition, Rueff Galleries, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2023

Drawing in Space, Alabama Contemporary, Mobile, AL

2022                            

Feast!, Shockoe Art Space, Richmond, VA

2019

Current Art Fair, with Shockoe Art Space, Richmond, VA
2018

Got It For Cheap, Western Exhibitions, Chicago, IL

2017

Let’s Talk About Love, Baby, Zygote Press, Cleveland, OH

To the End of the Earth, Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, MI

Current Art Fair, with Shockoe Art Space, Richmond, VA

BC/AC, Montgomery College, Takoma Park, MD

2015

An Evening of Art and Science, Curated by Lynn Crawford, Detroit Institute of Art Detroit, MI

The Soul and the Pawn Shop, Sediment Gallery, Richmond, VA

2014

Para Apparatus, Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA

Centerfold Artist, presented by Trop Magazine, Project 4 Gallery, Washington, DC

Video Show, University of Alaska Fairbanks Gallery, Fairbanks, AK

An Evening of Art and Science, Curated by Lynn Crawford, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, MI

2013
Let’s Talk About Love, Baby, Printed Matter, New York, NY, Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, IN and Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, OH

(e)merge art fair, Rubell Family’s Capitol Skyline Hotel, Washington,DC

BYOB: Bring Your Own Beamer, Northend Studios, Detroit, MI

I Like You and I Together, Butter Project, Royal Oak, MI

2012
Let’s Talk About Love, Baby, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, MI and Spencer
Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS

Espacio 101, Bogota, Columbia

2011
Chain Letter, Samson Projects, Boston, MA

Finlandia, Sam Fox School of Art, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Harbinger: Shifting Culture and New Art from Detroit, presented by artstar.com,
curated by Sarah Ayers, Studio Couture, Detroit, MI

Let’s Talk About Love, Baby, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO, National Gallery,
Harare, Zimbabwe and Asni Village, Ababa, Ethiopia

Me/We, Collaboration with author and critic Lynn Crawford, The Butcher’s Daughter
Gallery, Ferndale, MI

Multiple Personalities, Center Gallery, Detroit, MI

Who Dares Wins, The Butcher’s Daughter Gallery, Ferndale, MI

2010
Let’s Talk About Love, Baby, The Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection, The School
of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Re:Vision, The Katzen Art Museum, Washington, DC

Michigan Aids Coalition Benefit, Alfred A. Taubman Center for Design, Detroit, MI
MALE/ID (3 person show with Al Miner and Andrew Doak), The Butcher’s Daughter
Gallery, Ferndale, MI

2009
Nine Miles South of Eight Mile: 2009 Windsor Biennial, Art Gallery of Windsor, (Museum Exhibition Curated by Mathieu Beauséjour, David Diviney and Dr. LeeRodney), Windsor, Ontario, Canada

The Grand Bazaar, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, MI

Work Gallery/Wassaic Project Benefit, WORK Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Postcards From the Edge, Metro Pictures Gallery, New York, NY

2008
Proximity, The Katzen Art Museum, Washington, DC

Quart Bag, Civilian Arts Project, Washington, DC

Works on Paper, Fort Worth Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX

2007
FRESH: Summer Group Show, David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI

2006
FWMA Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort
Wayne, IN

International Print Biennial, (Curated by Samantha Rippner; Curator of prints and
drawings, The Metropolitan Museum of Art) Sumei Art Center, Newark, NJ

Size Matters, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL

Together at Last, Madison Gallery, Indianapolis, IN

Great Lakes Drawing Biennial, (Curated by Don Bacigalupi, President, Director, and
CEO of the Toledo Museum of Art) Ford Gallery, Eastern Michigan University,
Ypsilanti, MI

CURATORIAL

2014

Co-Curator, with Lauren Rice, Ad Infinitum, The Katzen Museum, Washington, DC

Abstracticus, PASSENGER, Detroit, Michigan

Who is PASSENGER, PASSENGER, Detroit, Michigan

2013

Co-Curator, with Lauren Rice, No Longer Presidents but Prophets, Delicious
Spectacle, Washington, DC

2012

LOST and FOUND: Belief and Doubt in Contemporary Pictures, Museum of New
Art, and PASSENGER Project Space, Detroit, MI

2011

DETROIT MUSCLE: New Aesthetic Trends from the Motor City, East Gallery, Rueff
Galleries, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

2009

CONSTRUCTS, org Gallery, Detroit, MI

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND MEDIA

2019

“In the galleries: Many works in ‘Spring Solos’ form a chorus of concern for the environment”, Washington Post, May 31, 2019

“Spring Solos 2019 at the Arlington Arts Center”, East City Art, May 10, 2019

Arlington Arts Center Spring Solos 2019 Exhibition Catalog, April 2019

2018

“Bmoreart’s Picks: Baltimore Art Openings, Galleries, and Events July 3-9”, bmoreart.com, July 3

“Reader’s Choice Awards, Best New Art Gallery” (Featured with Shockoe Art Space), Style Weekly, May 22

2017

“To the End of the Earth at Detroit Artists Market”, Detroit Art Review, September 24

2014

“PASSENGER Breathes New Life Into Once Detroit Vacant Space”, IXITI.com, October 29

“Less Vacancy, More Art”, modernmidwest.com, October

“Walk and See for Yourself”, Infinite Mile, Issue 10, October

“Comings and Goings”, Infinite Mile, Issue 9, September

“Along for the Ride: PASSENGER launches @ Capitol Park District”,  radio segment, WDET, NPR, Morning Edition, August 20

“Unusual Apparatuses”, East bay Express, July 2

Field Projects Blog, http://field-projects-gallery.tumblr.com/, May 30

“Make or Break”, Art Forum, May 3

“Heavy is the Head premieres at Popps Packing”, Knight Arts, knightarts.org, April 11

“Citings”, Infinite Mile, Issue 5, April

“Centerfold Artist”, The Washington Post, March 28

2013

“(e)merge Photos: What Alex Saw at the Fair”, bmoreart.com, October 17

“Local Galleries are Making a Splash at (e)merge”, East City Art, September 26

“Fake Empire, Nov. 8 to Dec. 21 at Flashpoint Gallery”, Washington City Paper, September 13

“Mr. March, Brian Barr”, Centerfold Artist, Trop Magazine, March 25

“The Next Wave At Artisphere to May 19, No Longer Presidents But Prophets At
Delicious Spectacle to April 5”, Washington City Paper, March 22

“Makin’ Art Babies: Review of “I Like You and I Together” at BUTTER
PROJECTS”, Bad at Sports, March 7

2012
“Detroit’s Artistic Opportunity”, PBS Art21 blog, July 27

“Found: Compelling New Art Center in Detroit (Introducing PASSENGER)”, TheHuffington Post, April 30

“PASSENGER Project Space Provides a Platform for Exposure”, Playground Detroit,
April 6

“New Downtown Gallery Makes do with Temporary Space for Now”, The Examiner, April 6

“Beauty Debate: A Group Invitational Exploring the Concept of Beauty”,
The Metro Times, February 29

2011
“Harbinger”, the Detroiter, by Colin Darke, December 7

“Harbinger Provides a Refreshing Vantage Point”, Knight Arts, knightarts.org,
November 8

New American Paintings, NO. 95-Midwest Edition

“Creative Corridor in Detroit No Longer So Far Fetched”, Detroit Free Press, July 10

“Arts Roundup: Artist Inspired by the Motor City”, Lafayette Journal and Courier,
June 10

“Décor/Feature”, Hour Detroit, May Issue

2010
“Canvassing the Hood: MALE/ID”, The Metro Times, March 31

“MALE/ID at The Butcher’s Daughter”, Real Detroit Weekly, March 31

“Critics Pick- MALE/ID: Dudes on Display”, The Metro Times, March 24

2009
“2009 Windsor Biennial: Kick Out the Jams”, Canadian Art Magazine, June 4

“Art Gallery of Windsor Summer Preview”. The Lance, University of Windsor Paper,
June 3

“2009 Windsor Biennial: Nine Miles South of Eight Mile at the Art Gallery of
Windsor”, Akimblog, (arts blog associated with akimbo.com), May 27

“9 Miles South of Eight Mile Windsor Biennial Selections”, joeberube.blogspot.com,
arts blog, May 3

“Nine Miles South of Eight Mile”, Reckless Eyeballing: arts, culture and the idiot
wind, The Metro Times arts blog, April 28

“Nine Miles South of Eight Mile: 2009 Windsor Biennial”, Television feature, CBC
News at Six, Windsor, April 16

“Biennial Bash: Art Gallery of Windsor hosts opening reception for three-month long
exhibition”, metromode, online magazine (metromode.com), April 16

2008
“Who’s who in the DC Art World”, thinkingaboutart.com (blog), August 7

“MFA Thesis Exhibition at American University” artcadeforum.com, April 19

“American University MFA Exit Show Opening”, thereweretentigers.com (blog),
April 19

2007
“Get Fresh”, the Metro Times, July 3 – July 10

“FRESH @ DKG”, detroitarts.com (blog), June 27

2006
“Fort Wayne Museum of Art Hosting 2006 Biennial: Contemporary American
Realism Exhibit”, Northwest News, June 7

Exhibition Catalogue accompanying FWMA Biennial: Contemporary American
Realism

“Critics Choice”, the Detroit News, March 10

“The List: Today’s Highlights”, the Detroit Free Press, February 28

“Synergy Opening”, detroitarts.com (blog), February 11

“The 9th Show Figure and Field”, the Detroiter, January 25

“Drawing on Education”, C and G Newspapers, January 18

“BBAC CCS Selections”, detroitarts.com (blog), January 8

“The List: Today’s Highlights”, the Detroit Free Press, January 3

2004
“’Fission/Fusion’ Showcases Graduate Students’ Artwork”, the Journal and Courier,
December 3

“Open House”, Oakland Style Magazine, December

“Arts Expansion: New Gallery Opens in Birmingham”, The Metro Times, March 31

2003
“Emerging Artists”, the Detroiter, August 7