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Susan Cianciolo

Susan Cianciolo’s participatory practice is inspired by fashion, craft and domestic life. Her sculptures, drawings, and costumes are meaningful units of ephemera drawn from her life and work – the difference between the two, for Cianciolo, has always been wilfully eschewed. Her recent exhibitions have consisted of a series of filled boxes that Cianciolo terms ​‘kits’ - a prototypical format of her work, which are assemblages of items from her archives that are reformulated as a tool-box cum biographical archive to be sifted through by visitors. In other projects, she has converted the space of a gallery into a working restaurant, its menus and table settings the props for an extended collective performance. Like her larger, participatory environments, Cianciolo’s sculptural works, tapestries, and drawings fold in disparate elements from the world outside, such as pressed flowers, recipes, and glitter.

In the way she so naturally makes the quotidian details of her life her work, in vice versa, Cianciolo’s recent artistic output is made with the same spirit that characterised the many physical forms her work has taken since the beginning of her career as a fashion designer in the mid 1990s. Between 1995 and 2001, working under her label run, she created eleven ranges of hand-made, unique garments and displayed them in runway shows that incorporated collaborations between music, film, fashion, performance and hospitality. The term ​‘collection’ for Cianciolo’s run was as much about a collection of people, or of talents, as it was about the release of a collection every season. This expansive, collective approach has persisted in her work, which is now shown in museums and galleries, as much as through live performances, printed publications, and workshops.

Susan Cianciolo was born in 1969 in Providence, Rhode Island, and lives and works in New York. Between 1995 and 2001, she created eleven ‘runs’ of handmade, unique garments under her label RUN, which at one time was alternatively incarnated as a popup restaurant. Her presentations blended fashion with music, film, performance, and food. Cianciolo has held academic appointments at Städelschule, Parsons School of Design, Yale School of Art and NYU Steinhardt. Since 2013, she has been Assistant Professor of Fashion Design at Pratt Institute. Her work has been the subject of recent solo exhibitions at The Community Centre, Pantin (2022); the Lumber Room, Portland (2021); South London Gallery (2019); Yale Union, Portland (2016); and 365 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles (2016). Her participation in the 2017 Whitney Biennial saw the reprisal of RUN Restaurant as Run Restaurant Untitled, a three-day installation and gastronomic event.

Press
Biography
Tapestry 1, 2000-17
Tapestry 1, 2000-17
paper, book, suede, hand silkscreen cotton, embroidered cotton, feather beadwork, quilted antique Japanese silk and cotton, 574.1 x 221 cm, 226 1/8 x 87 1/8 in
1/4
Notebooks Kit, 2016
cotton tapestry, cardboard box, photograph, paper, notebooks, ink, paint, 8.3 x 42 x 42 cm, 3 1/4 x 16 1/2 x 16 1/2 in
1/2
Pattern Do It Yourself Kit, 1996-2016
plastic United States Postal Service mail box, photograph, paint, cloth, 29.21 x 44.45 x 34.29 cm, 11 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 13 1/2 in
1/2
Miniature Doll Box, 2015
cotton fabric, vintage textiles, inkjet on paper, ink on cardboard, plastic curling ribbon, stickers on tapestry with Mike Mills textile, 12 x 48.4 x 37.2 cm, 4 3/4 x 19 1/8 x 14 5/8 in
1/2
Prayer Box and Documentary of Conversations Box, 2013-16
cardboard box, papers, ink, tape, photographs, slides, paint, plastic box, cardboard box with laptop, digital video (edition of 5), Run Restaurant tapestry with quilted patchwork, 19.05 x 265 x 230 cm, 7 1/2 x 104 3/8 x 90 1/2 in
Tapestry 2, 2010-17
burlap, quilt by Jessica Ogden, antique cotton fabric with screen printed and hand stencilled elements, painting and drawing on paper by Lilac Cianciolo, 233 x 248 cm, 91 3/4 x 97 5/8 in
1/3
Kids Outfit Kit, 2015
cotton, thread, paint, pants, top, cardigan, popsicle sticks, book, games, colored paper and bracelet, 46.3 x 127 x 80 cm, 18 1/4 x 50 x 31 1/2 in
Run Restaurant (Lifesize Kit), 1995-2017
timber structure, painted card platform, plants, tapestry, cushions, paper cups, ceramic bowls, items from 'Run Restaurant Untitled' restaged at 2017 Whitney Biennial, lab coat with archival items, objects made by Lilac Cianciolo, 236.8 x 310 cm, 93 1/4 x 122 1/8 in
1/3
Woman on the Beach with Diamonds, 2019
cloth, thread, cardboard, paper, 180 x 320 cm, 70 7/8 x 126 in
1/3
Run Store (Lifesize Kit), 1997-2017
timber structure, found timber platform, tapestry, plants, reconstructed dress, sculpture with mixed found and made objects, archival items from Run Home collection restaged in 'Run Restaurant Untitled' at 2017 Whitney Biennial, 221 x 308 cm, 87 1/8 x 121 1/4 in
1/3
Platform 4, 1995-2017
mannequin limbs, archival items from original RUN collections incorporated into 'RUN RESTAURANT UNTITLED’ restaged for the 2017 Whitney Biennial, 190 x 122 x 122 cm, 74 3/4 x 48 1/8 x 48 1/8 in
1/3
Platform 2, 1990-2017
textile patchwork piece from 2012 (folded on the wood) featuring original crocheted patches from RUN 6 (1998), knit cotton, wool blends, vintage Japanese obi; rebuilt dresses from 1997/2010 from original RUN collection and featured in 'RUN RESTAURANT UNTITLED’ restaged for the 2017 Whitney Biennial, 193 x 122 x 122 cm, 76 x 48 1/8 x 48 1/8 in
1/3
Modern House on Land Outside Game Table, South London Gallery, 2019
Yale Union, Portland, OR, USA, 2016

Press

FriezeSusan Cianciolo’s Textiles Have Spiritual Dimensions, 9 July 2024
4Columns14 June 2024
Artforum1 February 2022
Perfect NumberSusan Cianciolo’s Radical Vision Transcends Art and Clothing, 13 August 2019
i-DArtist Susan Cianciolo has been questioning fashion’s consumerist problem for 30 years, 16 July 2019
FriezeSusan Cianciolo: Turning Bric-a-Brac into Idiosyncratic Couture, 11 July 2018
W MagazineWith the 2017 Whitney Biennial, the Fashion Designer Susan Cianciolo is Turning Into an Art Star At Last, 13 March 2017

Biography

Susan Cianciolo

Born in Rhode Island, USA, 1969 Lives and works in New York, NY, USA

Education

1992
BFA
Parsons School of Design, New York, NY, USA
1991
BFA
Parsons School of Design, Paris, France
1990
Winchester School of Art
Winchester

Solo Exhibitions

2024
Light Workers - RUN 15 Game of Life - (Thank You Pine Trees)
Bridget Donahue, New York, New York, NY, USA
2023
Botanica Workshop and Meditation
Overduin & Co, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2022
This exhibition is made for a New dawn , New earth , and New solar system
Cibrián, San Sebastián, Spain
Susan Cianciolo: RUN 14 FIELD of existenceThe Community Centre, Pantin, France
Transmission of energy from celestial alignment with galactic center: Run 13 Collection
Overduin & Co, Los Angeles, CA, USA
PRAYER ROOM, HEALING STAtion
Lumber Room, Portland, OR, USA
2020
Spirit Guides: Paintings 1990 – 2020
Bridget Donahue, New York, NY, USA
2019
GAME ROOM: Nature Maze
Martina Simeti Gallery, Milan, Italy
2018
RUN HOME with Susan Cianciolo and Kiva Motnyk
Bridget Donahue, New York, NY, USA
RUN 12: God is a Jacket
Overduin & Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
2017
RUN PRAYER, RUN CAFÉ, RUN LIBRARY
Bridget Donahue, New York, NY, USA
RUN church, RUN Restaurant, Run Store
Modern Art, London
2016
Dressing for God
Yale Union, Portland, OR, USA
Susan Cianciolo (film screening)
TG, Nottingham
“Though I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but have not Love, I am nothing” ‘Corinthians’
356 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2015
if God COMes to visit You, HOW will you know? (the great tetrahedral kite)
Bridget Donahue, New York, NY, USA
2011
RUN Restaurant
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
When Buildings Meet the Sky, Fall 2011 Collection
National Arts Club, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, New York, NY, USA
2009
Mountains and Flowers
Space 15 Twenty, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Purple Mountains and a Lilac Sky
Gallery Side 2, Tokyo, Japan
Crystal Mountain Bridge
Graf Media, Osaka, Japan
Vast Future the Works of Susan Cianciolo
Parco Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2003
Angels Do Exist
Trees Are So Special Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
RUN Retrospective
Francesca Kaufmann Gallery, Milan, Italy
RUN Retrospective
Milanovendemoda, Milan, Italy
Drawing for Neu Life
Sears Peyton Gallery, New York, NY, USA
The United States of America Book, publication launch and exhibition of Petit Galm No. 7 & Modern Crafts Issue
Zero, New York, NY, USA
2002
Love Life, film screening
Vira Yoga, New York, NY, USA
Anti-War-Pro Peace Show, clothing presentation and performance
Vira Yoga, New York, NY, USA
Small Things
Deep Gallery, Paris, France
Games, Toys, Small Things, Hair and Makeup
Shiseido Studio, New York, NY, USA
2001
Susan Cianciolo
Pucci Gallery, New York, NY, USA
RUN 11, “Run Store”
presented in antiques store, New York, NY, USA
RUN 11, “Run Store”
presented at Purple Institute, Paris, France
RUN Restaurant
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2000
RUN 10, collection presentation
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Structures and RUN Collection 2000
Pitti Immagine Discover, Florence, Italy
1999
RUN 8, collection presentation
Inn, Lady Mendl’s, 56 Irving Place, New York, NY, USA
RUN 9, collection presentation
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1998
RUN 7 and RUN Home, collection presentation
Gallery 360, Tokyo, Japan
RUN 7 and RUN Home, collection presentation
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA
RUN 6, collection presentation
Rotunda Ampitheatre, New York, NY, USA
RUN 6, collection presentation
Purple Institute, Paris, France
1997
Sleepers
Purple Institute, Paris, France
RUN 4, collection presentation
Glamour Furniture Store, New York, NY, USA
1996
Utopian Art Festival 2, Circus of the Stars
Hotel 17, New York, NY, USA
RUN 3, collection presentation and screening of Pro-Abortion; Anti-Pink
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA
RUN 3, collection presentation and screening of Pro-Abortion; Anti-Pink
Showroom Seven, New York, NY, USA
RUN 2, collection presentation
parking garage in Chelsea neighborhood, New York, NY, USA
1995
RUN 1, collection presentation
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024
Wild Grass: Our Lives, 8th Yokohama TriennaleYokohama Museum of Art, Yokohama, Japan
The New Village: Ten Years of New York Fashion
Pratt Institute, New York, NY, USA
2023
Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines
Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY, USA
Something or Other
curated by Isabel Yellin, Galerie Maria Bernheim, Zurich, Switzerland
2022
Altman Siegel
San Francisco, CA, USA
Concrete Spiritual
Morán Morán, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Lingua Franca
Kapp Kapp, New York, New York, NY, USA
Catechism
Bridget Donahue, New York, NY, USA
How to Get Free of the Rectangle
Nicelle Beauchene, New York, NY, YSA
2021
No Guidance from the Spirit Guides
Cibrián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
2019
Last Night I Wore a Costume, curated by Lisa Cooley
LX Arts, New York, NY, USA
Only Our Hearts Will Argue Hard: A Benefit Show for BCBF
Reena Spaulings Fine Art, New York, NY, USA
Notebook, curated by Joanne Greenbaum
56 Henry, New York, NY, USA
Sustenance00
NOMAD St. Moritz, Chesa Planta, St. Moritz, Switzerland
2018
Body, curated by Domenico de Chirico
L’Inconnue, Montréal, Canada
Halve: garments in their middle
The Epsten Gallery, Overland Park, KS, USA
Now & Then: Beautiful Losers, Alleged Gallery & The 90s Lower East Side
The Hole, New York, NY, USA
Eckhaus Latta: PossessedWhitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA
Summer Exhibition
Modern Art, London
Windowlicker
Balice Hertling, Paris, France
Fashion Work, Fashion Workers, curated by Jeppe UgelvigCCS Bard Galleries and Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, USA
2017
The Overworked Body: An Anthology of 2000s Dress, curated by Matthew Linde
Mathew Gallery and MINI/Goethe-Institut Curatorial Residencies Ludlow 38, New York, NY, USA
Blue Danube
Overduin & Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Women to the Front
Lumber Room, Portland, OR, USA
Whitney Biennial 2017Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA
2016
Nieves and Innen Zine Library
Swiss In situ, Swiss Institute, New York, NY, USA
03: Opening to the Sighs
Kimberly-Klark at Insterstate Projects, New York, NY, USA
9th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art (Dress Rehearsal, in collaboration with Centre for Style)
Akademie der Künst, Berlin, Germany
Gallery Share
Off Vendome, New York, NY, USA
Theories of Modern Art
Modern Art, London
World Made By Hand
Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York, NY, USA
When Did Intimacy Begin Width
Jeffrey Stark, New York, NY, USA
Active Ingredient
Lisa Cooley, New York, NY, USA
Looking Back/ The 10th White Columns Annual
White Columns, New York, NY, USA
Body Superficial
Seth Sgorbati Projects, New York, NY, USA
2015
Denim: Fashion’s FrontierFashion and Textile History Gallery, The Museum at FIT, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY, USA
DESIGN IS EVERYTHING: The School of Design Faculty
Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, New York, NY, USA
Greater New YorkMoMA PS1, Long Island City, NY, USA
Mommy
Yale Union, Portland, OR, USA
Survival is Not Enough
RODEO Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2014
You reach out - right now - for something: Questioning the Concept of Fashion
Art Tower, Mito, Japan
Silly Canvas
Centre For Style, Melbourne, Australia
2012
Hamlet, Mise-En-ScenePortikus Museum, Frankfurt, Germany
2011
SHOP
Underline Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2010
Not in Fashion: Exhibition on Fashion and Photography of the 1990sMMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany
Tokyo Shop
New Aquarius Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
LACE Benefit Art Auction
LACE, Los Angeles, CA, USA
The Wisdom of Flowers
No Idea/VACANT, Tokyo, Japan
2006
The Woman of the Crowd, collaboration with Cone Denim
LACE, Los Angeles, CA, USA
The Woman of the Crowd, collaboration with Cone Denim
Sears Peyton, New York, NY, USA
2005
Over Liefde/On Love
Museum Het Domein, Sittard, Netherlands
2002
Pan, curated by Andree Cooke
Czech Centre, London
Small Things & Games, clothing/drawing installation
Deep Gallery, Paris, France
Small Things & Games, clothing/drawing installation
Gallery 360, Tokyo, Japan
2001 - 2011
RUN Restaurant and RUN Mobile Restaurant
Created artisan farm-to-table restaurant for galleries, museums and private home events
2000
Elysian Fields, clothing installation curated by Purple Institute Paris
Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
Kim’s Bedroom, curated by Kim Gordon
Parco Gallery, Tokyo, travelling to MU Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Structures
Pitti Imagine/Discovery, Florence, Italy
1999
Coup d’Etat, performance
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art in the Anchorage 16: Exposing Meaning in Fashion Through Presentation
Creative Time, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1998
Andrea Rosen Gallery
New York, NY, USA
Gallery 360
Tokyo, Japan
Fashion Biennale
Florence, Italy
Film screening
Buero Foer International Kulturellen Austausch, Berlin, Germany
La Voie Lactee, installation
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
All Women Photo Show
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Film screening
Centre d’Art Contemporain, Kunsthalle, Fribourg, Germany
Paper and clothing installation
Pucci Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Reopening: Installations and Projects, curated by Klaus Biesenbach
MoMA PS1, Long Island City, NY, USA
1997
Utopian Art Festival II, performance
Hotel 17, New York, NY, USA
1996
Pro-Abortion/Anti-Pink
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Pro-Abortion/Anti-Pink, film screening
Rotterdam International Film Festival, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Art Exchange Show
Alleged Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1995
The White Album, costume design
Frederick Loewe Theatre, New York, NY, USA