Biography

born in 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland

lives and works in Brooklyn, New York


Education


2006 BA, Columbia University , New York


Teaching positions


since 2018 Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, New York

since 2017 Visiting Critic at Yale University, New Haven

2015-2016 Adjunct Professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore


Public collections


Aïshti Foundation Collection, Beirut

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

Solo Exhibitions

2022
  • Missing Home, 47 Canal, New York
2020
2019
2018
  • Nine Flags, 47 Canal, New York
2017
2016
  • incubator, CAPRI, Düsseldorf
  • The Dreamers, 47 Canal, New York
  • The Childhood of Jesus, Whit Flag Projects, St. Louis
  • Unilateral Educational Disarmament, JOAN, Los Angeles
2015
  • Work Harder Under Water, Rowhouse Project, Baltimore
2014
  • Tapetum Lucidum, Artspeak, Vancouver
2013
  • Proleptic, 47 Canal, New York
2011
  • Petrichor, Audio Visual Arts, New York
  • The Sheltering Sky, Callicoon Fine Arts, Callicoon, NY

Group Exhibitions

2022
2021
  • On Nationalism: Borders and Belonging, The James Gallery, City University of New York, New York
2019
  • A Field of Meaning, Callicoon Fine Arts, New York
  • FOCUS GROUP, Von Ammon Co, Washington
  • Horology, Jack Haneley Gallery, New York
2018
  • 100 SCULPTURES, Anonymous Gallery, Mexico City
  • GWTW, Martos Gallery, New York
  • Pine Barrens, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York
  • Emerald City, K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong
2017
  • Lodgers, Haus Mödrath - Räume für Kunst, Kerpen
  • Vertical Gardens, Antenna Space, Shanghai
  • Return to Mulholland Drive, La Panacée, Montpellier
  • Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
  • Citizen X - Human Nature and Robot Rights, Øregaard Museum, Copenhagen
  • 30th Anniversary Exhibition: Attics of My Life, Jack Hanley Gallery, New York
  • Worlding, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo
2016
  • Freud’s Mouth, Cooper Cole, Toronto
  • Goulding the Lolly, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York
2015
  • Greater New York, MoMA PS1, New York
  • In Appearance of Order, curated by 247365, Water McBeer, New York
  • A Rare Earth Magnet, Derek Eller Gallery, New York
  • The Visitors, curated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, Art CommissionsGI, Governor’s Island, New York
  • Finally Every Dimension of the Soil, American Medium, New York
  • Open Source: Art at the Eclipse of Capitalism, curated by Lisa Schiff, Leslie Fritz, and Eugenio Re
  • Rebaudengo, Galerie Max Hetzler, Paris and Berlin
2014
  • Flet, SpazioA, Pistoia
  • Elusive Earths, Etablissement d’en face, Brussels
  • Human, Evolution, Machine, Galerie Hussenot, Paris
  • Flat Neighbors, Rachel Uffner, New York
  • New Hells, Derek Eller Gallery, New York
  • Rockaway!, MoMA PS1, Fort Tilden and Rockaway Beach
  • More Material, Salon 94, New York
  • nature after nature, Fridericianum, Kassel
  • Memory Palaces, Carlier Gebauer, Berlin
  • Border Food, Loyal Gallery, Malmö
2013
  • Desert Plains and Internet Memes, Galerie Art:Concept, Paris
  • Stigmergy, Ajay Kurian and Maria Antelman, 247365, New York
  • ProBio, EXPO 1: New York, MoMA PS1, New York
  • do it (outside), curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist in collaboration with ICI, Socrates Sculpture Park, New York
  • Weird Science, Jack Hanley, New York
  • Let it Come Down, Hannah Barry, London
  • The Fifth Dimension, Ricou Gallery, Brussels
  • Great Skin, BODEGA, Philadelphia
2012
  • Ur, Room East, New York
  • ==, organized by Matt Keegan, Michèle Didier, Paris
  • Born Digital, CAM Raleigh, Raleigh
  • Cave In, organized by Ramekin Crucible, Cueva Arcillas, Puerto Rico
2011
  • White Columns Annual, organized by Nick Mauss and Ken Okiishi, White Columns, New York
  • Harvest Moon, organized by Ryan Foerster, Brighton Beach
  • Drawings, Drawing, Photographs, Rachel Uffner, New York
  • HOW DO YOU DO, NOMA Gallery, San Francisco
2010
  • Which Witch is Which? And/or Summertime, organized by Ajay Kurian, White Flag Projects, St. Louis
  • Now or Never, Rincon Projects, Bogota
  • Structures Within an Intervention, curated by Meenakshi Thirukode, The Guild Gallery, New York
  • And so on, and so on, and so on..., organized by Matt Sheridan Smith, Harris Lieberman, New York
2009
  • The living and the dead, organized by Darren Bader, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York
2008
  • SINGULAR FRIENDS: Heaving up on one another's shoulder's, Gresham’s Ghost, New York
2006
  • Senior Thesis Exhibition, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Columbia University, New York

Bibliography

2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
  • Living Content 5. Ajay Kurian, November
  • Lynne, Jessica. Cultured. Ajay Kurian: Young Artists 2018, December
  • Droitcour, Brian. Art in America. Overview: The National Exhibition MOSCOW AND NEW YORK, at the Garage Museum and the Whitney Museum, June 1
  • Weiner, Andrew Stefan. Biennial Foundation. Winter In America: The 2017 Whitney Biennial April 25
  • Berman, Eliza. TIME. Art In the Age of Trump. March 30
  • Vogel, Wendy. Art Review. Cultural sensitivity or cultural authority?
  • Eckardt, Stephanie. W Magazine: Meet the Kids in the Hall at the Whitney Biennial, March 18
  • Russeth, Andrew. ArtNews: The 2017 Whitney Biennial Is a Moving, Forward-Looking Tour de Force–a Triumph, March 14
  • Lehrer, Adam. Forbes: 10 Art Works You Must See At The 2017 Whitney Biennial, March 14
  • Halle, Howard. Time Out New York: Review: 2017 Whitney Biennial, March 14
  • Solway, Diane. W Magazine: An Early Look at the 2017 Whitney Biennial, Arriving in Time to Tackle America’s Turmoil, March 13
  • Sutton, Benjamin. Hyperallergic: An Omnivorous Tour of the 2017 Whitney Biennial, March 13
  • Eckardt, Stephanie. W Magazine: A Sneak Peek at the 2017 Whitney Biennial… In the Windows of Tiffany & Co.?, March 9
  • artnet News: A Whitney Biennial on Fifth Avenue? Tiffany & Co. to Host Provocative Artist Collaborations in Its Fabled Windows, February 21
  • Sharp, Sarah Rose. Hyperallergic: How Art Making is Like World Building, January 30
2016
  • Russeth, Andrew. ArtNews: The Year in, and Beyond, the Galleries of New York: a Relatively Concise Chronicle of Highlights and a Top 10 List, December 19
  • e-flux conversations: Ajay Kurian on Jordan Wolfson and the universal body, November 17
  • Halle, Howard. Time Out New York: “Ajay Kurian, October 12
  • Graf, Josephine. Frieze: Ajay Kurian, October 4
  • Smith, William S. Art in America: Lookout: Ajay Kurian, September 22
  • Duffy, Owen. MOMUS: Futures Long Since Past: an Interview with Ajay Kurian, September
  • Wolkoff, Julia. Art in America: Goulding the Lolly, July
  • Kurian, Ajay. Artforum: Artists and Identity, Summer
  • Miller, Amy. Temporary Art Review: Ajay Kurian at White Flag Projects, May 6
  • Contemporary Art Writing Daily: Ajay Kurian at White Flag Projects, May 5
  • Editors of Artnews, Artnews: Ajay Kurain at Whitehouse Flag Projects, St. Louis, April
  • Chamberlain, Colby. Artforum: Baltimore Ajay Kurian Rowhouse Project, February
  • Wagley, Catherine. LA Weekly: Unilateral Educational Disarmament, February
  • Scenes from the Studio: Ajay Kurian, February
  • Hirsch, Faye. Art in America: Greater New York, January
  • Kitnick, Alex. Artforum: Greater New York, January
2015
  • Ebony, David. artnet: David Ebony's Top 10 Most Memorable Artworks of 2015,
  • V Magazine: The Art of Curation, December
  • Creahan, D. Art Observed: New York – “Greater New York” at MoMA PS1 Through March 7th, 2016, December 2
  • Interview: Ajay Kurian, December
  • Korman, Sam. Flash Art: Ajay Kurian Rowhouse Project / Baltimore, November 12
  • Farley, Michael Anthony. ARTFCITY: Highlights From PS1’s Greater New York, Part 1, October 16
  • Matranga, Quintessa. Post-Office Arts Journal: Work Harder Under Water @ Rowhouse Project (Ajay Kurian), October 12
  • Russeth, Andrew. Artnews: PS1’s Sprawling ‘Greater New York’ Show Broadens its Purview, with Mixed Results, October 9
  • Meier, Allison. Hyperallergic: Wayfinding through Ruins and Castles in a Governors Island Art Intervention, September 3
  • Kurian, Ajay. Artspace: How Making Public Art Almost Broke Me — and Why Everyone Else Wants to Break Public Art, September 11
  • Smith, Roberta. New York Times: Review: In ‘A Rare Earth Magnet’ at Derek Eller, a Focus on Repurposed Materials, August 13
  • Vogel, Wendy. Art in America: Destination Art: Governors Island, August 10
  • The New Yorker: A Rare Earth Magnet, July
  • Masewicz, Natalia. Blouin ArtInfo: Review: “Open Sourse: Art at the Eclipse of Capitalism” at Max Hetzler Gallery, March 17
  • Artuner: About the Artist, March 13
  • Preston, Laura. Frieze. Elusive Earths Établissement D’en Face Projects, Brussels, Belgium January - February
2014
  • Frank, Priscilla. The Huffington Post: These Are the Artists to Watch in 2015, December 9
  • Calabrese, Nickolas. Art Agenda: Art Basel Miami Beach, December 5
  • Trigg, Sarah. Vulture: SEEN in the Studio: Ajay Kurian, December 2
  • Dazed Digital: What not to Miss at Art Basel Miami, December
  • Anderson, Charlotte and Bazner, David. GQ: 10 GQ-Approved Artists You Should Know At Art Basel Miami: Ajay Kurian, December
  • Gat, Orit. Modern Painters: Flat Neighbors, October
  • The New Yorker: Flat Neighbors, October
  • Sutton, Benjamin. Artnet News: New York’s Standout Gallery Shows Are on the Lower East Side, September 24
  • Saltz, Jerry. Vulture: Jerry Saltz Dives into the Lower East Side Art Scene and Emerges Optimistic, September
  • Russeth, Andrew. Artnews: The Season Begins: A Rough Start in Chelsea, Joys Abound Downtown, September 9
  • Cotter, Holland. The New York Times: New Hells, July 31
  • Gat, Orit. Modern Painters: Ajay Kurian, February
2013
  • Indrisek, Scott. Blackbook: The Best Art of 2013: A Definitive Survey, December 24
  • Russeth, Andrew. Gallerist NY: The Year in, and Beyond, the Galleries, December 18
  • Exhibition A: Collectors Q & A: 247365, December 19
  • Time Out: Ajay Kurian, ‘Proleptic,’ December 15
  • Smith, William S. Art in America: Ajay Kurian, October
  • Art in America: Ajay Kurian at 47 Canal, November 14, 2013
2012
  • Woods, Baynard. City Paper: Digital Dada, December 5
  • Modern Painters: 24 Artists to Watch, December
  • Bomb Magazine: Portfolio, with Margaret Lee, Summer
  • Bell, Natalie. ArtPapers: Ajay Kurian
  • Pedinotti, Aaron. O-Zone: Journal of Object Oriented Studies: Ajay Kurian’s Petrichor: A Profile
  • Wilson, Michael. Looking Back: The Sixth White Columns Annual, Artforum, April
2011
  • Zelehoski, Michael. ARTslant: NADA Much, December 6
  • Molinaro, Kate. NearSay: Audio Visual Arts Gallery Presents Sweet New Exhibit, November 29
  • Solomon, Serena. DNAinfo.com: Gobstoppers Challenge Ideas of Nature at East Village Art Gallery. November 28
  • Rutland, Beau. artforum.com: Critics’ Pick, June 17
  • Russeth, Andrew.16 Miles of String: The Artist’s Institute: Jo Baer, Robert Filliou, and Bread Making. February 14
  • Asfour, Nana. The Paris Review Daily: The Art of Giving, January 27
2010
  • Hong, Grace. St. Louis Art Map: Which Witch is Which? and/or Summertime at White Flag, November 2
  • Time Out New York, Issue 750: And so on, and so on, and so on, February 18-24
2009
  • Burns, Aileen. Magenta Magazine The living and the dead, Gavin Brown enterprise. September 6

Featured Artworks