MARLENA DONOHUE
MARLENA DOKTORCZYK-DONOHUE
Los Angeles, California
APPOINTMENTS/HONORS
2020 Appointed Head, Art History Area, Otis College of Art and Design
2021-2019 Appointed Director of the Bruce Beasley Foundation, SF/Oakland
2018 Appointed Interim Director, Bruce Beasley Sculpture Center Oakland
2016 Appointed, Director of the Board, Chief Curatorial Administrator for the Bruce Beasley Sculpture Center of the Oakland Museum of Art
Professional Achievements
2021 Co-organized Bruce Beasley: A Sixty Year Retrospective, Grounds for Sculpture, New Jersey
2019 Juror, NYU in Beijing Arts Invitational, Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art
2016 California State University, Northridge 2016 Grad Exhibition – Invited Juror/Speaker(see 2016 PAS, Professional Achievements/Administrative Experience).
2015 Distinguished Teaching Award, Otis College of Art and Design
2015 Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Dept. COLA Grants/Awards Juror
2015 Appointed Co-Academic Founder, Assistant Director --Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art Research Institute of Art and Inter-Cultural Studies
2015 Elected to Board of Directors, Museum of Contemporary Art, Beijing
2014 USA Liaison/Operations Manager – VibrARTtions International Cultural Projects, Beijing
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1996 - Present Full-time Professor, Otis College of Art and Design
Contemporary Art
Post Modern Theory
Visual Culture
Modern Art History
Gender and Feminism
Undergrad Senior Thesis
Grad MFA Thesis Public Practice
2000 - 2010 Recurring Visiting Lecturer, California State University Northridge
1998 - 2009 Recurring Lecturer: University of California, Los Angeles, Extension
1986 - 1990 Recurring Lecturer: Pepperdine University
1982 - 1983 Part time TA Instructor USC, under Dr. Eunie Howe, Renaissance Seminar, under Dr. C. Malone, Medieval Art History
ARTS AND EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION
Selected Overview
Appointed, Director, The Bruce Beasley Foundation
Appointed Director, Bruce Beasley Sculptural Center of the Oakland Museum of Art, 2016
Since 2012 I have had a seat on the consulting Board looking to establish a relationship between the Bruce Beasley trust and the Oakland Museum of Art. Bruce Beasley is an internationally noted sculptor who will endow the Oakland Museum with $17,000,000 in buildings and liquid assets to partner with the Oakland Museum in the creation of a satellite exhibition and research space called The Bruce Beasley Sculpture Center of the Oakland Museum of Art. The Center will partner with OMOCA to conserve his artistic legacy, as well as re-fashion the large excellently appointed buildings in his one city block studio complex to function as study, display and community outreach spaces. Bruce Beasley has selected me to oversee this entire project. It is non-paid post, and until the artist’s death mainly low density. The papers creating this joint venture have been signed, and conversations and negotiations with Bruce Beasley’s attorneys, the City of Oakland and the Oakland Museum of Art regarding permits, youth programming, grants and joint institutional marketing campaigns have begun. I am in charge of organizing and spearheading this preliminary conceptual phase, with the contractual understanding that at the artist’s death – he remains vital-- I will be in charge of envisioning, administering the entire project.
Appointed Co-Academic Founder, Assistant Director, Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art Research Institute, 2014-2016
Project Admin. Responsible for oversight/organization/coordination of international. inter- cultural conferences, panels, symposia with multi cultural scholars/thinkers/artists/students
No Air/No Art - Responsible for oversight/organization/coordination of “No Art – No Air,” scheduled to begin August, 2015 to August 2016, Museum of Contemporary Art and other European museums urban centers; project includes series of “mobile” site specific installations, as well as panels, residences and academic programming addressing the intersections between art, culture and issues related broadly to the environment
Youth Plus - Academic Consultant to programming titled "Youth Plus” Sponsored by China the National Arts Fund, this is an ongoing international project focusing on Chinese and international artists under the age of 40. The project will be a yearly event and will feature be a series of programs including exhibitions, publications, forums and residency, all aimed toward establishing a comprehensive support platform for artists in all media. All artists within the age range may submit applications to the open call, according to the "Youth Plus” guidelines. The final participants are selected by a rotating jury of global arts professionals, from noted artists, to curators, and scholars.
Co-Editor in Chief,
Fabrik, 2000-2001—Edited two editions of arts journal
ArtScene Digest, 1996-present, artscenecal.com
Responsible for oversight of copy editors and all arts writer
Responsible for vetting national writers; mentoring and interfacing with international art critics
Responsible for coordinating between Digital Design Dept., Editorial Dept; Advertising Dept.
Associate Editor, Visual Art Source, online arts journal 2009-present, visualartsource.com
Responsible for oversight of copy editors and all arts writers
Responsible for vetting national writers; mentoring and interfacing with international art critics
Responsible for coordinating between Digital Design Dept., Editorial Dept; Advertising Dept.
CRITICAL WRITING OVERVIEW
Contributing West Coat Art Critic/Essayist, Sculpture, Washington, DC, 1989-present
Art Critic/Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 1985-1990
Contributing Editor, Sculpture Magazine, 1991-1993
West Coast Arts Correspondent, London Art Newspaper, Milan, Italy, 1989-1995
Critic, Op Ed Blogger, Huffington Post : 2010-2011
West Coast Art Critic, Christian Science Monitor, 1986-2003
West Coast Art Critic, USA Today, 1986-2003
Art Critic, Copley Syndication, including Santa Monica Outlook, Breeze and Tribune, 1990-2002.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS BY CATEGORAY
Over 1000 art reviews, articles, catalogue essays, book chapters available via web search under “Marlena Donohue.” Career art reviews/essays too numerous to list separately; selected samples available digitally on request.
Books/Book Essays
Donohue, Marlena “Bruce Beasley: Gestures,” Museum of Contemporary Art Beijing, Nov 2015
Donohue, Marlena, “Qin Feng: Intersections,” Monograph. Himalaya Museum, Shanghai, June, 2015
Donohue, Marlena, "Ink Techniques in the Works of Huang Zheng -- Contemporary Positions/Ancient Roots". Museum of Contemporary Art Press, Beijing, July, 2014.
Donohue, Marlena, "Forms of the Formless: Abstraction in Eastern Philosophy and Western Modern Art", in Michael Suh, Marlena Donohue, Eds, Forms of the Formless, Museum of Contemporary Art Press, Beijing, Dec. 2014.
Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena, “The Waitresses in Context.” In Allyn, J., Gauldin, A., Eds., The Waitresses Unpeeled: Performance Art and Life. Otis College of Art and Design: LA, 2011.
Selected Recent Articles, Reviews, Interviews
Donohue, Marlena, “Expanded Art Spaces: The Contributions of the ASCO Art Collective,” in Harper, Glenn, Ed. Alternative Public Art. International Sculpture Center, NY, 2013.
Donohue, Marlena, “Bruce Beasley Outdoor Sculptures at UC Berkeley: Public Space/Modern Aesthetics,” University of California sponsored Catalog. Sept. 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Winterhalter Portraitist to Royals,” Introspective, New York, April-May, 2016. link
Donohue, Marlena, Revisiting the Bauhaus,” ArtScene Digest, Jan. 2016
Donohue, Marlena, “Unbound at Edward Cella Art and Architecture,” ARTltd, May/June Issue, 2015.
Donohue, Marlena, “Ben Jackel at LA Louver Gallery,” ArtScene Digest, April 2015
Donohue, Marlena, “The Tapestries of Peter Paul Rubens at the Getty Center,” Introspective, New York, February, 2015.
Donohue, Marlena, “Diaghelev and the Birth of the Avant Garde,” Introspective, NY, May, 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Allison Saar at Watts Towers,” Visual Art Source, February, 2015
Donohue, Marlena, "Tim Ebner at Rosamund Felson Gallery," ArtScene, May 2014
Donohue, Marlena, “Georgia O’ Keeffe and the Landscape,” Introspective, New York, April,. 2014
Donohue, Marlena, “Calder and Abstraction,” Introspective, NY, March, 2014
Donohue, Marlena, “David Hockney Goes Digital,” Introspective, New York, Jan. 2014
Donohue, Marlena, “George Bellows at the National Gallery of Art,” Introspective Magazine, NY, April 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Diaghilev and the Birth of the Avant Garde,” Introspective Magazine, NY, May, 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Vermeer Visits the Getty Center: A Talk with the Curator,”Introspective Magazine, NY, Feb, 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Eleanor Antin,” ArtLTD Mar. 2012
Donohue, Marlena, “Caravaggio and His School,” Introspective Magazine, NY, March 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “Faberge Designs, “ Introspective Magazine, NY, Aug., 2013
Donohue, Marlena, “A Conversation with Peter Shelton,” Sculpture , Washington DC, Mar. 2012
Donohue, Marlena, Evelyn Hankins on Blinky Palermo at the Hirshhorn Museum, Introspective Magazine NY, 2012
Donohue, Marlena, Molly Donovan on “Andy Warhol: Headlines at the National Gallery of Art,” Introspective Magazine, NY, 2012
Donohue, Marlena , Britt Salvesen, on Ellsworth Kelly at LACMA, Introspective Magazine, NY, 2012.
Donohue, Marlena , “Chiyo Ishikawa on Pablo Picasso at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts,” Introspective Magazine, NY, 2012
Donohue, Marlena ,” Lisa Melandri on Beatrice Wood at Santa Monica Museum of Art.” Introspective Magazine, NY, 2012
Donohue, Marlena . Interview: Rose Shoshana and Marta Daho on Graciela Iturbide at the Van Gogh/Rencontres d’Arles Centre Cultural, Arles, France. Introspective Magazine, NY, 2012.
Donohue, Marlena, “Roy Lichtenstein and the Legacy of Pop at the Chicago Art Institute, Introspective Magazine, NY, June 2012
Donohue, Marlena, “The Steins Collect: on View at SFMOA,” Huffington Post, 2012
Donohue, Marlena, “Lise Sarfati at Rose Gallery,” Huffington Post, 2012:
Donohue, Marlena, “An Homage to Lucien Freud and Amy Winehouse,” Huffington Post, 2010.
Donohue, Marlena ,“Ruth Weisberg at Jack Rutberg,” Visual Art Source, 2010
Donohue, Marlena , “Editor’s Note: Cheri Gaulke,” Visual Art Source, 2010
Donohue, Marlena , “Ellsworth Kelly at LACMA,” ArtScene, 2007
Selected Essays/Catalogs
Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena, “Framing Abstraction,” in Doktorczyk-Donohue, M., Ed., Framing Abstraction: Mark, Sign, Signifier. Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, LA, 2011.
Annetta Kapon: A Marxist View, LAX Art, Sept. 2011
Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena, “SOS—The Sisters of Survival in Context.” Linton, M; Gaulke C, Eds.,Ben Maltz Gallery,LA, 2011.
Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena, “Patrick Graham, “ pp 25-29. In Sisley, L., Ed., The Quick and the Dead. Dublin City Gallery Hugh Lane: Dublin, Gallery Press, 2009.
Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena, “The Semiotics of the Itsy Bitsy Bikini,” pp. 67-74. In Giuntini, P., Hagen, K., Eds., Garb: A Fashion Theory Reader, Prentice Hall: NY, 2008.
Donohue, Marlena, “Yamandu Canosa, Three Spots,” Ben Maltz Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, 2007..
Donohue, Marlena, “An Afro American Vision: The Works of Phoebe Beasley.” Exhibition Catalogue, M Hanks Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 2005.
Donohue, Marlena, “Thomas Skomski.” Exhibition Catalogue, South Bend Museum of Art, Indiana, 2001
Donohue, Marlena, “The Work of Judith Reifman: Memory and Desire.” Exhibition Catalogue, Sherry Frumkin Gallery, Santa Monica, California,1994.
Donohue, Marlena, Heidi Fasnact: Recent Sculpture. Exhibition Catalogue, Janus Gallery, New York, New York, 1994.
Donohue, Marlena, “The Sculpture of Bruce Beasley.” Exhibition Catalogue, Oakland Museum of Art, with Peter Selz, 1992
Selected Career Artist Interviews
Interview/Essay Robert Rauschenberg at Pace Wildenstein Christian Science Monitor
Interview Ellsworth Kelly, Christian Science Monitor
Interview Mike Kelly, Sculpture Magazine
Interview, George Segal, Sculpture Magazine
Interview/Essay Elizabeth Murray Christian Science Monitor
Selected Career Journals and Dailies Contributed to
Art in America
Artweek
Huffington Post
Los Angeles Times
Sculpture
USA Today
London Art Newspaper
Monitor, Washington DC
ARTltd
Visual Art Source
Art Scene
Art Now
Art New York
New York Magazine
Outlook
Tribune
Daily Breeze
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
May 2021 Co-Curator, Catalogue Editor, Bruce Beasley: A 60-Year Retrospective, Grounds for Sculpture, New Jersey
Sept 2020 Co organized VR in Sculpture, Pangolin Gallery, UK.
Sept 2019 Co-organized exhibition of VR assisted sculptures, Autodesk Corp, San Francisco
Nov 2015 Chief Curator Bruce Beasley and Qin Feng: Gestures
Qin Feng is one of the most celebrated contemporary artists working in China today. He is shown internationally (at Asian American Museum, L.A.) and teaches rotating years at Harvard. I curated a two-exhibition venue, wherein Qin Feng produced in situ installation works (seen here) within and outside the museum, as well as new paintings; Bruce Beasley, internationally shown/noted land sculptor showed new 3-d printed large- scale bronzes.
Sept. 2015 Co Curator/Juror
Youth Plus : A Juried Invitational of Asian Artist Under Forty30 Photos
Curators/critics form London and New York University participated in the selection of 20 artists to receive a stipend and an exhibition at MoCA, Beijing and Teda Modern Museum. I was one of the lead jurors and designed the installation. Covered extensively by Chinese and European press.
2015 Curatorial Consultant/Advisor
“Critical Connections: Nineteen International Artists,” Art St. Urban, St. Urban, Lucerne, Switzerland, and Museum of Contemporary Art, Beijing, 9, 29 2015 to 10, 29 2015.
2015 Co-Curator
With the Director of the Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art, “Forms of the Formless 10: Time/Space. Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art. Beijing, China. April 24, to Oct. 2015
2014 Co-Curator
With the Director of the Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art, “Forms of the Formless,” TEDA Museum of Modern Art, Tianjin. Nov 2013 - Jan 2014.
2013 Chief Curator
“Framing Abstraction: Mark, Symbol, Signifier.” Debuted in March, 2011 at the Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles. Major traveling, internationally lent exhibition, co curated with Peter Selz, Emeritus Art History, UCB. Organized and edited the accompanying catalogue, containing essays on abstraction by me, Selz, other essayists
2011 Chief Curator
“Some City Angeles.” Guest curator for exhibition of LA artists at Edward Cella Art and Architecture, with Getty funding in support of Pacific Standard Time. Sept., 2011
2008 Co-Curator/Organizer:
“Omage: The Artists, Designers and Writers at Otis College of Art and Design,” August 2008, Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2005 Co-Curator:
“Excess Baggage: The Conceptual Sculpture of Emilio Garcia,” traveling, 2005.
2003 Co-Curator
“Mexican Otis: Nine Decades of Alumni Art,” Opened at Mexican Consul General ,Los Angeles, 2003.
1981-1983 Assistant to Director
Josine Ianco-Starrels, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery,
1980-1982 Curatorial Researcher
J. Paul Getty Villa, Drawings/Photographs Dept., under Dr. George Goldner, currently at the Met, NY,
CONFERENCES -- PAPERS -- PANELS -- JURYING
March 2015 Juror
Selected by Los Angeles Dept Cultural Affairs as one of five L.A. arts community leaders to evaluate 300 applicants and award four $20,000 COLA grants who participate in the COLA Annual Exhibition at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery.
April – May, 2014 Organized Panels/Lectures,
“Forms of the Formless: An Eastern and Western View of Abstraction,” Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art.
December 2013 Panel/Lecture
Tianjin, Dec 2013 “Forms of the Formless: An Eastern and Western View of Abstraction,” TEDA Museum of Modern Art, Tianjin.
September 2011 Panel
Art Center, Berkeley, California. Panel/lecture: “Framing Abstraction”
January 2009 Panelist
Moderator/Speaker on panel: “Art in an Era of Social Change.” Sponsored by LA International Art Fair. Panelists: Kim Abeles, Jerri Allyn, Cheri Gaulke, Renee Petropoulos.
February 2009 Panelist
CAA Annual Conference, Los Angeles. Paper/panel: “What’s the Story: The Politics of Narrative in the Public Art Works of Kim Abeles and Cheri Gaulke.”
February . 2007 Panelist
CAA Annual Conference, New York. Paper/panel: “Feminism in California: Beyond Essentialism and Post Structuralism.”
April . 2007 Panelist/Paper
LACMA. Los Angeles Arts Awards, “The Relationship of Fine Art and Digital Media.”
Oct. 2006 Panelist /Paper
Art Historians of Southern California, Annual Conference, Getty Villa, Malibu. Paper delivered and panelist: “Alternative Art History Publishing.”
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Association of International Art Critics, AIAC, New York
Art Historians of Southern California