Jenny Brown combines video, photography and installation, often as multi-screen environments, some incorporate community-scripted performances: a boat for the low-lying Pacific Islands (Mayday-2006), a train-carriage in coalmining-country for Cementa_2015, and a five-township co-organised roving corroboree (2019). Exhibiting work in 13 countries, Brown’s screenings include festivals at the New York Film Anthologies (2017/2020), Florianópolis, Brazil (2017) and New Delhi, India (2007). The Australia-China Council and DAAD awarded her creative practice scholarships, and further research programmes have been undertaken in Kiev, Brisbane and Santiago, Chile.
Brown contributed to the book Ecoart in Action (2022), An Ecotopian Lexicon (2019) and Artlink (2016) discuss her ‘solastalgia’ series, and the Americans for the Arts Climate Crisis Arts Link Issue (2022) present one of her tapestries. Following an Australian Postgraduate Award, Jenny gave presentations at the CAA conference artist panel, Los Angeles (2010) and the Geneva University of Art and Design (2012), and in 2017 received her doctorate from the University of Sydney. After participation in the film & philosophy masterclass held by the Konrad Wolf Film University, Potsdam in 2021 and 2022, Jenny presented commissioned work for the Liveworks Festival at Performance Space Sydney. These works screened at the inaugural Alana Bowden Memorial Symposium held by Performance & Theatre Studies, University of Sydney 2023.
Jenny’s employment includes delivering training and/or coordinating programs with TAFE, AFTRS, universities and community organisations; developing arts and culture locally (Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, the Upper Hunter Shire Council, Newcastle City Council and Blue Mountains City Council) / regionally (Western Sydney Region of Councils) / statewide (Shopfront at the University of Technology Sydney and dLux Media Arts); and administrating broadcasting regulation.
You can contact her at: jennybrownjenny @ gmail DOT com
selected ‘”Silky-Blue” performance with the Tree Veneration Society, Bob Brown Foundation march Sydney 2024 Pick-up-needle-bottom-of-sea & The Allo-paradox Method screening. Inaugural Alana Bowden Memorial Symposium Performance & Theatre Studies, University of Sydney 2023 The Allo-paradox Method. Dreamworks: Performance Space Liveworks Festival Sydney 2022
Biennale d’art non objectif de la ville de Pont de Claix, West Projects satellite event Mt Tomah 2021
Pick-up-needle-bottom-of-sea. Dreamworks: Performance Space Liveworks Festival Sydney 2021
Eco-house 3: 1st DA approved small-scale 3 stage-deemed dwellable construction for the Blue Mountains 2021
Another Experiment by Women Film Festival Streaming Screening Series New York Film Anthologies 2020
Choose art | give light to refugees-online art auction in the fight against covid-19 curators: Nicky Ginsberg, Gary Sangster & Sohyun Kim 2020
Slow hope: becoming coronavirus Back Gallery, Articulate project space Sydney 2020 (solo)
corroboree YAAMA NGUNNA BAAKA co-initiator and coordinator. Funded by Bourke Shire Council, Fund for Rural & Regional Renewal, Bendigo Bank Katoomba. Inkind partners Foodbank, Central Darling Shire, Walgett Shire Council and Brewarrina Shire Council Walgett, Brewarrina, Bourke, Wilcannia, Menindee Lakes 2019
corroboree YAAMA NGUNNA BAAKA fundraiser Articulate project space Sydney 2019
Cleave Articulate project space Sydney 2019
Halley’s sky news: world alienation, legal personhood & the environment DAAD-Alumnitreffen, University of Melbourne, 2018 (solo)
Interscape (curator) House Conspiracy curator residency Brisbane 2018
Australian Earth Laws Alliance National Exhibition (curator/artist) Spring Hill Reservoirs Brisbane 2018
Strangloscope Experimental Film, Audio & Performance Festival Florianópolis Brazil 2017
Parallel play: developmental psychology for capitalists, Testing Grounds Melbourne 2017
Walking back the cat – Ugland House (collaboration as art and economics), Articulate project space Sydney 2017
Another Experiment by Women Film Festival New York Film Anthologies 2017
The energy dérive (collaboration as art and economics for Futurelands 2), Kandos Projects Kandos 2016
Ten Year Anniversary Show, Studio Ra Rome 2016
Sydney Artist Run Initiatives show, Articulate project space Sydney 2016
Directors’ show, Articulate project space Sydney 2016
Burnt Stars Articulate project space Sydney 2015 (solo)
Solastalgia 2, Cementa_15 contemporary arts festival Kandos 2015
Notes towards a future feminist archive, Cross Art Books Sydney 2015
Solastalgia 1, SCA Galleries, Sydney 2014
Famine, Murales per Studio Ra, Studio Ra, Rome Italy 2014
Many Happy Returns: a mash up celebration of The Prisoner & governmentality Semmer-Berlin project space Germany 2013 (solo)
Burnt Stars: meditations on resistance, resilience and systems Stattberlin Germany 2013 (solo)
Schwitters, Compounds of a Prism Schwitters Another Vacant Space Berlin 2012
Parallel Play: development psychology for capitalists, Sydney College for the Arts Galleries Sydney 2012
Wink, The Social Verge Gallery Sydney 2012
Concentration camp bark scrapers, Berlin Gallery Weekend Another Vacant Space Berlin 2011
Transmission, Black Stars on a White Sky Chateau de Sacy, Sacy-le-Petit France 2010
White Rabbit Kandos Projects Kandos 2010 (solo)
Parallel Play: developmental psychology for capitalists, Breathing Space Hawkesbury Art Gallery 2009
Wink, A Spires Embers, Eidos Foundation, ГОГОЛЬFEST2009 Kiev Ukraine 2009
Beyond Rapa Nui: Policy and plan for food production in Sydney and As above: so below: The New York Stock Exchange Part 2, Reliquaries of empires dust Bereznitsky Gallery Berlin Germany 2009
Interviewee artist for Anne Kay & Jane Polkinghorne in Situation, Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney 2007/MOMA San Diego USA 2009
As above: so below, The New York Stock Exchange Part 3, Stargazing At the Vanishing Point Sydney 2009
History of Disappearance, Franklin Furnace / MOMA New York performance works from 70s – present. Presenter/curator. Sydney College for the Arts Gallery 2008
Yuan Hegemony, Carnival of e-Creativity & Change-agents India International Centre New Delhi 2008
Eco-house 2: re-purposed train carriage house 1st DA approved train carriage dwelling for the Blue Mountains 2008
Eco-house 1: re-used material dwelling built for under $15,000 2009
As above so below: New York Stock Exchange Part 1, Galleria Metropolitana, Santiago Chile 2007
Glebe Audiotour: seeing what’s left Political hotspots of Australia’s left wing history. Concept stage funding, City of Sydney 2006-7
For Healing, Gosford Region Art Gallery Annual Show Gosford Australia-China Council residency 2006
My Days on the Last Testament, Carte Blanche Mobile Gallery Studio Ra Contemporary Art Rome 2006
Garibaldi 200 years Free International Artists, the Institute Fernando Santi & Di Vittorio Foundation Bergamo Italy & Montevideo Uruguay 2006
Tied Mayday 2006, funerary performance with Tribal Warrior & Pacific Island Mount Druitt Action Network. Funded by the City of Sydney. Sydney Harbour Mayday 2006 Phoenix Spiritual Commended Prize, Australian National University Fine Art Gallery Canberra 2006
Initiation: submission, containment, liberation, draw drawing 2 The Foundry Shoreditch London 2006
Singleton Women’s Script, Arcadia Stables Gallery Twickenham London 2006
Surveillance series from the Shanghai Natural History Museum, Artists Against Sedition Laws Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney 2006
Yuan Hegemony, Looking for Democracy Mori Gallery Sydney 2006
Surveillance Series, Snap to Grid Los Angeles Centre for Digital Art USA 2006
Views BAU Gallery Shanghai Australia-China Council residency, supported by NAVA & NSW Ministry for the Arts 2005 (solo)
Terrain Vague public artwork with Brearley Architects + Urbanists Shanghai 2005
Learning the ropes, Tribal Warrior Program Green Square (behavioural) School students learnt crewing skills on an Indigenous boat. Funded by Australians Working Together Sydney 2005
Initiation: submission containment liberation 3 sculptural works with plantings by Morriset Hospital forensic clients. Funded by Gosford City Council, in-kind support Gosford Quarries & Organic Matters Ourimbah 2004
Collaboration Mezzanine Gallery Ourimbah Central Coast 2003 (solo)
Representation in Museum of Senses Iwadeyama Japan 2002
Singleton Women’s Script, Dubbo Regional Art Gallery Dubbo 2002
Melt Pots 3, Tertiary Student Art Prize Maitland Regional Art Gallery Maitland 2001
Melt Pots 2, One Piece Only Studio Potters Gallery Newcastle 2001
Melt Pots 1, University of Newcastle Acquisitive Art Prize Watt Space Gallery Newcastle 2001
Melt Pots 1, 2 & 3, Sculpture at the Baths Newcastle Beach 2001
Ribbons of Steel BHP curator & project development for 50 projects (26 with steelworkers) to commemorate steelwork’s closure. Technical support for Ribbons of Steel performance. Funded by BHP, the Australia Council and NSW Ministry for the Arts Newcastle 1999
Kin Tucka Tiddas set sculptor with actors for Nogoroe-kah Indigenous Theatre & writer/director Fiona Winning. Funded by the Australia Council & NSW Ministry for the Arts Newcastle 1999
Identity, Ability, Diversity mural collaborator with people with a disability. Funded by Accessible Arts & South Sydney Region of Councils Bondi Pavilion 1999
Giant cicada float, Sydney Mardi Gras, people living with HIV/Aids & Nogoroe-kah Indigenous Theatre Company Newcastle 1998
ARTnode sculptural trail with 12 artists, horticulturalists & groups of people with disabilities. Five carved stone works, access audio guide, access map & documentary. Funded by Australia Council CCD & NSW Ministry for the Arts CCD & Indigenous Programs, & Centenary of Federation Fund Newcastle 1999-2003
Designs for children’s play equipment. Commissioned by Pambulong Development Lake Macquarie 2001
Reflections photo exhibition with people from culturally diverse backgrounds with psychiatric disabilities Funded by Carnivale & Accessible Arts Newcastle Region Art Gallery Newcastle 1998
Seams like Newcastle railway station access ramp with 99 collaborators with a disability. Funded by Newcastle (invasionist) Bicentenary Events Corporation Newcastle 1997
P r e s e n t a t i o n
‘Cementa Artist Studio’ online presentation 2023 Inaugural ‘Alana Bowden Memorial Symposium’ Performance & Theatre Studies, University of Sydney 2023 ‘Revisioning Pedagogical Practices through Ecoart’ College Art Association conference, Boston 2022
‘Masterclass in film and philosophy’ Konrad Wolf Film University, Potsdam Germany 2021
Creative retreat, Australian Earth Laws Alliance Brisbane 2018
The hitchhiker’s guide to the Symbiocene, Articulate project space Sydney 2016
Impact Journeys teleconference of the KdW-Fest with US-based eco-artists and Sweden-based social entrepeneurs, Hannover 2015
Futureland 1, Kandos Projects 2014
DAAD Mentorship program presentation, Annual Alumni Forum, Sydney 2014
Guest lecturer, CCC Research-based PhD Program, Geneva University of Art & Design 2013
Toxic Blooms Roundtable, Art Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference, Sydney 2012
All day panellist at the artist day of the 100th CAA conference, Los Angeles 2012
Sydney College for the Arts Grad. School Conference, Critical Thinking: Research + Art + Culture, Sydney University 2011
Arts & Social Sciences for Sustainable Social Transformation Summer School, Gabravo, Bulgaria 2010
Art and Society Conference Opening Day, University of Sydney 2010
For Healing, Gosford Regional Art Gallery 2005
Inclusive E-Learning Research Project, National Showcase for Australian Flexible Learning Framework, Funded by Australian Government’s Department of Education, Science & Training Melbourne 2007
2001: A Space Odyssey, AAANZ Conference, Newcastle 2001
R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
2012 – 2019 Australian correspondent for Cultura21
2017 – 2019 Earth arts curator, Australian Earth Laws Alliance
2014 – 2017 Board member, Articulate project space, Sydney
2013 – 2014 Permaculture Blue Mountains committee member
2011 – 2013 Committee member Sydney College of the Arts Graduate School Gallery
2012 – 2014 Australian representative for the International Summer School of Arts and Sciences for Sustainability in social transformation committee member
2008 – 2009 Member of Holroyd Council arts and cultural committee
2006 – 2007 NSW Representative for Inclusive E-Learning Advisory Group, Australian Flexible Learning Framework, Dept of Education Science & Training
1997 – 2003 Roles during this period include Board Member Freewheels Theatre-In-Education, Newcastle Community Arts Centre & Hunter Representative for Accessible Arts
s e l e c t e d EDUCATION
Impact and Fundraising, Documentary Australia Foundation
Masterclass in film and philosophy, Konrad Wolf Film University, Potsdam
Certificate III in Film and Television Production and short courses at the Australian Film Television & Radio School in scriptwriting, art direction and production planning administration
Merging public art and experimental education MOOC, Creative Time/Duke University New York
Managing the arts: marketing arts organisations MOOC, Goethe Institute/Leuphana Uni, Germany
Doctorate of Philosophy, Sydney University, Sydney College of the Arts
Permaculture design certificate course, Permaculture College Australia, Nimbin