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
- Taxonomies of Imagination, Make Room, Los Angeles
- Concrete Spiritual, Morán Morán, Los Angeles
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
- Danielle Wu. Getting our own. Art in America. May 18, 2021
- Shiv Kotecha. BOMB. Ajay Kurian, Volume 155
2020
- Jones John. stirworld. Ajay Kurian deconstructs some absurdities of marginalisation through his installation, June 22, 2020
- Nicole Büsing & Heiko Klaas. Artist Kunstmagazin. Ajay Kurian, May - July 2020, Volume 123
- Masharani, Vijay. Artforum. Ajay Kurian on cyclopes abd racial caricature, March
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