Stephen Lapthisophon


Stephen Lapthisophon is an American artist and educator working in the field of conceptual art, critical theory, and disability studies.
Lapthisophon received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1979. His early work combined poetry, performance, sound art, and visual arts with postmodern philosophical concerns. He is also influenced by the legacy of the Situationists, who sought to make everyday life a focus of artistic activity.
Lapthisophon has taught at Columbia College in Chicago, the School of the Art Institute, and the University of Texas at Dallas. He currently teaches art and art history at The University of Texas at Arlington.

Works

In Lapthisophon's works, found objects, written texts, and sound recordings are arranged in a way that allows "layers of meanings, allusions and associations...to accumulate" in the mind of the gallery-goer. In his 2000 installation "Defense d'afficher", two large walls were erected in the gallery space and covered with fragments of found media, photos, and texts. One reviewer in Artforum called it an "overload of simultaneously public and personalized cultural shards."
The juxtaposition of fragments of personal, cultural, and social history can be seen in his 2005 book Hotel Terminus. This interest in juxtaposing fragments extends to many of his installations, which frequently contain found objects like old eye charts, posters and graffiti slogans.
Lapthisophon's other work includes sound recordings, site-specific installations, performances, radio broadcasts, books, lectures, and drawings improvised on walls and framed in exhibitions. His work is included in the collections of The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and The Dallas Museum of Art.
In 2008 Lapthisophon was awarded the prestigious Wynn Newhouse Award for artists with disabilities. In his statement upon receiving this award, Lapthisophon said, "Through investigation of issues of permanence and change in site-specific installations, I hope to...break down the barriers between where the work of art ends and everyday life begins."

Education

Lapthisophon graduated with a BFA from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977, and later obtained his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1979. He also studied Comparative Literate and Theory at Northwestern University from 1986-1989. In 2003, Lapthisophon was a resident at the CentralTrak Artist Residency in Dallas, TX.

Blindness

In 1994 Lapthisophon suffered a major deterioration of his vision because of an optic nerve disease, and became legally blind after intensive medical treatment. His subsequent work as an installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist and sound artist has been marked by this experience. Much of his work comments on, and seeks to redress, the over-emphasis on the sense of sight in aesthetic culture.

I use my own blindness as a figure for the ways we interpret the world through our own specific framing mechanisms. I have also been more and more drawn to create pieces involving a commentary on the sensory world as understood through food, cuisine, cooking, and interaction through food and the art audience. My recent cooking projects have allowed me to speak to all the senses and examine the interaction of our sensory processes.

Food has been the subject of his recent installations, for example at a Berlin gallery called ZAGREUS Projekt in 2008, and at a 2009 show in San Antonio, but it has also been one of his artistic concerns since even before the onset of his blindness.

Solo Exhibitions (selected)

2018 Scotoma. Conduit Gallery. Dallas, TX
2017 The Long Goodbye. Museo de la Ciudad Queretaro. Queretaro, Mexico
2016 Styles of Radical Will Sector 2337. Chicago, IL
2015 Toccare Toccare. Nasher Sculpture Center. Dallas, TX
2014 Flowers and Numbers Installation. Longhouse Projects. New York, NY
2013 Concentration 56: Stephen Lapthisophon - coffee, seasonal fruit, root vegetables and 'Selected Poems'. Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX
2012 Isolation, a slender gamut. New York, NY
2011 Autumn Almanac. Free Museum of Dallas, SMU. Dallas, TX
2010 Photographs in situ—and seasonal fruit. Eastfield College. Mesquite, TX
2009 Las palabras en la sombra de esta fecha. El Escaparate. Barcelona, Spain
2008 DESIGN. Zagreus Projekt. Berlin, Germany
2007 Writing Art Cinema 1977-2007. Conduit Gallery. Dallas, TX
2006 My Task. Kunstverein INGAN. Berlin, Germany
2005 My Heritage My Tradition My Voice. Artist-in-Residence project, Museum of Contemporary Art. Chicago, IL
2004 Amanuensis . Gahlberg Gallery, College of DuPage. Glen Elyn, IL
2003 Static. Conduit Gallery. Dallas, TX
2002 With Reasonable Accommodation. Gallery 400, University of Illinois. Chicago, IL
2000 Defense D'afficher. TBA Exhibition Space. Chicago, IL
1999 Recent Collages. Library Art Gallery, Northeastern Illinois University. Chicago, IL
1983 Ceci n'est pas une vide. Roger Ramsay Gallery. Chicago, IL
1982 After All . Artists’ Space. New York, NY
1981 Persistence of Vision. Randolph Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
1980 Nancy Lurie Gallery. Chicago, IL
1979 A Street Gallery. Boston, MA

Group Exhibitions (selected)

2018 Texas. Phillip Marin Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2014 Ghost Nature. Gallery 400. University of Illinois Chicago. Chicago, IL
2013 Besher Triennial. Berlin Glass. Berlin, Germany
2012 Variations on Theme: Contemporary Art 1950s–Present. Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX
2011 Division Leap. Artist book and exhibition. Adam & Kate Davis Booksellers. Portland, OR
2007 form/emptiness. and/or Gallery. Dallas, TX
2006 Teenage Fan Club. Janette Kennedy Gallery. Dallas, TX
2005 Ghost Writing. Part of “Durand Amorphous Solid.” Lake Forest College. Lake Forest, IL
2004 Uncovered: Recent Acquisitions from the MCA Artists' Books Collection. Museum of Contemporary Art. Chicago, IL
2003 Autumn Almanac. Unit B Gallery. Chicago, IL
2002 The Art Council Award Exhibition. Gallery 312. Chicago, IL
2001 Between the Folds. NFA Space. Chicago, IL
2000 Mean souls, like mean pictures, are often found in good-looking frames. 1935 W. Thomas. Chicago, IL
1999 Bookmarks. NIU Gallery. Chicago, IL
1998 Earth Escapes Landscapes. North Lakeside Cultural Center. Chicago, IL
1997 Addendum: Art in Chicago Since 1945. Northern Illinois University Art Gallery. Chicago, IL
1993 not/knot. Hyde Park Art Center. Chicago, IL
1992 Feuilletons. CCA Gallery. Chicago, IL
1990 10 on 8. Storefront window exhibition. 8th Avenue. New York City, NY
1986 The Public Art Show. Traveling exhibition with catalogue. High Museum of Art. Atlanta, GA
1985 A black, a heap, a page: Tribute to Robert Smithson. Outdoor installation. Randolph Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
1984 10 on 8. Storefront window exhibition. 8th Avenue. New York City, NY
1983 Artists’ Work in Clay. Catalogue. Lill Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
1982 As water defines the fish: Part I. N.A.M.E. Gallery. Chicago, IL
1981 Artists' Books. Museum of Contemporary Art. Chicago, IL
1980 Chicago Art Prospective. Catalogue. Navy Pier. Chicago, IL
1980 Chicago Art Alternative. Catalogue;. Herron School of Art Gallery. Indianapolis, IN
1978 Review and Preview. Nancy Lurie Gallery. Chicago, IL
1977 4 by 4. East Hubbard Gallery. Chicago, IL

Plays, Performances, and Readings

2013 Dark Warehouse video screening with Vincent Ramos. Actual Size Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2006 The Failure of Modern Politics & NOW. Literary Festival. Lake Forest College. Lake Forest, IL
2004 Apostrophe with Fred Lonberg Holm. Buddy Gallery. Chicago, IL
2002 Residency at Experimental Sound Studio. Chicago, IL
2001 FROM PLOT. Sound work. The Kitchen. New York, NY
1999 Reading with Susan Wheeler. Great Expectations Bookstore. Evanston, IL
1992 Science fiction presentation to College Art Association annual meeting
1991 The Black Paintings A play. Blue Rider Theater Festival. Chicago, IL
1990 Cryptomnesia. A work for three voices with Dan Ursini and William Fuller. Club Lower Links. Chicago, IL
1989 That Time Problem poetry series. Club Lower Links. Chicago, IL
1988 The Nations poetry series; Club Lower Links; Chicago, IL
1987 The Categories of Robert Smithson. Northwestern University. Evanston, IL
1983 The Sound of Music/The Theory of Praxis. A play. Link's Hall Studio. Chicago, IL
1982 Reading with John Judd and David McCracken. Randolph Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
1981 No Business with John Judd. EXIT. Chicago, IL
1980 Recent Fiction a reading with Richard Brettell and John Judd. Chicago, IL
1979 Psychedelic Shack/A Duet with John Judd. Randolph Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
1977 Reasons with John Judd. University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX

Publication

2017 "Dallas, Detroit, Prague, Chicago - Notes on denial, distance, defiance, and dogs". On Civil Disobedience. Green Lantern Press
2016 "Notebook ". Artist book
2014 "Semigloss #4". DB14. Dallas, TX
2013 "Mallarme’s Metronome."
2011 Writing Art Cinema 1988-2010. Collected essays. The Green Lantern Press
2010 Division Leap. Magazine project. Issue 2
2009 Division Leap. Magazine project. Issue 1
2006 “Haim Steinbach and Martin Heidegger.” InterReview.
2005 "Freud’s Museum.” InterReview.
2002 the bells. Soundtrack to Hotel Terminus. Audio work on CD.
2001 Hotel Terminus. Artist book. Published by WhiteWalls.
1998 "Crossings." WhiteWalls. #40
1994 "Placing Time." Catalog essay on Julia Fish for the exhibition.
1990 "Warming of a dish fit for revolution." Review of The Futuristic Cookbook by F.T. Marinetti. Chicago Tribune. Feb. 27
1989 "I 1. 30.87-2.88," with William Fuller. Ottotole. Number 3, Spring issue.
1984 "The Sound of Music/The Theory of Praxis/The Tyranny of Repetition." White Walls #10
1983 "As water defines the fish: Part 3." Magazine project curated by Ronald Jones. Art Papers.

Lectures, Teaching, and Visiting Artist Work

2012 “Multimodal Approaches to Learning.” Artist talk. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY
2011 “American Loneliness: Ed Ruscha.” Guest lecturer. Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth. Ft. Worth, TX
2009 “Quotation as Gesture.” Guest lecturer. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Fort Worth, TX
2008-2010 Visiting Assistant Professor. Graduate Committees, Art History, and Studio Art. The University of Texas. Arlington, TX
2008 “Site Space Situation: Installation Art.” The University of Texas. Arlington, TX
2007 “Hybrid Texts: Image and Writing in Art.” The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL
2006 Visiting artist. School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL
2005 “Dan Flavin as Historian.” Guest lecturer. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Fort Worth, TX
2004 Visiting artist. DePaul University. Chicago, IL
2003 “The Love of Ruins.” Guest lecturer. The Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL
2002 Visiting artist. University of Texas at Dallas. Dallas, TX
2000 "Post Genre Writing." Guest lecturer. School of the Art Institute. Chicago, IL
1992 Panel discussion with Scott Rankin, John Torreano and Julia Fish. Annual meeting, College Art Association. Chicago, IL
1985 "Work, the Workplace, 'Other Places,' Ruins." Guest lecturer. NAME Gallery. Chicago, IL
1984 "Artists' Diaries, Notebooks, Journals." Lecture series. School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL
1983 Visiting artist. Oxbow Summer Art School. Saugatuck, MI
1982 Collage workshop. Hinsdale South High School. Hinsdale, IL
1980 Guest lecturer. Sculpture Dept., School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL
1979 Guest lecturer and critic. Portland School of Art. Portland, ME

Awards

2015 Dozier Travel Award. Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX
2013 GuestHaus Residency. Los Angeles, CA
2012 Moss/Chumley Award. Meadows Museum. Dallas, TX
2008 Wynn Newhouse Foundation Award
2002 Residency grant from the Experimental Sound Studio. Chicago, IL
2001 Art Council/Artadia Award. Jury Award Recipient
1999 Illinois Arts Council. Project Completion Grant

Curatorial

2012 "The Gallery as Host.” The University of Texas at Dallas.
2011 “Bridged.” Exhibition of MFA students from N Texas.
2010 “Sustenance.” Group exhibition. West Dallas warehouse.
2010 “Living Amongst Others.”
1988 “Categories of Robert Smithson” N.A.M.E. Gallery Chicago, IL.

Influences

Arte Povera
Robert Smithson
English Romanticism
Frankfurt School