CV Christian van Eeden

Born 1977, Cape Town.

EDUCATION

2004 – 2006
M.Sc Molecular Genetics and Virology Cum Laude, Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch
2009-2012 BA.FA Cum laude, Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town, Cape Town

SOLO EXHIBITION

2014
Open. Brundyn+ (Cape Town). Curated by Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss)

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2015
Destination Mars; Marseille, France. Public installation for Hac le Pac. Marseille Expo 2015. Performed as Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss)
Motherless. A week-long residency, installation and performance by Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss) at Alma Mater (run by Juliana Irene and Martha (Woodstock, Cape Town)), with Geert Oliver and Francois Knoetze.
Teaser: A proposal for a new exhibition. At Proposal by Jnr (Rose Mudge & James Liam King). As Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss)
Old White Men. Group exhibibtion at Alma Mater (run by Juliana Irene and Martha (Woodstock, Cape Town))
Cape Town Art Fair with Brundyn+ (Cape Town)

2014
Milan Art Fair (MiArt) with Brundyn+ (Cape Town)
FNB Joburg Art Fair with Brundyn+ (Cape Town)
Cubicle 2, part of Movement Exhibition at Fairweather House, Cape Town
Cubicle, part of Infecting the City festival, Cape Town
Bazaar 3, Atlantic House, Cape Town

2013
Ceci n’est pas une Summer Show, BRUNDYN+, Cape Town
Bazaar II, group show curated by Matty Roodt and Matthew King.
Parliament, group show curated by Chris van Eeden and Olivie Keck
in-, BRUNDYN + GONSALVES, Cape Town
Bazaar, group show curated by Matty Roodt
Paint+: Experimental ventures in to Expanded Painting, + GONSLAVES in association with Nirox, Arts on Main, Johannesburg
A Note To A Stranger, An exhibition of texts on bus stops in Cape Town, Curated by Matthew King and Marc Barbon.
Big Hole, an exhibition/intervention into one night at The Kimberley Hotel, Cape Town. Official part of Cape Town Art Week, Curated by Chris van Eeden, Kerry Chaloner and Miranda Moss.

2012
Currents. A collaborative print portfolio of selected individuals from the Michaelis School of Fine Arts and WITS.
Mistakes: Error as Generative Practice, curated by Chris van Eeden and Kerry Chaloner
Threshold, Curated by Virginia McKenny, Michaelis Gallery, Cape Town.
Itsa Small, Small World, Family Business, New York. Curated by Hennessy Youngman

2011
Synecdoche: Upstairs Gallery, curated by Julia Rosa Clark et al., Michaelis Gallery

2008
20 Artists | 20 Portraits, UCA gallery, Cape Town

CURATION

2015
Cnr – An exhibition of new work by Rose Mudge and James Liam King, in a corner.

2014
Contemporary Salon on The Rocks – An exhibition of work selected by Grizelda P. Hall. Curate Curated by Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss)

2013
Big Hole – An exhibition intervention into one night at The Kimberley Hotel, Cape Town. Official part of Cape Town Art Week. Curated by Critical Mis (Chris van Eeden & Miranda Moss)

2012
Mistakes – An ex ibition based on error as generative practice. Project Space (Cape Town). Curated by Chris van Eeden and Kerry Chaloner

2011
Synecdoche Upstairs Gallery – Michaelis Gallery (Cape Town). Curated by Julia Rosa Clark, Chris van Eeden and curatorial elective class

PERFORMANCE AND INTERVENTION

2013
‘No Thank You’, the withdrawal of a selected installation proposal and artwork from The Woodstock Exchange as protest to the treatment of artists and their work by that institution
‘Free For All’, unadvertised hand out of personal belongings, effects, collectables, electronics, media, clothing, bedding and artworks. “First come first served.”
‘Doggie Style (impractical applications of critical contemporary discourse)’, a minor impropriety at the FNB Joburg Art Fair, Sandton

2012
‘Documenta’d’, A curated presentation/performance on ancillary ephemera and incidental artwork documented during dOCUMENTA (13)
‘Threshold’, a public intervention. For Threshold, Curated by Virginia McKenny, Michaelis Gallery, Cape Town.

‘The Fourth Wall: Contemporary Art Stall’, the sale of donated contemporary art prints, paintings and drawings at the Milnerton Flea Market. (Repeatedly cancelled on account of weather)
‘Seed’, planting and watering of American Giant sunflower seeds in the Walter de Maria New York Earthroom, New York
‘No Matter’, withholding the exhibition of the vast majority of my 2012 physical production and installations during the fourth and final year exam and graduate show. Instead presenting documentation of the work along with a ball of Prestik, a ball of chewed gum and a ball of oil paint

AWARDS

2012
GC Saker Scholarship for exceptional work in the Fine Arts
ARC Curatorship Award and Travel Scholarship
Judy Steinberg Prize, Exceptional performance in painting

2011
Cecil Skotnes Award, for exceptional performance in the Fine Arts

2009-2012
Dean’s Merit list for Academic Performance; Humanities, Univerity of Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Christiaan van Eeden is an African artist, cultured behind Die Boerewors Gordyn. Subsequently he became vegetarian. He has an M.Sc (cum laude) in Molecular Genetics and Virology. From an early age he exhibited a precocious proclivity for putting things on top of other things and consequently graduated in 2012 from The Michaelis School of Fine Art where he won Painting. He has earned several medals and money (and a trip overseas), and exhibits and meddles in every possible opening. In 2013 he displayed in Johannesburg and in 2014 his sound-piece was transmitted in taxis during the Marrakech Biennale. Notably, his best object was turned down for the regional finals of the prestigious Absa L’Atelier award (despite being too old to enter), and thus he narrowly missed an opportunity to stay in a Parisian studio apartment. A mildly controversial proposal for GIPCA Infecting the City (under a nom de plume) made it to the quarterfinals. Van Eeden’s other distinguished achievement includes almost selling a live performance to the fashion editor of GQ. He had his very own show in 2014 and is currently vigorously applying himself.

Artworks in the SAFFCA Collection