Peter Grego
Focusing on tensions arising between concepts of individual identities and that of a national identity, my work explores how such ideas emerge. It encompasses a range of media, in a practice that engages with problems of nationality, location, identity, and historical memory. Projects have been developed and exhibited nationally in the UK and internationally in North and South America plus several European countries.
Since 2008, my work has focused on an extended project with artists based in Bordeaux and Birmingham. This Anglo/French exchange of ideas and exhibitions began in 2008 when five artists from the UK started an interchange with a number of French artists who are based in south-west France. In 2010 the group was invited to exhibit at the 6th Art Chartrons Festival in Bordeaux, which resulted in the exhibition Dialogue; the name and rationale was subsequently adopted by the group. In 2012, a six month period of development took place at the Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham as part of the project, Allotment. This involved eighteen international artists. Through an ongoing exchange of ideas, conversations and objects via post and Skype, those involved made a number of visual responses, which, in turn, became a catalyst for further interaction resulting in a continually changing exhibition over the six months.
A further exhibition recording responses opened at Rugby Museum and Art Gallery in 2014. The exhibition entitled Apporter sa pierre à l’édifice/Bring to the table, saw the French and British artists curating their own ideas which focused on a common interest in culturally specific phrases and idioms. In 2015, a further collaborative venture led to a number of site-specific works being created at Cairnhill in the French region of Poitou-Charente, for the Rendez-vous aux Jardins Festival.
Solo exhibitions have recently included, in 2014, an exhibition of prints at Maison Municipal Frugès-Le Corbusier. The prints related to the writings of Le Corbusier and to his work at Cité Frugès in French town, Pessac. They referenced, in particular, his publication, Urbanisme (1925).
Over the last decade my curatorial work has included exhibitions in the UK and Europe. During this period I was also the Director of the International Project Space, Birmingham (2002-2012).
In 2016, I curated, and exhibited in, the exhibition Dialogue:Déraciner at mac Birmingham. This was a seven artist collaboration, the latest iteration of the ongoing dialogue. It opened up, amongst other things, themes that make associations with borders, mapping, historical references between France and the UK and the movement of people and objects. The physical distance between the artists continues to enrich this project and the journey each thought and action makes reaffirms the idea of cross-cultural exchange.
Since 2017 I have organised and curated exhibitions for Galerie Mayci, Birmingham.
PETER GREGO
Curriculum Vitae
55 Valentine Road
Birmingham
B14 7AJ
Email: peterjgrego@gmail.com
Employment
2012: Artist and Curator
2017-2022 Curator: Galerie Mayci, Birmingham
2002-2012: Director: International Project Space, Birmingham.
http://www.internationalprojectspace.org
1986-2012: Birmingham City University; Deputy Head, School of Art.
Personal practice in print, video, photography and the organisation and curation of contemporary visual arts exhibitions.
Selected Exhibitions
2023
At a Distance: La Halle, St Aubin sur Mer
Tynygraig: Colin Howkins: Curated exhibition for Aberystwyth Art Centre
2022
Semblance of Order: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Miniprints: Maria Gaete Gwynne: Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Getting On: Anne Crews: Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
2020
Markets: last days: Tom Ranahan Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
2019
Human Nature/Nature Humaine Forum des Arts et de la Culture, Talence, Bordeaux
Threads: Shaheen Ahmed Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Re-Cast: Sharon Baker Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Face or Flight: Pamina Stewart Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Home/Town: David Warren Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
2018
Morrocan Journey: Chris Marshall Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Findings: Sue Tuckett Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Tierra Firme: Marian Edwards Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
Union and Garden: Colin Howkins Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
2017
Rendez-vous aux jardins Charente, France
Silk Route: Victoria Linehan Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
100 Views of Birmingham: Mike Allison Curated exhibition for Galerie Mayci
2016
Dialogue/Déraciner Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham
Dialogue/Déraciner 2 La galerie Metavilla, Bordeaux
2015
DRAC Site-specific installation at Rendez-vous aux jardins, France
2014
Dialogue 4 Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cairnhill Site-specific installation at Cairnhill garden, Charente, France
Allotment Maison Municipal Fruges-Le Corbusier, Pessac, Bordeaux
2013/2014
Birmingham Printmakers: 30 years of printmaking 1983 – 2013
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
2012
Dialogue 3 Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham
2011
Dialogue 2 Oxford Brookes University, Oxford
2010
Dialogue 1 Halles de Chartron, Bordeaux
2009
Re-Place The Works Gallery, Birmingham
2008
Heartlands The Light House Gallery, Wolverhampton
Nature Morte: Le Hangar en Bois Gallery, Bordeaux: Art Chartrons Festival
The Art of Birmingham 1890 – 2008 Waterhall Gallery, Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery
2006/2007
Lost (4 artist show) Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago, Chile
2005
The True-Born Englishman (solo show) Ekeby Qvarn Art Space, Uppsala, Sweden:
Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham
2003/2004
True Stories (4 artist show) Wolverhampton Art Gallery: Museu de Arte Contemporânea, São Paulo, Brazil: The Waterhall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
2001/2002
Out of Order Museo de Barjola, Gijon, Spain: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum: Soldertalje Kunsthall, Sweden
1999
Displaced Centro Cultural, Borges, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museu de Arte Contemporanea, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Binary Propositions Lahti City Gallery, Lahti, Finland; Bond Gallery & B16 Gallery, Birmingham
Messages Goethe Institut, New York, USA; Kuppelhalle der Dresdner Bank Gallery, Leipzig, Germany; Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery;
1998
Arcade 2 Picture Gallery, Novosibirsk, Siberia
Prints in Focus Birmingham Museum and Art Galler.
Displaced Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago, Chile
1996/97
9x9x9 Hochschule für Grafic und Buchkunst Gallery, Leipzig; Lanchester Gallery, Coventry University
Curation
2013/2014
Birmingham Printmakers: 30 years of printmaking 1983 – 2013
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
2011
Transitions Valère Chanceaulme(Fr), Nicolas Julliard(Fr), Véronique Lamare(Fr),
Francis Viguera(Fr). Article Gallery, Birmingham City University.
2005
Grey Cultured Cells Adam Lowe (UK/Spain), International Project Space
2004
Nourishing Ability Gema Ramos (Spain), International Project Space
Exchange Values; images of invisible lives Shelley Sacks (UK), International Project Space
2003
Encircle Anders Ronnlund (Sweden), International Project Space
2002
Identity Lasse Lassheikki, Jukka Lehtinen, Anne Rossi-Horto, Hannu Tampio, (Finland) International Project Space
2002
After September 11: Images from ground zero Joel Meyerowitz (USA)
International Project Space
1999/2000
Messages Goethe Institute, New York, USA. Kuppelhalle der Dresdner Bank Gallery, Leipzig, Germany; Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
1999
Binary Propositions Lahti City Art Gallery, Lahti, Finland; Bond Gallery & B16 Gallery, Birmingham
1998/1999
Displaced Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago, Chile; Centro Cultural Borges, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museu de Arte Contemporanea, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Overseas In collaboration with Ernesto Munoz, Curator: Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago, Chile.
Conferences
April 2001
Co-organiser with artist, Maria Gaete Gwynne, of a Visual Arts Symposium, part of the Annual International Conference of the Society for Latin American Studies. The symposium was organised in conjunction with conference hosts Birmingham University. Speakers included: Francisco Brugnolli, Director of the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago and Vice Rector of the School of Fine Art at the University of Chile; Martin Grossman, Sao Paulo University; Beatrice Milhaezes, Brazilian artist who had her first UK solo show at Ikon, Birmingham concurrent with the conference; Maria Gaete-Gwynne, Chilean born, UK based artist; Katia Garcia-Anton, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Geneva. Speakers explored constructions of Latin American identities within globalised visual cultures.
Publications
Printmaking Today: Volume 22 No.3. Autumn 2013
Collections
Aquitanis, Bordeaux, France. Arthur Anderson Collection. Hyatt Regency International. Eversheds, Wells, Hind Solicitors. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Worcester Museum and Art Gallery.