MEGAN STROECH
WORKS
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work explores the dichotomies between realness and imitation, image and object and common vs. luxury through references from pop culture and the Internet, still life, and domestic spaces. I construct unfamiliar arrangements of low-grade, readily available materials, subverting conventional understanding of their utility in order to spur new conversation between them. I often utilize materials produced as cheap and attainable luxury items, such as Styrofoam food, faux fur and marble printed Contact paper as well as stock photography. Recently, I have been incorporating small ceramic sculptures with the found items. These mass produced objects have a relationship to the American Dream and often project desires for wealth and success. Through the insertion of small moments of discovery and recognizable objects in the work, I hope to invite the viewer to reference their own everyday experience, whether it is a connection to a specific material or a piece’s overall form. I often straddle the line between space and object, and seek to create a tension between the 2D and 3D elements in the work as a way to construct a dialogue between painting and sculpture. I am particularly interested in the different aspects of failure that occur within the work, whether it be through dysfunction, like in the work Throw Shade depicting a failed window covering, or failure of representation through gesture in mark making or construction. The faux versions of luxury items utilized in my work also fail in their imitation of the objects they propose to be. There is often a perceived humor in the failure of these objects, and this humor can be used as an access point to playfully mock overarching systems of consumerism, patriarchy and class.
BIOGRAPHY
Education
2012 - Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking, Exceptional Merit in the Arts, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
2008 - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
2018 - Megan Stroech and Bailey Romaine, ROCKELLMANN & PARTNER, EXPO Chicago
2017 - if this is as good as it gets, I guess I’m okay with that: Megan Stroech + Jeffrey Teuton, Stuart & Co. Gallery, Chicago, IL
2017 - Brunch at Kowloons: Galia Basail-Mulcahy + Megan Stroech, After School Special, Milwaukee, WI
2016 - Megan Stroech: Terms of Endearment, Neon Heater, Findlay, OH
2016 - We Have a Back Room with Other Things: Mel Cook + Megan Stroech, Heaven Gallery, Chicago, IL
2015 - Marnie Bettridge + Megan Stroech, ROCKELMANN&, Pulse Miami Beach, Miami, FL
2014 - Complex Relationships: Jens Heller + Megan Stroech, ROCKELMANN&, Berlin, Germany
2014 - We Tried That One Time, The SUB-MISSION at Mission Projects, Chicago, IL
2014 - Social Niceties, Jan Brandt Gallery, Bloomington, IL
2013 - Loose Connections, Plaines Project, Chicago, IL
2013 - Limit(less), Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
2012 - Mixed Company, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO
2012 - Next of Kin, Illinois State University Gallery, Normal, IL
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 - Fall Group Show, FJORD, Philadelphia, PA (forthcoming)
2018 - One Last One, Fernwey Gallery, Chicago, IL
2018 - DEEP STRETCH, curated by Mrs., NY (Sara Marie Salamone + Tyler Lafreniere), Field Projects, New York, NY
2017 - El Sol Sale Para Todxs, curated by Galia Basail-Mulcahy, Chicago, IL
2017 - Front and Center, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL
2017 - Bright Resolutions: Tanya Brodsky, Jonathan Chapline, Megan Stroech, CES Gallery, Los Angeles
2016 - PASS/FAIL, curated by Will Hutnik, Ortega Y Gasset Projects, Brooklyn, NY
2016 - Brilliance: A Feast for the Senses, Luminarts Cultural Foundation, Chicago, IL
2016 - Another World, The Drake Devonshire, Wellington, Ontario, Canada
2016 - UNEARTHED, curated by Geo Gonzalez and Dan Halm, ROCKELMANN&, Berlin, Germany
2015 - Here and Not Here: Megan Stroech, Cody Arnall, Edward Kelley, DEMO Project, Springfield, IL
2015 - Dibs, Threewalls, curated by Trunk Show, Chicago, IL
2015 - Luminarts Visual Art Competition, Union League Club, Chicago, IL, May 2015
2015 - Ideal Perfection, LVL3, Chicago, IL
2015 - Gently Fried, Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin, TX
2015 - Modi Operandi, curated by Alexandria Eregbu, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL
2015 - Not Here: Hyoungsang Hoo, Drew Peterson, Megan Stroech, Steven Vainberg, Fernwey, Chicago, IL
2014 - EDITIONv2, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL, September 2014
2014 - Quasi-Choreographies: Megan Stroech, Hope Esser, Delaney DeMott, curated by Alexandria Eregbu, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL
2012 - Int’l Print Exhibition, Ohio Gold Gallery, Dayton, OH, July 2012
2012 - 2012 Student Annual, Illinois State University Gallery, Normal, IL
2012 - 5”x7”, AMOA/Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin, TX
2012 - Midwest Arts Invitational, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, West Burlington, Iowa
2011 - Illinois State University Student Annual, Illinois State University Gallery, Normal, IL
2011 - MFA Biennial, Illinois State University Gallery, Normal, IL
2011 - Paper in Particular, Columbia College, Columbia, MO
2011 - The Studio @ SRFA, Suzanne Randolph Fine Arts, New York, NY
2010 - In Tiny Beacons: Lisa Lofgren, Brandon Siscoe, Megan Stroech, Transpace Gallery, Normal, IL
2010 - All New and Exciting, McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington, IL
2010 - Texas Crude, Co-Lab Gallery, Austin, TX
2010 - 5”x7”, Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin, TX
2009 Illinois State University MFA Student Show, Transpace Gallery, Normal, IL
2008 - Prospect, UT Austin Creative Research Lab, Austin, TX
2008 - 2008 Senior BFA Exhibition, Creative Research Lab, Austin, TX
2008 - The Big Time, Okay Mountain, Austin, TX
Residencies and Awards
2018 - Artist in Residence, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
2018 - Staff Development Grant, Parsons School of Design, The New School, New York, NY
2017 - Center Program Artist, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL
2016 - Artist in Residence, The Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY
2015 - Finalist, Luminarts Cultural Foundation Visual Arts Grant, Chicago, IL
2014 - Artist in Residence, ACRE Projects, Steuben, WI
2014 - Artist in Residence, HATCH Projects, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL
2012 - Fall Resident in Painting and Drawing, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO
2012 - Exceptional Merit in the Arts, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
2011 - Marshall Dulaney-Pitcher Award, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
2010 - Normal Editions Workshop Scholarship, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
2009 - Baber Fellowship, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Publications
2017 - Artsy, Excuse Me, Your Public Is Showing: Bright Resolutions at CES Gallery, Christina Catherine Martinez
2016 - Artforum, Critic’s Pick: Berlin: UNEARTHED at ROCKELMANN&, Louisa Elderton
2016 - WideWalls, Group of Artists Comment on Consumerism at ROCKELMANN&, Lorenzo Pereira
2016 - Berlin Independents Guide, Review: UNEARTHED at ROCKELMANN&
2015 - Hyperallergic, At Pulse Miami Beach: Plants, Plants Everywhere, Claire Voon
2015 - Final Friday Podcast, Final Friday: Artist Interview with Megan Stroech, Greg Swiger
2015 - Bad At Sports, Top 5 Weekend Picks: Modi Operandi at Chicago Artists Coalition, Stephanie Burke
2014 - WideWalls, Review: Complex Relationships: Jens Heller + Megan Stroech, Ana Bambic Kostov
2014 - LVL3 Media, Artist of the Week: Megan Stroech, Anna Mort
2014 - Chicago Magazine, Gallery Critic’s Pick: Megan Stroech, We Tried that One Time at The Mission, “The Best Things to Do in Chicago This August, In One Giant List,” Jason Foumberg
2014 - Chicago Artist Writers, Review: Quasi-Choreography at Chicago Artists Coaliton, Jenyu Wang Temporary Art Review, Review: Quasi-Choreography at Chicago Artists Coalition, Jenyu Wang Other Peoples Pixels Blog, OtherPeoplesPixels Blog Interviews: Megan Stroech, Stacia Yeapanis
2013 - Make Space, Featured Artist: Megan Stroech, Jason Judd
2012 - New American Paintings, Issue #101: Midwestern Competition, curated by Lisa D. Freiman
Collections
The Drake Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Michael Phillips and Jay Morton, Chicago, IL
Michael Houser, Springfield, IL
Jane And Gerald Katcher, Miami, FL
Kuhn Collection, Berlin, Germany
Town of Normal, Uptown Normal Multi-modal Transportation Center, Normal, IL
Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, West Burlington, Iowa
Tartan Realty Group, The Flats on Main Street, Normal, IL
Public Lectures
2014 - HATCH Projects Salon Series, Comfort Station, Chicago, IL, October 2014
2012 - Gather at the Gallery: Elements of Printmaking, Eaton Gallery, Bloomington, IL, February 2012