CV
Michael Petry (b. Texas, 1960) has lived in London since 1981. He studied at Rice University, Houston (BA), London Guildhall University (MA), and has a Doctor in Arts from Middlesex University. Petry is an artist, author and Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) London. He co-founded the Museum of Installation, was Guest Curator at the Kunstakademiet, Oslo, Research Fellow at the University of Wolverhampton, and was Curator of the Royal Academy Schools Gallery. Petry is a Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (FRBS) and a Brother of the Art Workers Guild. Recent solo exhibitions of his work include: In League with Devils next May, which will include a hard back survey of recent works with a forward by Stephen Fry. The Landscape of the Gods, HSBC Gallery, London, 2020/1. In the Realm of the Gods, Holburne Museum, 2018. A Twist in Time, Pallant House Gallery, 2015/6. AT the Core of the Algorithm, based on the life of Alan Turing, Glazenhuis, Lommel, Belgium, 2014 and the Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston, 2015 which accompanied his Campbell Lectures at Rice University. The work will be permanently installed in Austin for the Landmarks Collection in 2023. The Touch of the Oracle, Palm Springs Art Museum (2012) accompanied by a ten year career review book (distributed by Thames & Hudson). Petry was the first Artist in Residence at Sir John Soane’s Museum (2010/11) exhibiting two bodies of work called Bad Seed. Petry’s recent books for Thames & Hudson include The Art of Not Making: The New Artist Artisan Relationship, Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition and The WORD is Art and his newly published Mirror Mirror: the reflective surface in contemporary art.
UPCOMING and Current
An Englishman, An Irishman and A Frenchman, Petry’s libretto for John Powell and Gavin Greenaway’s 25th anniversary re-recording of the opera will be available on CD and Spotify
La Luz, Petry’s libretto for Germaine Franco’s new opera
The WORD is Art, virtual reality (VR) exhibition based on Petry’s T&H book
The Civil War Project, Vorres Museum, Athens (One Man Exhibition)
The Genie, Heath Robinson Museum, London (One Man Exhibition)
One Man Exhibitions
2024
In League with Devils, Parsonage Gallery, Searsport, Maine, and Vane, Gateshead
Apollo’s Mirror: a conversation, St Mary the Virgin Episcopol Church, New York
2023
In League with Devils, one man show and hardback, Dadian Gallery, Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion, Washington DC
2020/21
The Landscape of the Gods, HSBC Gallery, London
2018
In the Realm of the Gods, solo exhibition, Holburne Museum, Bath
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Hamburg, Malaga and Lima - libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2017
In the Realm of the Gods, solo exhibition, Holburne Museum, Bath
Lest we forget the Gods, Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Palm Desert
2016
A Prussian Requiem, performance by the London Philharmonia Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall), libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell, and A History of Thunder, exhibition curated by Petry, Fine Art Society, London
A Twist in Time, solo exhibition at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester (July 2015 – March 2016)
2015
AT the core of the Algorithm, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
The Trouble with Michael, The Campbell Lecture Series, 3 lectures by Petry at Rice University on his art and writing
2014
Eros and Thanatos, solo exhibition and performance, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, Santa Fe
Kali, Mary Wilfred Moffett Gallery, Louisiana Tech University, School of Design, Ruston
2013
Joshua D's Wall, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2012
The Touch of the Oracle, Palm Springs Art Museum
2011
Bad Seed, Sir John Soane's Museum, London, Artist in Residence
2010
Touching the Neoclassical and the Romantic, Sir John Soane's Museum, London, Artist in Residence
2009
The NETWORK, commissioned installation , The IVY Restaurant, London,
KALI, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2007
True Love, Muzeum Mierdzi, Legnica, Poland
America the Beautiful, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
In the Garden of Eden, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2005
The Space Between: Superstring Installation II, Mathematics, Art and Cultural Industry, Cetraro, Italy
The Space Between: Superstring Installation, Art, Complexity & Technology, I.S.I Foundation, Turin, Italy
2004
WAS: white as snow, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
The Milky Way and other Fairy Tales, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2003
The Sound of Breaking Glass, Prowler Project Space, London
2001
Barely Legal, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2000
Laughing at Time, Hå gamle prestegard, Norway
Contagion, Gardner Centre for the Arts, Brighton Festival, BN1
1999
The History of the World, Rice Art Gallery, Houston
1996
You See What I Mean, Fabrica BN1, Brighton,
1994/2
The Garden of Enlightenment, South London Gallery
The Chemistry of Love III, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany
The Chemistry of Love II, Atlantis Gallery, London,
The Chemistry of Love, James Hockey Gallery, Farnham
1991
The Skirting Boards, Gallery Mangisch, Zurich, Switzerland,
1990
Flight From Technology: The Sexuality of the Universe Part 2, Museum of Installation, London
1989
Hollywood Portraits, Zero One Gallery, Los Angeles
1988
International Monument to the Unknown Civilian, Slaughterhouse Gallery, London
More Paperwork, Bellerive Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
Chaos Human Atomica: The Birth of the Parallel Universe, Unit 7 Gallery, London,
1985
The Golden Age, Gallery Geilsdorfer, Gallery Mattar, and Tanzprojekte Koln, Cologne
The Spring Collection, Coracle Press Gallery, London
1983 Paper Plus, Electrum Gallery, London
Selected Group Shows
2025
Libation to Eros, Workout, The Bottle Factory, London
Confluences, Cross Lane Projects, Kendal
The Discontents:Part II, curated by Zavier Ellis, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2024
Mirror, Mirror, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London
Landscape of the Gods, Vestry Street - Cross Lane Projects, London
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Berlin with Anima Mundi
2023
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Sermoneta, Italy
Landscape of the Gods, Cross Lane Projects, Kendal
2022
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Rowe Art Gallery, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, curated by Petry
2021
Golden Rain, Reclaiming the Body, VOMA
Reflection, Cello Factory, London
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Tullamore, Ireland
2020
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Gorey Ireland
Postcards from the Edge: Visual Aids, New York
Re-envisioning John Frederick Lewis, The Art Workers' Guild, London
2019
Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer
Parallel Lines: Drawing and Sculpture, The Lightbox, Woking
The Pool of Narcissus, Joshua Treenial
MAP Unit, iBiennale MMXIX, Honolulu
Amsterdam, London
SMACH Biennial, Bolzano, Juror
2018
Garden of Skin, Angus-Hughes gallery, London
WORKFLOW, Sint-Niklaas Cultural Centre, Belgium
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Guildhall Art Gallery, London, curated by Petry
Malevolent Eldritch Shrieking, Attercliffe, Sheffield,
2017
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, The Four Domes Pavilion
Museum Narodowego we Wroclawiu (National Museum, Wroclaw, Poland), Guildhall Art Gallery, London, curated by Petry
At the Foot of the Gods, installation for the Biënnale Oosterhout, Holland
In Your Face, Salisbury Arts Centre
The WORD, exhibition curated by Petry for Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, The Four Domes Pavilion
Museum Narodowego we Wroclawiu (National Museum, Wroclaw, Poland) curated by Petry
SMACH Biennial, Bolzano, Juror
2016
super|struc|ture, group show at Space Station, London
The Fine Art Society 1876 – 2016, A Celebration, The Fine Art Society, London
Art & Design, The Fine Art Society, London
Another Way of Telling, Malaspina Printmakers, Vancouver
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Konsthallen- Bohusläns, Sweden
2015
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Ha gamle prestegard, Norway
Performance and Remnant, Fine Arts Society, London
Frontiers Reimagined, Museo di Palazzo Grimani, Official Collateral Event as part of the 56th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia
The Fall of the Rebel Angels, 56th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia
One-Night-Stand with Maciej Urbanek: Michael Petry
Inspired by Soane, Sir John Soane’s Museum, London
2014
Libations, solo installation, Palacio dos Duques de Cadaval, Alentejo Triennial, Portugal
AT the core of the Algorithm, installation for British Glass, Glazenhuis, Lommel, Belgium
We Could Not Agree, Cavendish Square, London
The Faberge Big Egg Hunt, New York
Giedymin 44, Galeria Sztuki, Legnica, Poland
Birthday Party II, The Gallery of Art in Legnica, Poland
2013
Back to Front, The New Art Gallery Walsall
Big Deal No.5, Cavendish Square, London
Home, group show at LUBOMIROV-EASTON, London
The Art of Not Making, Ha gamle prestegard, Norway
The Big Egg Hunt, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow
2012
The Fabricated Object, Sumarria Lunn Gallery, London (curated by Petry) with
To Make or Not to Make, Symposium at the Royal Academy Schools (chaired by Petry)
Hanging Around: Necklaces from the MAD Collection, Museum of Arts & Design, New York
BOWER, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
Rock-Paper-Scissors, Galleria Uno piu Ono, Milan, Italy
Paper Cuts & Plaster, Antico Borgo, Dogliani , Italy
A Question of Sport: LGBT artists and their relationship to inclusivity, Clifford Chance, London
2011
RAW: Peter Bailey | Jaap De Vries | Erik Sommer | Michael Petry | Eric Butcher, Pertwee , Anderson & Gold, London
Sagacity, Forman's Smokehouse Gallery, London
Meister der Moderne, Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern , Munich
2010
Small Show Huge Talent, Sotheby's, London
Inspired By Soane, Sir John Soane 's Museum, London
Es perlt… Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern , Munich
Glasswear, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, USA
LINGAM, Museum Catharijne Convent, Utrecht, Holland, Place de la Grande Pecherie, Mons, Belgium
Shop, Shop, London
2009
DOGMA, Zagreb, Croatia,
Glasswear, Museum of Arts and Design, New York,
Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile Alabama
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester,
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi
LINGAM, Konstfack, Stockholm
Here and Now, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
Crime & Punishment – The Sequel, Kortil Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2008
ESCAPE, Galerija Meno Nisa, Vilnius, Lithuania
Sculpture & Touch, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Treasure of Memory in Glasswear, Glazen Huis Vlaams Centrum voor Hedendaagse Glaskunst, Lommel, Belgium
Trans- Atlantic Pride Exhibition, Clifford Chance Gallery, London
Golden Rain, in On the Edge exhibition,,Stavanger 2008, Ha gamle prestegard, and at the Eigeroya Lighthouse, Egersund, Norway,
Four Bits of Scarlet for George the Second, Borders + Identities, Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich, London
2007
Treasure of Memory in Glasswear, Toledo Museum of Art
UNBOUND, Contemporary Art Platform, London
Leben Lieben, Rise Gallery, Berlin
Yeehaw!, Vegas Gallery, London
2006
First Sudden Gone the One First Sudden Back, Project 133, London
Next Level, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2005
Erotic Pioneers, Antebellum, Hollywood
Natvar Bhavsar, Stan Gregory, Nathan Slate Joseph, Michael Petry, Sohan Qadri, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New
York,
The Binary Tower, “Incantations”, South Presentation Convent, ART Trail, Cork, Ireland
2004
Hidden Histories:20th Century Male Same Sex Lovers in the Visual Arts, (curated by Petry), The New Art Gallery Walsall,
2003
Sex for Sale, “Independence Show”, South London Gallery
The Axis, ‘In the Gloaming’, ArtOMI, Hudson New York,
Pearl Paintings, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2002
Blood Line: Passage, ‘Lysis’, Pamela Auchincloss Project Space, New York,
Zero Carat: Works from the Donna Schneier Collection, American Museum of Craft, New York
2001
Self Portrait 2001, ‘The Difference between you & us’, Five Years, London
Fears, ‘Blackout’ (curated by Petry), Brixton Art Gallery, London
54x54x54 (curated by Petry), MOCA London at the Financial Times building London
2000
Nothing Changes: Stavanger,‘UTOPIA’, Rogaland Kunstmuseum, Stavanger, Norway
1999
54x54x54, (curated by Petry), Museum of Contemporary Art, London Financial Times Building
1998
TWISTOR, Commissioned for the ‘7th Papier Biennale - Electric Paper’, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany, Twistor won 2nd prize
The Wormhole, ‘Dark Matter’, Turnpike Gallery (Leigh), Angel Row Gallery (Nottingham), and Howard Gardens Gallery (Cardiff)
Nothing Changes: Amsterdam, The Gay Games Art Festival, Vrieshuis and Art Kitchen, Amsterdam
1997
Nothing Changes, ‘Partie 5’, Brandenburgische Kunsttage, Internationales Kunstforum Drewen, Germany
1996
Constellations, Commissioned for Mercedes Benz at the Birmingham Motor show
The Wormhole, Peterborough Museum of Art, Derby Museum, Wooster Museum of Art
1995
63 foot painting, ‘Southwark Open’, London
65 inch sculpture, ‘Eigen + ART/Berlin at The Independent Art Space', London
1994
The Blizzard, Commissioned for the ‘5th Papier Biennale’, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany
1993
Measuring Up, ART LA/93, the Convention Centre, Los Angeles
North - True North: A Question of Scale, 'ACER pseudoplatunus', Sydenham Hill woods, London
The Uncle Mikey Fine Art Game Show, ‘Venice Biennale’ (Progretto Container), Venice
1991
Elemental Sensuality: The Sexuality of the Universe Part 4, ‘Excavating the Present’ at Kettles Yard and the Corn Exchange, Cambridge
1990
The Pin-Up, ‘Simulationists Exhibition’, Submarine Gallery, London
1989
International Monument to the Unknown Civilian: PFORZHEIM, ‘ORNAMENTA 1’, Rathaus, Pforzheim, Germany
1988
The Invisible Man, Goldsmith's Gallery, London
1986
Three Weeks of the Truth, ‘1st International Biennale fur Papierkunst’. Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany
Auto Didactic Painting, Coracle Gallery, London
Selected Books
2025
Ölü-Doğa (Çağdaş Sanatçılarla Yeniden Canlanıyor), Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson with Akbank Sanak, Turkish edition, hardback
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson with Akbank Sanak, English for Turkish edition, hardback
Confluences, Rebecca Scott, Ed. Cross Lane Projects, paperback
2024
Mirror Mirror: the reflective surface in contemporary art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, hardback
2023
In League with Devils, Michael Petry and Daniell Cornell, Rick Herron, Aaron Rosen, and a foreword by Stephen Fry, Dadian and Moca London, Hardback
Fear of the Flower, EMH Arts London snd Concentric Editions, Hormazd Narielwalla artist book, text by Petry, London, Paperback
2021
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Paperback
2020
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Paperback ISBN: 9780500295977
Cindy Wright: Still Well, text by Petry, MER, Hardback ISBN:9789464778557
2018
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Hardback
Cindy Wright: All Well, text by Petry, MER, Hardback ISBN: 9789492321992
2016
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, paperback
2013
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, hardback
Nature Morte:Stillleben in der Zeitgenossischen kunst, Michael Petry, Hirmer, hardback
Stille Levens: Kunstenaars van nu geven nieuwe visie op de nature morte, Michael Petry, Ludion, hardback
2012
The Touch of the Oracle: Michael Petry Works 2003/12, Palm Springs Art Museum, MOCA London, distributed by Thames & Hudson
The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, London, paperback
2011
The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, London, hardback
Smoke & Mirrors, Michael Petry, MOCA London and Sir John Soane's Museum, London, paperback
2008
Golden Rain Volumes 1& 11, MOCA London and Ha gamle prestegard, paperback
2004
Hidden Histories: 20th Century Male Same Sex Lovers in the Visual Arts, Artmedia Press, London, paperback
2003
Installation Art in the New Millennium, Thames and Hudson, London, hard and paperback
Installation II l’empire des sens, De Oliveira, Oxley, Petry, Thames and Hudson, Paris, paperback
2001
The Trouble with Michael, Artmedia Press, London, paperback
1997
Installation l’art en situation, Thames and Hudson, London, paperback
1996
Installation Art, Thames and Hudson (Reprints 1997, 2000), London, paperback
1994
Installation Art, Thames and Hudson, London hardback
Selected Essays
On Gender Fluidity and Photographic Portraiture, Museums, Sexuality and Gender Activism, Amy Levin (Ed.), Routledge, Hard and Paperback, 2020
Thank you for Coming, Global Mobilities, a Routledge reader, Amy Levin (Ed.), Hardback, 2016
A Queer Balance: power relations in homosexual representations and in choosing flowers, Pornographic Art and the Aesthetics of Pornography, Hans Maes (Ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, Hardback, 2013
Hidden Histories: The Experience of Curating a Male Same Sex Exhibition and the Problems Encountered, Gender, Sexuality, and Museums: a Routledge Reader, Amy K. Levin, Ed., Routledge, Paperback, 2010
The Touch of the Oracle, Sculpture & Touch, Dr Peter Dent, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Ashgate, Paperback,2009
Performances
2022
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Krakow
Great Opera & Film Choruses, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, Libretto for Dove’s Loophole from TAG, Music: Germaine Franco
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Prague
2018
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Hamburg, Malaga and Lima - libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2017
Libation to Eros, Biënnale Oosterhout, Holland
2016
A Prussian Requiem, performance by the London Philharmonia orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2015
Libation to Eros, Palm Springs Art Museum, Fine Art Society, London
2014
Libation to Eros, Alentejo Trienal, Portugal Petry long Bio 2022
Libation to Eros, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, Santa Fe
2000
Brothers, St Mathew’s Tower, The London Biennale
1997
Flowers, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Kunst und Austellungshalle Bonn, Gothaer Kunstforum, Koln, Stadt Museum, Mulheim, Zaal de Unie, Rotterdam, Transmedia Video Fest, Berlin, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund
1995
An Englishman, an Irishman, and a Frenchman, a performance art opera Direction, design and libretto by Petry, Music by Gavin Greenaway and John Powell, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany. Sponsors:The British Council, Escada, Pesch,
Uncle Mikey's Lover's Tea, World Tea Party, Media Park, Cologne, Germany
1987
Deceptions, National Review of Live Art, Riverside Studios, London, 3rd Eye Arts Centre, Glasgow, Music: Greenaway/Powell.
...Turns Modern Figurative Sculpture Out with the Trash, Victoria Miro Gallery London
1986
Potentially Dangerous Scenarios, Commissioned by New Music America, Houston, and Chisenhale Studios, London
1985
The Working Week, Commissioned by the Houston Festival. Interfirst Bank, Square One Gallery, Houston, Music: Mark Fraser
1984
Movements in Jewellery, Electrum and Aspects Galleries, Commissioned by the Goldsmith's Hall, London
Aspects at the Barbican, Barbican, London Media Arts Group performance of Petry’s paper jewellery
1983
Stone Dancing Parts 1 and 2 of 3, Elgin Marbles Room (Duveen Gallery of the Marbles of the Parthenon), British Museum, London
Walking in the Ruins, Royal Academy, Cork Street, London
Death of a Salesman, Environment Showroom, London, 1983, Media Arts Group
Two, Three or Four?, Paton Gallery, London Media Arts Group
Works in the following Collections
The National Collection, UK British Museum, London
Museum of Arts and Design, New York The New Art Gallery Walsall, UK
The Victoria & Albert Museum The Gallery of Art, Legnica, Poland
Palm Springs Art Museum Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christie, Texas
Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Alabama
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Toledo Museum of Art, USA Bellerive Museum, Zurich
Landmarks, University of Texas, Austin Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, New York
and Private Collections
UPCOMING and Current
An Englishman, An Irishman and A Frenchman, Petry’s libretto for John Powell and Gavin Greenaway’s 25th anniversary re-recording of the opera will be available on CD and Spotify
La Luz, Petry’s libretto for Germaine Franco’s new opera
The WORD is Art, virtual reality (VR) exhibition based on Petry’s T&H book
The Civil War Project, Vorres Museum, Athens (One Man Exhibition)
The Genie, Heath Robinson Museum, London (One Man Exhibition)
One Man Exhibitions
2024
In League with Devils, Parsonage Gallery, Searsport, Maine, and Vane, Gateshead
Apollo’s Mirror: a conversation, St Mary the Virgin Episcopol Church, New York
2023
In League with Devils, one man show and hardback, Dadian Gallery, Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion, Washington DC
2020/21
The Landscape of the Gods, HSBC Gallery, London
2018
In the Realm of the Gods, solo exhibition, Holburne Museum, Bath
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Hamburg, Malaga and Lima - libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2017
In the Realm of the Gods, solo exhibition, Holburne Museum, Bath
Lest we forget the Gods, Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Palm Desert
2016
A Prussian Requiem, performance by the London Philharmonia Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall), libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell, and A History of Thunder, exhibition curated by Petry, Fine Art Society, London
A Twist in Time, solo exhibition at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester (July 2015 – March 2016)
2015
AT the core of the Algorithm, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
The Trouble with Michael, The Campbell Lecture Series, 3 lectures by Petry at Rice University on his art and writing
2014
Eros and Thanatos, solo exhibition and performance, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, Santa Fe
Kali, Mary Wilfred Moffett Gallery, Louisiana Tech University, School of Design, Ruston
2013
Joshua D's Wall, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2012
The Touch of the Oracle, Palm Springs Art Museum
2011
Bad Seed, Sir John Soane's Museum, London, Artist in Residence
2010
Touching the Neoclassical and the Romantic, Sir John Soane's Museum, London, Artist in Residence
2009
The NETWORK, commissioned installation , The IVY Restaurant, London,
KALI, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2007
True Love, Muzeum Mierdzi, Legnica, Poland
America the Beautiful, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
In the Garden of Eden, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2005
The Space Between: Superstring Installation II, Mathematics, Art and Cultural Industry, Cetraro, Italy
The Space Between: Superstring Installation, Art, Complexity & Technology, I.S.I Foundation, Turin, Italy
2004
WAS: white as snow, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
The Milky Way and other Fairy Tales, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2003
The Sound of Breaking Glass, Prowler Project Space, London
2001
Barely Legal, Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
2000
Laughing at Time, Hå gamle prestegard, Norway
Contagion, Gardner Centre for the Arts, Brighton Festival, BN1
1999
The History of the World, Rice Art Gallery, Houston
1996
You See What I Mean, Fabrica BN1, Brighton,
1994/2
The Garden of Enlightenment, South London Gallery
The Chemistry of Love III, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany
The Chemistry of Love II, Atlantis Gallery, London,
The Chemistry of Love, James Hockey Gallery, Farnham
1991
The Skirting Boards, Gallery Mangisch, Zurich, Switzerland,
1990
Flight From Technology: The Sexuality of the Universe Part 2, Museum of Installation, London
1989
Hollywood Portraits, Zero One Gallery, Los Angeles
1988
International Monument to the Unknown Civilian, Slaughterhouse Gallery, London
More Paperwork, Bellerive Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
Chaos Human Atomica: The Birth of the Parallel Universe, Unit 7 Gallery, London,
1985
The Golden Age, Gallery Geilsdorfer, Gallery Mattar, and Tanzprojekte Koln, Cologne
The Spring Collection, Coracle Press Gallery, London
1983 Paper Plus, Electrum Gallery, London
Selected Group Shows
2025
Libation to Eros, Workout, The Bottle Factory, London
Confluences, Cross Lane Projects, Kendal
The Discontents:Part II, curated by Zavier Ellis, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2024
Mirror, Mirror, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London
Landscape of the Gods, Vestry Street - Cross Lane Projects, London
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Berlin with Anima Mundi
2023
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Sermoneta, Italy
Landscape of the Gods, Cross Lane Projects, Kendal
2022
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Rowe Art Gallery, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, curated by Petry
2021
Golden Rain, Reclaiming the Body, VOMA
Reflection, Cello Factory, London
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Tullamore, Ireland
2020
The Prize is Still Mine, Sleepertown, Gorey Ireland
Postcards from the Edge: Visual Aids, New York
Re-envisioning John Frederick Lewis, The Art Workers' Guild, London
2019
Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer
Parallel Lines: Drawing and Sculpture, The Lightbox, Woking
The Pool of Narcissus, Joshua Treenial
MAP Unit, iBiennale MMXIX, Honolulu
Amsterdam, London
SMACH Biennial, Bolzano, Juror
2018
Garden of Skin, Angus-Hughes gallery, London
WORKFLOW, Sint-Niklaas Cultural Centre, Belgium
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Guildhall Art Gallery, London, curated by Petry
Malevolent Eldritch Shrieking, Attercliffe, Sheffield,
2017
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, The Four Domes Pavilion
Museum Narodowego we Wroclawiu (National Museum, Wroclaw, Poland), Guildhall Art Gallery, London, curated by Petry
At the Foot of the Gods, installation for the Biënnale Oosterhout, Holland
In Your Face, Salisbury Arts Centre
The WORD, exhibition curated by Petry for Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, The Four Domes Pavilion
Museum Narodowego we Wroclawiu (National Museum, Wroclaw, Poland) curated by Petry
SMACH Biennial, Bolzano, Juror
2016
super|struc|ture, group show at Space Station, London
The Fine Art Society 1876 – 2016, A Celebration, The Fine Art Society, London
Art & Design, The Fine Art Society, London
Another Way of Telling, Malaspina Printmakers, Vancouver
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Konsthallen- Bohusläns, Sweden
2015
Nature Morte: contemporary artists reinvigorate the Still-Life tradition, Ha gamle prestegard, Norway
Performance and Remnant, Fine Arts Society, London
Frontiers Reimagined, Museo di Palazzo Grimani, Official Collateral Event as part of the 56th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia
The Fall of the Rebel Angels, 56th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia
One-Night-Stand with Maciej Urbanek: Michael Petry
Inspired by Soane, Sir John Soane’s Museum, London
2014
Libations, solo installation, Palacio dos Duques de Cadaval, Alentejo Triennial, Portugal
AT the core of the Algorithm, installation for British Glass, Glazenhuis, Lommel, Belgium
We Could Not Agree, Cavendish Square, London
The Faberge Big Egg Hunt, New York
Giedymin 44, Galeria Sztuki, Legnica, Poland
Birthday Party II, The Gallery of Art in Legnica, Poland
2013
Back to Front, The New Art Gallery Walsall
Big Deal No.5, Cavendish Square, London
Home, group show at LUBOMIROV-EASTON, London
The Art of Not Making, Ha gamle prestegard, Norway
The Big Egg Hunt, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow
2012
The Fabricated Object, Sumarria Lunn Gallery, London (curated by Petry) with
To Make or Not to Make, Symposium at the Royal Academy Schools (chaired by Petry)
Hanging Around: Necklaces from the MAD Collection, Museum of Arts & Design, New York
BOWER, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston
Rock-Paper-Scissors, Galleria Uno piu Ono, Milan, Italy
Paper Cuts & Plaster, Antico Borgo, Dogliani , Italy
A Question of Sport: LGBT artists and their relationship to inclusivity, Clifford Chance, London
2011
RAW: Peter Bailey | Jaap De Vries | Erik Sommer | Michael Petry | Eric Butcher, Pertwee , Anderson & Gold, London
Sagacity, Forman's Smokehouse Gallery, London
Meister der Moderne, Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern , Munich
2010
Small Show Huge Talent, Sotheby's, London
Inspired By Soane, Sir John Soane 's Museum, London
Es perlt… Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern , Munich
Glasswear, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, USA
LINGAM, Museum Catharijne Convent, Utrecht, Holland, Place de la Grande Pecherie, Mons, Belgium
Shop, Shop, London
2009
DOGMA, Zagreb, Croatia,
Glasswear, Museum of Arts and Design, New York,
Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile Alabama
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester,
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi
LINGAM, Konstfack, Stockholm
Here and Now, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
Crime & Punishment – The Sequel, Kortil Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2008
ESCAPE, Galerija Meno Nisa, Vilnius, Lithuania
Sculpture & Touch, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Treasure of Memory in Glasswear, Glazen Huis Vlaams Centrum voor Hedendaagse Glaskunst, Lommel, Belgium
Trans- Atlantic Pride Exhibition, Clifford Chance Gallery, London
Golden Rain, in On the Edge exhibition,,Stavanger 2008, Ha gamle prestegard, and at the Eigeroya Lighthouse, Egersund, Norway,
Four Bits of Scarlet for George the Second, Borders + Identities, Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich, London
2007
Treasure of Memory in Glasswear, Toledo Museum of Art
UNBOUND, Contemporary Art Platform, London
Leben Lieben, Rise Gallery, Berlin
Yeehaw!, Vegas Gallery, London
2006
First Sudden Gone the One First Sudden Back, Project 133, London
Next Level, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2005
Erotic Pioneers, Antebellum, Hollywood
Natvar Bhavsar, Stan Gregory, Nathan Slate Joseph, Michael Petry, Sohan Qadri, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New
York,
The Binary Tower, “Incantations”, South Presentation Convent, ART Trail, Cork, Ireland
2004
Hidden Histories:20th Century Male Same Sex Lovers in the Visual Arts, (curated by Petry), The New Art Gallery Walsall,
2003
Sex for Sale, “Independence Show”, South London Gallery
The Axis, ‘In the Gloaming’, ArtOMI, Hudson New York,
Pearl Paintings, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2002
Blood Line: Passage, ‘Lysis’, Pamela Auchincloss Project Space, New York,
Zero Carat: Works from the Donna Schneier Collection, American Museum of Craft, New York
2001
Self Portrait 2001, ‘The Difference between you & us’, Five Years, London
Fears, ‘Blackout’ (curated by Petry), Brixton Art Gallery, London
54x54x54 (curated by Petry), MOCA London at the Financial Times building London
2000
Nothing Changes: Stavanger,‘UTOPIA’, Rogaland Kunstmuseum, Stavanger, Norway
1999
54x54x54, (curated by Petry), Museum of Contemporary Art, London Financial Times Building
1998
TWISTOR, Commissioned for the ‘7th Papier Biennale - Electric Paper’, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany, Twistor won 2nd prize
The Wormhole, ‘Dark Matter’, Turnpike Gallery (Leigh), Angel Row Gallery (Nottingham), and Howard Gardens Gallery (Cardiff)
Nothing Changes: Amsterdam, The Gay Games Art Festival, Vrieshuis and Art Kitchen, Amsterdam
1997
Nothing Changes, ‘Partie 5’, Brandenburgische Kunsttage, Internationales Kunstforum Drewen, Germany
1996
Constellations, Commissioned for Mercedes Benz at the Birmingham Motor show
The Wormhole, Peterborough Museum of Art, Derby Museum, Wooster Museum of Art
1995
63 foot painting, ‘Southwark Open’, London
65 inch sculpture, ‘Eigen + ART/Berlin at The Independent Art Space', London
1994
The Blizzard, Commissioned for the ‘5th Papier Biennale’, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany
1993
Measuring Up, ART LA/93, the Convention Centre, Los Angeles
North - True North: A Question of Scale, 'ACER pseudoplatunus', Sydenham Hill woods, London
The Uncle Mikey Fine Art Game Show, ‘Venice Biennale’ (Progretto Container), Venice
1991
Elemental Sensuality: The Sexuality of the Universe Part 4, ‘Excavating the Present’ at Kettles Yard and the Corn Exchange, Cambridge
1990
The Pin-Up, ‘Simulationists Exhibition’, Submarine Gallery, London
1989
International Monument to the Unknown Civilian: PFORZHEIM, ‘ORNAMENTA 1’, Rathaus, Pforzheim, Germany
1988
The Invisible Man, Goldsmith's Gallery, London
1986
Three Weeks of the Truth, ‘1st International Biennale fur Papierkunst’. Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany
Auto Didactic Painting, Coracle Gallery, London
Selected Books
2025
Ölü-Doğa (Çağdaş Sanatçılarla Yeniden Canlanıyor), Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson with Akbank Sanak, Turkish edition, hardback
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson with Akbank Sanak, English for Turkish edition, hardback
Confluences, Rebecca Scott, Ed. Cross Lane Projects, paperback
2024
Mirror Mirror: the reflective surface in contemporary art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, hardback
2023
In League with Devils, Michael Petry and Daniell Cornell, Rick Herron, Aaron Rosen, and a foreword by Stephen Fry, Dadian and Moca London, Hardback
Fear of the Flower, EMH Arts London snd Concentric Editions, Hormazd Narielwalla artist book, text by Petry, London, Paperback
2021
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Paperback
2020
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Paperback ISBN: 9780500295977
Cindy Wright: Still Well, text by Petry, MER, Hardback ISBN:9789464778557
2018
The WORD is Art, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, Hardback
Cindy Wright: All Well, text by Petry, MER, Hardback ISBN: 9789492321992
2016
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, paperback
2013
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, hardback
Nature Morte:Stillleben in der Zeitgenossischen kunst, Michael Petry, Hirmer, hardback
Stille Levens: Kunstenaars van nu geven nieuwe visie op de nature morte, Michael Petry, Ludion, hardback
2012
The Touch of the Oracle: Michael Petry Works 2003/12, Palm Springs Art Museum, MOCA London, distributed by Thames & Hudson
The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, London, paperback
2011
The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship, Michael Petry, Thames & Hudson, London, hardback
Smoke & Mirrors, Michael Petry, MOCA London and Sir John Soane's Museum, London, paperback
2008
Golden Rain Volumes 1& 11, MOCA London and Ha gamle prestegard, paperback
2004
Hidden Histories: 20th Century Male Same Sex Lovers in the Visual Arts, Artmedia Press, London, paperback
2003
Installation Art in the New Millennium, Thames and Hudson, London, hard and paperback
Installation II l’empire des sens, De Oliveira, Oxley, Petry, Thames and Hudson, Paris, paperback
2001
The Trouble with Michael, Artmedia Press, London, paperback
1997
Installation l’art en situation, Thames and Hudson, London, paperback
1996
Installation Art, Thames and Hudson (Reprints 1997, 2000), London, paperback
1994
Installation Art, Thames and Hudson, London hardback
Selected Essays
On Gender Fluidity and Photographic Portraiture, Museums, Sexuality and Gender Activism, Amy Levin (Ed.), Routledge, Hard and Paperback, 2020
Thank you for Coming, Global Mobilities, a Routledge reader, Amy Levin (Ed.), Hardback, 2016
A Queer Balance: power relations in homosexual representations and in choosing flowers, Pornographic Art and the Aesthetics of Pornography, Hans Maes (Ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, Hardback, 2013
Hidden Histories: The Experience of Curating a Male Same Sex Exhibition and the Problems Encountered, Gender, Sexuality, and Museums: a Routledge Reader, Amy K. Levin, Ed., Routledge, Paperback, 2010
The Touch of the Oracle, Sculpture & Touch, Dr Peter Dent, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Ashgate, Paperback,2009
Performances
2022
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Krakow
Great Opera & Film Choruses, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, Libretto for Dove’s Loophole from TAG, Music: Germaine Franco
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Prague
2018
A Prussian Requiem, performances in Hamburg, Malaga and Lima - libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2017
Libation to Eros, Biënnale Oosterhout, Holland
2016
A Prussian Requiem, performance by the London Philharmonia orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, libretto: Petry, Music: John Powell
2015
Libation to Eros, Palm Springs Art Museum, Fine Art Society, London
2014
Libation to Eros, Alentejo Trienal, Portugal Petry long Bio 2022
Libation to Eros, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, Santa Fe
2000
Brothers, St Mathew’s Tower, The London Biennale
1997
Flowers, Leopold Hoesch Museum, Duren, Kunst und Austellungshalle Bonn, Gothaer Kunstforum, Koln, Stadt Museum, Mulheim, Zaal de Unie, Rotterdam, Transmedia Video Fest, Berlin, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund
1995
An Englishman, an Irishman, and a Frenchman, a performance art opera Direction, design and libretto by Petry, Music by Gavin Greenaway and John Powell, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany. Sponsors:The British Council, Escada, Pesch,
Uncle Mikey's Lover's Tea, World Tea Party, Media Park, Cologne, Germany
1987
Deceptions, National Review of Live Art, Riverside Studios, London, 3rd Eye Arts Centre, Glasgow, Music: Greenaway/Powell.
...Turns Modern Figurative Sculpture Out with the Trash, Victoria Miro Gallery London
1986
Potentially Dangerous Scenarios, Commissioned by New Music America, Houston, and Chisenhale Studios, London
1985
The Working Week, Commissioned by the Houston Festival. Interfirst Bank, Square One Gallery, Houston, Music: Mark Fraser
1984
Movements in Jewellery, Electrum and Aspects Galleries, Commissioned by the Goldsmith's Hall, London
Aspects at the Barbican, Barbican, London Media Arts Group performance of Petry’s paper jewellery
1983
Stone Dancing Parts 1 and 2 of 3, Elgin Marbles Room (Duveen Gallery of the Marbles of the Parthenon), British Museum, London
Walking in the Ruins, Royal Academy, Cork Street, London
Death of a Salesman, Environment Showroom, London, 1983, Media Arts Group
Two, Three or Four?, Paton Gallery, London Media Arts Group
Works in the following Collections
The National Collection, UK British Museum, London
Museum of Arts and Design, New York The New Art Gallery Walsall, UK
The Victoria & Albert Museum The Gallery of Art, Legnica, Poland
Palm Springs Art Museum Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christie, Texas
Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Alabama
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Toledo Museum of Art, USA Bellerive Museum, Zurich
Landmarks, University of Texas, Austin Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, New York
and Private Collections