Peter Gudynas
Peter Gudynas is a visual artist best known for his graphic art and creative photography. His early work involved experiments with photorealist painting, photography, collage and printmaking. A combined interest in surrealism, pop art, new wave science fiction, cyberpunk and techno culture have influenced and inspired imaginative excursions and philosophical enquiry within his creative practice. His subject matter has referenced the sometimes converging areas of science fiction and fact, to explore and present a type of techno surrealism, and the theme of his 'Posthuman Photofictions' exhibition project, a preoccupation of his work since the mid 1980's, presented speculative illustrations of the human image transformed by some of the more far reaching applications of scientific and technological modernity.
Much of his recent fine art photographic work continues to explore the theme of the post human, conversely these envision landscapes and environments notable for the absence of human presence, yet at the same time strangely haunted by that presence and the detritus humankind leaves behind in the wake of social, industrial and technological progress. Using digital manipulation, electronic painting and photo retouching techniques to ‘re-visualise’ such landscapes as heterotopian spaces to explore and contemplate symbolic meanings concerned with the utopian and dystopian when confronted by the agencies of environmental change and spatio-temporal transformation. These visibly staged and constructed post photographic images can be construed as surreal elegies to ‘Corpus Economicus’ and memorials to spectres of lost futures. With his current practice he has embarked on a modus operandi for conceptual expression, informed by a personal vision, yet open to interpretation, in line with the theme of a larger ongoing project and body of work depicting the world we live in today, a foretelling of signs and legacies of awry global development.
Over the years certain ideas in his visual work have also been extended into working with experimental film, sound art and music composition with his 'Ubiqk' project.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Group Exhibitions:
2022 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 21st June - Sunday 21st August, London, UK
2021 RBSA Photography Prize Exhibition, 3 September - 16 October, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2019 RBSA Photographic Prize Exhibition, 14 Febuary - 9 March, RBSA and Argentea Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2018 - 2019 Our eARTh, 24 March 2018 - 29 March 2019 Kunsthuis Gallery, Crayke, North Yorkshire, UK
2018 Altered States, Transforming Minds, an exhibition of Artists’ Moving Image, with The London Group and Friends at the Waterloo Festival 2018, June 11 - 18 London, UK
2017 Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2017, 26 May - 10 September, York Art Gallery, UK
2017 May Day May Day, 30 April - 14 May, Test Space, Spike Island, Bristol, UK
2016 Midlands Open 2016, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donnington, UK
2014 - 2015 West Midlands Open, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, UK
2013 Summer Show, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
2011 - 2012 Digital 2011: The Alchemy of Change, 13th International Digital Print Exhibition, Art Science Collaborations Inc. (ASCI), New York Hall of Science, USA
2010 - 2011 Digital 2010: Planet Earth, 12th International Digital Print Exhibition, Art Science Collaborations Inc. (ASCI) The Technology Gallery, New York Hall of Science, USA
2008 Joint FACT Liverpool to INIVA London, SynchroniCity Sound Art Collage, City to City test collaboration, UK
2008 Our Environment: the Good, Bad and the Ugly, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
2008 Snap To Grid, Digital Art Exhibition, LACDA, Los Angeles, USA
2006 - 2007 Digital 2006: Bio/Med Sci Art, Art Science Collaborations Inc. (ASCI), The Technology Gallery, New York Hall of Science, USA
2004 Digital 2004: Tomorrow, Art Science Collaborations Inc. (ASCI), The Technology Gallery, New York Hall of Science, USA
2002 - 2003 Envisioning Time Space and the Future, The Taranto Gallery, Chelsea, New York, USA
2002 Digital 2002: Envisioning Time Space and the Future, Art Science Collaborations Inc. (ASCI), The Technology Gallery, New York Hall of Science, New York, USA
2002 AOI Images 26, The Best of British Illustration, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2001 AOI Images 25, The Best of British Illustration, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2000 A View from the City, An exhibition curated by Workplace Art, Royal Mint, Royal Mint Court London, UK
2000 IDEA, International Digital Exhibition Awards 2000, The Association of Photographers, London, UK
2000 - 2001 AOI Images 24, The Best of British Illustration, Royal College of Art London, Toured to: The European Illustration Collection Hull, MAC Birmingham, Suffolk College Ipswich, Exeter College of Art and Design, St Davids Cardiff, UK
1999 - 2000 AOI Images 23, The Best of British Illustration, Royal College of Art London, Toured to: The European Illustration Collection, Kent Institute of Art and Design Canterbury, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art Dundee, UK
1998 10th Annual Dimensional Illustrators Awards Show, The Society of Illustrators, group show, 128 East 63rd St, New York, USA
1997 Members Annual Exhibition, F Stop Media Station, Bath, UK
1995 Digital Firmament, Conningsby Gallery, London, UK
1994 Giant Steps, 'Made in Birmingham’ digital billboard display in Newhall Hill, Birmingham, for the Shooting Stills Gallery, Birmingham UK
1994 The Electric Art Show, Drumcroon Education Art Centre, Wigan, toured to the London Print Workshop, UK
1994 Fax Art, exploring the creative potential of the fax machine, curated by Fletcher & Lugas, Custard Factory, Birmingham, UK
1994 Art 94, Shooting Stills, group show of West Midlands photographers, Business Design Centre, Islington, London, UK
1993 Images 18, The Best of Contemporary British Illustration 1993, Still Price Lintas Hyde Park Gallery, London, UK
1993 Techno Vision, Zap Art International, F Stop Photography Gallery, Bath, UK
1992 Digital Vision, Zap Art International, part of the Birmingham Photography Festival 1992, The Goate Gallery, Birmingham, UK
1992 Whose Culture is it Anyway? 2 The Next Generation, Zap Art International, Midlands Art Centre, Canon Hill, Birmingham, UK
1991 Positive Pixels, Zap Art International, Computer Graphics Expo, Alexandra Palace, London, UK
1991 Whose Culture is it Anyway? Zap Art International, The Brain Club, Wardour St, London, UK
1991 It Works, Show of computer aided work, Lanchester Gallery, Coventry University, UK
1988 European Illustration, Best of, Annual, National Theatre, London, UK
1977 Midland Art Now, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK
Solo Exhibitions:
1999 Retrovision: Posthuman Photofictions, The Coningsby Gallery, London, UK
1995 Posthuman Photofictions: Retrovision, Light House Media Centre, Wolverhampton, UK
1985 Speculative Illustrations, Association of Illustrators Gallery, London, UK
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
PgD Electronic Graphics, Coventry University (Coventry Polytechnic) 1989
MA Graphic Design, Birmingham City University (Birmingham Polytechnic) 1978
BA Graphic Design, Coventry University (Lanchester Polytechnic) 1976
WORK EXPERIENCE
1997 to date, developed a practice as an artist photographer, also involved with music and sound art projects. 1990's, based in London, worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for a wide range of clients in publishing, advertising, TV and for record companies, also involved with exhibition projects as an artist and curator. 1976 - 99, freelance science fiction artist commissioned by various publishers in the UK, USA, France and Germany. 1980's worked for various commercial clients including advertising agencies, the fashion industry and publishers.
Teaching Experience, Talks and Lecturing:
Presentation of personal work (Posthuman Photofictions Retrovision Exhibition) to:
MA and BA students, Coventry University, November 1999
MA Design Studies Course, Central St Martins, London Institute, March 1995
'Visual Lies in the Future Conference' Light House Media Centre, Wolverhampton, November 1994
Visiting lecturer at Birmingham City University, February 1993, presentation of personal work and the exhibitions of Zap Art International
Part time and visiting lecturer for various periods between 1979 and 1989 in the UK, at Solihul College of Technology, Birmingham Polytechnic, Coventry University and Bournville School of Art Birmingham
AWARDS
Highly commended, RBSA Photographic Prize Exhibition 2019
Joint Winner, Places Section, IDEA, International Digital Exhibition Awards 2000, The Association of Photographers Gallery, London, Nov 2000
Waterstones Booksellers Award Winner, AOI Images 23, The Best of British Illustration, Royal College of Art, 2 March 1999
2 Bronze Awards, 10th Annual Dimensional Illustrators Awards Show, New York, USA, 1998
West Midlands Arts Photographic Bursary Award 1995
PUBLICATIONS AND REVIEWS
Future Now, 100 Cotemporary Artists from the Aesthetica Art Prize, Aesthetica Magazine 2017, p 54 - 55
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/gudynas_peter, (2012 -)
Thinking Visually, by Mark Wigan, Ava Publishing, UK, 2006, p 55, p 58
Urban Hymns, Article by Gavin Stoker, What Digital Camera, IPC Media Ltd, UK, July 2001, p 48 - 49
A Digital Dolly, The Digital: cybertech/zap by Robert Mason, Published by Norwich School of Art and Design, UK, 2000, sec 10, p 6 -7
Places, Winner Computer Work, What Digital Camera, IPC Media Ltd, UK, Dec 2000, p 100
Imaging the Layers of the Human Metabolism, Retrovision Exhibition catalogue introduction, by Stephen Pochin, for the Coningsby Gallery exhibition, London UK, September 1999
Retro Techno, by James Flint, Wired Magazine, UK, May 1996, p 56 - 59
Made in Birmingham, by Cooper James, Mute, Digital Art Critique, Issue 3, UK, Autumn 1995, p 20
Posthuman Photofictions Review, Creative Technology, UK, January 1995
Posthuman Photofictions, by Liz Faber, Creative Review, Diary Review, UK, January 1995
Posthuman Photofictions, exhibition catalogue introduction by Simon Redgrave and text by Sadie Plant, for the Light House Media Centre exhibition, Wolverhampton, UK, 1994
TV Review of Posthuman Photofictions: Retrovision exhibition, Light House Media Centre, Wolverhampton, UK, BBC 1 Midlands Today Art file, Nov 1994
Posthuman Photofictions Review, Midlands Whats On, UK, December 1994
Made in Birmingham, Creative Review, UK, Oct 1994, p 66
High Tech in the Picture, Posthuman Photofictions, Wolverhampton Express & Star, UK, 25 Nov 94
Exploring the New Frontiers of High Tech Communications, by Terry Grimley, Birmingham Post, UK, 17 Nov 1994, p 12
Zap Art International, by Uwe Richter, novum gebrachsgraphic, Germany, Aug 1993, p 12
Technovision, by Mike Gartside, Venue Magazine, UK, 22 Jan 1993, p 47
Zap Art, by Sue Weekes, XYZ, Creative Technology Magazine, UK, Jan 1993, p 18 - 21
Computer Art Zaps Tradition, by Terry Grimley, Birmingham Post, UK, 25 Jan 1992, p VIII
The Question of Real Art, 2 page review by Elizabeth Geake, New Scientist, UK, 11 Jan 1992, p 46
Zapping the Theme of Man and Machine, by Ian Grant, Audio Visual Magazine, UK Aug 1991, p 6
Zap Art, Whose Culture is it Anyway? 2 The Next Generation, Dazed & Confused, Issue 1, 1991, centre spread poster
The Graphic Art of Peter Gudynas, by Uwe Richter, novum gebrachsgraphic, Germany, Feb 1991, p 10 - 17
Midlands Art Now, Ikon Gallery Exhibition 1977, Review by Neil Hanson, The Guardian, UK, 6 Apr 77