John Lavell

Professional biography

Graduated in 1991 from Newcastle Polytechnic with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art.

Worked at Tate Gallery (Liverpool) from 1993–1997;

Lived and worked in Japan and Canada from 1997–2003 holding various teaching posts and regularly exhibited. Returned to the UK (Newcastle) to complete a Masters Degree in Fine Art Practices in 2003–2004;

In 2005 awarded doctoral funding by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Doctorate completed in 2010;

From 2008–2012 held a variety of teaching posts and roles at Northumbria University and Tyne College;

In 2012 relocated as Senior Fine Art Lecturer to The British Higher School (Moscow).

Research / professional practice interests

Artist and practice-led researcher whose earlier studio practice centred on general ideas and notions of classification and resulting taxonomies.

Studio Practice was developed on an MA Practice programme through an engagement with criminal forensics procedures, methods and approaches.

MA Activity lead to a Doctoral thesis entitled ‘The Power of Naming’; Co-option in Fine Art Practice a practice-led research project and investigatory journey exploring ‘terrains of interest’ that have opened up, stimulated, and informed, studio and exhibition practices. Plotting a shift from the illustrative via natural history classification systems, the co-option of a forensic glossary to the poetics of creative practice.

Academic qualifications

2005–2010 — Practice-led PhD, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne;

2003–2004 — MA Fine Art Practice, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne;

1988–1991 — BA (Hons) Fine Art, Newcastle Polytechnic, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Professional qualifications / accreditation

1993 — City+Guilds (7307) Art Education.

Exhibitions

2018 — Bienal De Cerveira, Portugal;

2017 — Such a Small Love, Art Laboratory, Moscow, Russia;

2016 — BoConcept, Ukrainian Blvd, Moscow, Russia;

2015 — Pushpin, Moscow Contemporary Arts Centre, Moscow, Russia;

2015 — Doctoring the Evidence #1: Ten Cities, Square Yard Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne;

2015 — The 2nd Nanjing International Art Festival, Nanjing, China;

2012 — The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands, Toomey Turell Fine Art, San Francisco, USA.

Residency

2015 — (Summer) Swatch Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China;

2014 — (Summer) The Emily Harvey Foundation, Venice, Italy;

2013 — (Summer) Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art, Hafnarborg, Iceland.

Publications

Diversified Colours, Leading Trends, The 2nd Nanjing International Art Festival, Nanjing, China.
Essay: CONVOLUTION Number 3 (USA);

Blunt Force Trauma, Portfolio: Emerging research in Visual Culture;

He is dead and he is going to die: Introductory essay for Adam Hogarth and Sebastian Trend. UK touring exhibition.