Michael DiRisio is a writer and visual artist. His recent work explores labour, social histories and the construction of value, through photo, video and installation-based projects. His writing has appeared in Art Papers, Afterimage, C Magazine, Espace Magazine, BlackFlash, and Public Journal, among others, where he reflects on art as a social force.
He holds an MFA from the University of Windsor and has recently participated in residencies in Castellví de la Marca, Spain and Reykjavik, Iceland. His work has appeared in exhibitions at Museum London, Artcite, Eyelevel Gallery, and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, among others, with a forthcoming solo exhibition at the Workers' Arts and Heritage Centre in spring 2019.
Contact: mike.dirisio (at) gmail (dot) com
Workers Arts & Heritage Centre, Spring, 2019
— I am looking forward to a solo exhibition at the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre next spring. The exhibition Archiving Unrest will critically reflect on democratic forms of unrest and assembly, while considering the influence that records and archives of these collective actions have on the ways in which we understand and value these events.
Espace Magazine, Issue 120, Fall 2018
— I am looking forward to having my essay on worker discipline and hyper-production in Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens' video-installation Visions of a Sleepless Night in the fall 2018 issue of Espace Art Actuel.
esse arts + opinions, Issue 94, Fall 2018
— This issue will include a recent essay of mine exploring administrative logics in contemporary art, with a focus on how bureaucracy commonly conceals forms of power and privilege.
Thames Art Gallery, July 20 to September 16, 2018
— I am excited to be participating in contact landing(s), an exhibition curated by Ellyn Walker and currently on view at the Thames Art Gallery in Chatham-Kent until September 16, 2018, with a new collaborative work with Teresa Carlesimo.
Journal of Curatorial Studies,Volume 7, Issue 1
— I am pleased to have a joint review of both Jo-Anne Balcaen's Survey for Cultural Workers / Questionnaire pour travailleurs culturels and Journée sans culture's Troubler la fête, rallumer la joie / To Spoil the Party, To Set Our Joy Ablaze included in this issue of Journal of Curatorial Studies.
Art & Social Strata, March 23-25, 2018
— I am currently co-organizing Art & Social Strata, a conference, screening and series of artist projects addressing contemporary art and social stratification to be held in Hamilton, Ontario this spring.
Writing
Chemical Compounds: Acceleration and Hyper-Production in Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens' Visions of a Sleepless World, Espace Magazine, Issue 120, Fall 2018 (pdf will be uploaded when no longer on newsstands)
Administrative Logics in the Work of Jo-Anne Balcaen and Anne-Marie Proulx, Esse Magazine, Issue 94: Labour, Fall 2018 (pdf will be uploaded when no longer on newsstands)
Assembling the Post-Fordist Social Factory, Espace Magazine, Issue 116, Spring 2017
Becoming Geologic, BlackFlash Magazine, Issue 34.3, Spring 2017 (with Teresa Carlesimo)
Collective Projections and the Politics of Place, ETC Media, Issue 106, 2016
Value and Obsolescence: Penelope Umbrico's Haunted Screens, BlackFlash Magazine, Issue 33.1, Winter 2016
Circulation and Contradiction in Adrian Blackwell's Furnishing Positions, esse, Issue 84, 2015
Silence, Solidarity, and the Spectacularization of Protest: Dylan Miner at Martha Street Studio, Breach Magazine, Issue 2, September 2015
Liberty Lost: On Economic Crisis and the Suppression of Dissent, esse, Issue 77, 2013
Mary Tremonte: Reconstructing the Commons, On Site review, Issue 30, 2013
Thomas Hirschhorn: On Hyperconsumption and Resistance, esse, Issue 75, 2012
Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens: Putting Life to Work, PUBLIC Journal, Issue 54, 2016
Play Precarity and Survival, PUBLIC Journal, Issue 52, 2015
Depth of Perception, Afterimage Journal, 42.6, 2015
Angelica Mesiti: Citizens Band and Prepared Piano for Movers (Haussman), The Senses & Society, 10.2
Editorial
Syphon, Issue 4.0, Fall 2017 (Co-Editor with Genevieve Flavelle)
Syphon, Issue 3.4, Spring 2017 (Editor)
Syphon, Issue 3.3, Fall 2016 (Co-Editor with Jon Lockyer)
Syphon, Issue 3.2, Spring 2016 (Editor)
Education
MFA, University of Windsor, 2013
BA, Visual Arts and Philosophy, Brock University, 2010
Exhibitions (selected)
(Forthcoming Solo) Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, Hamilton, ON
2018
Thames Art Gallery, Chatham-Kent, ON
2017
the colder the air, Gallery SÍM, Reykjavik, Iceland
a form of formlessness, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, ON
Halifax Mayworks Festival, Halifax, NS
2016
The Daily Grind, Museum London, London, ON
20/20 Vision / Hindsight, Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, Hamilton, ON
2015
Are we there yet?, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, ON
Homegrown Park Crawl, David Suzuki Foundation, Toronto, ON
2013
Precariat, Artcite Inc., Windsor, ON
The Things We Own, SOVA Projects Gallery, Windsor, ON
Common Goods, Artspeak Gallery, Windsor, ON
2012
Building relationships with cinder blocks, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
HERE / NOW, SOVA Projects Gallery, Windsor, ON
Small Feats, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, ON
Open, Mackenzie Hall, Windsor, ON
2010
Said the Attic, Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, ON
Published Writing (selected)
2018
(Forthcoming) "Administrative Logics in the Work of Jo-Anne Balcaen and Anne-Marie Proulx," esse arts + opinions, Issue 94
(Forthcoming) "Chemical Compounds: Acceleration and Hyper-production in Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens' Visions of a Sleepless World," Espace, Issue 120
(Forthcoming) "Review of Troubler la fête, rallumer notre joie/To Spoil the Party, To Set Our Joy Ablaze (2016) and Survey for Cultural Workers/Questionnaire pour travailleurs culturels (2015)," Journal of Curatorial Studies
2017
"Becoming Geologic: Representations of Stones in Contemporary Art," BlackFlash Magazine, 34.3 (co-authored with Teresa Carlesimo)
"Assembling the Post-Fordist Social Factory," Espace Magazine, 116
2016
"Counterpoint: Hyang Cho," Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre (Exhibition Essay)
"Putting Life to Work: Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens," PUBLIC Journal, 54 (Review)
"Mobile Autonomy: Excercises in Artists' Self-Organization," Prefix Photo, 33 (Review)
2015
"Play, Precarity and Survival: Aceart Inc.," PUBLIC Journal, 52 (Review)
"Value & Obsolescence: Penelope Umbrico's Haunted Screens," BlackFlash Magazine, 33.1
“Abbas Akhavan: variations on a garden, Mercer Union,” Art Papers, November/December (Review)
“Collective Projections and the Politics of Place,” ETC Magazine, Fall 2016
“20/20: Vision/Hindsight,” Workers Arts & Heritage Centre (Exhibition Essay)
“Silence, Solidarity and the Spectacularization of Protest: Dylan Miner at Martha Street Studio,” Breach Magazine, 2
“On the Labour of Collaboration,” in Neighbourhood Spaces, Arts Council Windsor & Region (Book Chapter)
“Angela Mesiti: Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal,” The Senses & Society Journal,
Vol. 10, No. 1 (Review)
“The Unfinished Conversation: The Power Plant,” Art Papers, May/June (Review)
“Circulation and Contradiction in Adrian Blackwell's Furnishing Positions,” Esse Magazine, 84
“Depth of Perception: Oakville Galleries,” Afterimage Journal, Vol. 42, No. 6 (Review)
2014
“Kim Adams: One for the Road, Art Gallery of Hamilton,” Fuse Magazine (Online Review)
“Barriers and Burnout: Arts Labour and Collective Action,” Kapsula Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3
“Living as Form: Socially Engaged Art from 1991-2011,” Public Journal, 48 (Review)
“It's the Political Economy, Stupid: The Global Financial Crisis in Art and Theory,” C Magazine, 121 (Review)
“Mayworks: Against the Erasure of Working Class Culture,” Kapsula Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 8
2013
C Study Guide for Issue 119, "Residencies," C Magazine (Online)
“Mary Tremonte: Reconstructing the Commons,” Onsite Review, 30
“Liberty Lost: On Economic Crisis and the Suppression of Dissent,” Esse Magazine, 77
“Space, Capital and Production in Social Art Practices,” 1W3KND: On Social Practice and Collaboration, Broken City Lab (Book Chapter)
“Kika Thorne: The WILDcraft, Art Gallery of Windsor,” C Magazine, 117 (Review)
2012
“Art & Multitude by Antonio Negri,” Public Journal, 46 (Review)
“Thomas Hirschhorn on Hyperconsumption and Resistance,” Esse Magazine, 75
Relevant Experience
Artistic Director, Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, 2015-present
Co-Director, Art & Social Strata Conference + Artist Projects, 2017
Advertising Sales, C Magazine, 2014-18
Digital Projects Coordinator, C Magazine, 2013-14
Staff Writer, Brock Press, 2005-2010
Grants, Awards and Residencies
Artist-in-Residence, _Hannacc, Barcelona, Spain, 2018
Artist-in-Residence, Sím (Samband íslenskra myndlistarmanna / Association of Icelandic Artists), Reykjavik, Iceland, 2017
Exhibition Assistance, Ontario Arts Council, 2012, 2015, 2017
Visual Arts Projects Grant, Ontario Arts Council, 2016
1W3KND: Social Practice and Collaboration Residency, Broken City Lab, 2013
Conference Travel Grant, University of Windsor, 2013