John David Spiak
Curator of University and Community Projects
John D. Spiak is Curator at the Arizona State University Art Museum, joining the staff in 1994. His curatorial emphasis is focused on contemporary art and society, with focus on works in video and new media by emerging artists. Select past projects include: New American City, addressing the role artists play in the development of Phoenix; When I Grow Up … (traveled nationally), a look at the contemporary lives of senior citizens; the solo exhibitions Screenshots: Jon Haddock; Pipilotti Rist: Sip My Ocean and Other Videos; Sean Duffy: The Grove (traveled nationally); and the eight artist group video exhibition Not Quite Myself Today, which looked at the stereotypes and perceptions of artists.
In addition to curating exhibitions, Spiak is the founding director of the annual ASU Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival, which he established in 1997. His responsibilities have also included publication coordinator for museum catalogues, preparator of traveling exhibitions, development and grant writing, acting curator of education, program coordinator, web development initiatives and press liaison. Spiak teaches and lectures to university and community groups on museum exhibitions and video art.
He holds a degree in Sociology from California State University at Dominguez Hills.
Links to pages on the ASU Art Museum site:
Selected curated exhibitions:
Josh Greene: Some Parts Might Be Greater Than the Whole
Sean Duffy: The Grove
New American City: Artists Look Forward
Stella Lai: Let's Stop Pretending
Mark Newport: Super Heroics
When I Grow Up...
VJ Johnny D. presents: POPS
Personal Doping: Video Installations by Agnieszka Kalinowska
Philippe Bradshaw: Chains and Videos
Adam Chodzko: Limbo Land and A Place for 'The End'
Pipilotti Rist: Sip My Ocean and other videos
Not Quite Myself Today
Collectors' Choice II
nooks and crannies
Shirin Neshat: Film Installations and Photographs
The Wayfarer's Journey: Gita Farid
Dwelling: Corina Gamma
Screenshots: Jon Haddock
PHACAEANS: Sloane McFarland
Club Extra: Angela Ellsworth
Sig-alert
Bob Carey
Dis/Functional
Token City: Muriel Magenta
The Mix
Hittin' the Roof: Grafs by Such
Selected exhibition involvement:
Jarbas Lopes: Cicloviaérea
Collectors' Choice
No Absolutes
Sites Around the City: Art and Environment
Jim Campbell: Transforming Time
Contemporary Art from Cuba: Irony and Survival on the Utopian Island
Daniel Wheeler: Mascaron de Proa
Art on the Edge of Fashion
Bill Viola: Buried Secrets
1-900-ALL-KAREN
Moving Forward with Awareness and Compassion
Selected events involved in coordinating:
Annual ASU Art Museum Short Film & Video Festival
Night Series: An Ongoing Series of Collaborative Evenings
Annual Welcome Back Student Party
B3 in the Grove: DJ Event
Dis/Functional-Token City Dual Reception
Opening Night Performances for Art On The Edge of Fashion
Catalogues:
New American City: Artists Look Forward
Mark Newport: Super Heroics
Sig-alert (Netalogue)
No Absolutes: Contemporary Art from the Regio
Catalogues coordinated:
Sites Around the City: Art and Environment
The Eye of the Collector: Works from the Lipman Collection of American Art
Jim Campbell: Transforming Time
Contemporary Art from Cuba: Irony and Survival on the Utopian Island
Bill Viola: Buried Secrets
Art Under Duress: El Salvador 1980 - Present
Art on the Edge of Fashion
Helme Prinzen: Sky Maps
Another Arizona
Millenial Myths: Paintings by Lynn Randolph
Turned Wood Now: Redefining the Lathe-Turned Object IV
Book deal: Adapted, for art, a Student's Guide to the Internet.
A project with Prentice Hall, Inc.
Art on the Internet 1999 - 2000: A Student's Guide
Art on the Internet 1998 - 1999: A Student's Guide
First year of the publication:
Art on the Internet 1997 - 1998: A Student's Guide
E-mail John at spiak@asu.edu
Back to ASU Art Museum Exhibitions and Events page to see the Museum's current activities.
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