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Statement

Julie F Hill’s work responds to the vastness of nature as represented by modern science. Taking an expanded approach to photography, she creates sculptural installations that explore conceptions of deep-space and cosmological time. Through her work she questions processes of scientific knowledge production and the technologies used in its construction, particularly in relation to the disciplines of astronomy and geology. The scale of her large and evolving sculptural print works such as Earth, Water, Night (2023–), Dark River (2018–20), The Black Cloud (2018) work towards French philosposher Gaston Bachelard’s idea of ‘intimate immensity’: reworking the ‘image‘ into sculptural, ‘affective spaces’ that afford an imaginative and bodily engagement with the viewer. Their forms often resemble uncanny geological and meteorological phenomena: The Earth’s deep time evidenced in its geology offers our closest approximation to the grand scales of the cosmos and its scales and orders beyond the human. Enigmatic forms and materials such as smoke and mirror, invite the viewer to cross a threshold to encounter the unknowable.

Ideas and scales of consciousness in the universe are also explored; from artificial intelligence systems trained on vast astronomy datasets to conjure their own view of the cosmos (Through Machine & Darkness, (2018–21), through to exploring the agency of the inorganic via minor bodies such as asteroids, moons and cosmic dust, she highlights the intimate connections and exchanges  between earth and space (In the debris of planets (2021), The Chemical Kinship of Stony Entities (2021). Her current Earth, Water Night series continues this thematic, drawing from Bachelard’s likening of earthly bodies of water to giant mirrors through which the universe catches its first glimpse of itself. Leading from this thought, she engages with ideas of Animism and Panpsychism: viewpoints that suggest consciousness and/or spirit is a fundamental property of all matter.

Linked elements of writing, performance and intervention are often devised as accompaniments to her installations.

Biography

Julie studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, and was Fellow in Digital Print at the Royal Academy Schools (2017–20). Recently she was selected for the Land Art Agency: Sustainable Futures: Outer Space residency series where she was partnered with environmental anthropolgist Dr Valerie Olson (2021). She was also awarded the Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation as part of the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year, Royal Museums Greenwich (2020) with her work being exhibited at The National Maritime Museum (2020–21), Jodrell Banks (2021) and Fox Talbot Museum (2021–22). She has completed an Arts Council Developing Your Creative Practice grant for her project Through Machine & Darkness, which has been looking at the use of AI and machine learning in examining astronomical datasets (2019–21). Her solo and duo exhibitions include A Stone Sky, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London, (2023); Earth, Water, Night, The Stone Space, London (2023); Uncertain Ruins, commissioned by Camden Council for Swiss Cottage Gallery (2019–2020), The Space Out of Time, Terminal Creek Contemporary/Capture Photography Festival, Vancouver, CA (2019); Of Stars and Chasms, ArthousSE1, London (2019). Her group shows include Seeing Stars, The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, Leeds, UK (2022); The AI Gallery, National Gallery X, National Gallery, London, UK (2021–); In Search of Darkness, Grizedale Sculpture (2018); LCN/SPACE Art & Technology, London (2018); Pokey Hat, VERBureau at Glasgow International Festival, Glasgow, UK (2016) and Single-Shot, Tate Britain, London, UK & touring (2007).

She has been awarded funding for her artistic and curatorial projects including Passengers (2016–), a continuing site-specific exhibition series which looks at the social, historical and material contexts of various sites and architectures, as well as Cartographies of Life & Death, curated for Artakt, Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (Wellcome Trust/Arts Council, 2012–13).

CV

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JULIE F HILL. b. Dorset, UK. Lives and works in London.

EDUCATION
• Royal Academy Schools, Digital Print Fellow
• MA, Royal College of Art
• BA, Central Saint Martins
• The Arts Institute, Bournemouth

SOLO & DUO EXHIBITIONS
A Stone Sky, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, Nov 2023. (Duo).

Earth, Water, Night, The Stone Space,  2023 (Solo)

Cavern, Glass Cloud Gallery, London, UK. 2020 (Solo)

Uncertain Ruins, Swiss Cottage Gallery, Camden, London, UK. 2019–20 (Duo)

The Space Out of Time, Terminal Creek Contemporary/Capture Photography Festival, Vancouver,  CA. 2019 (Solo)

Of Stars & Chasms, ArthouSE1, London, UK. 2019 (Duo)

Mirror Darkness, Lumen Studios, London, UK  2017 (Solo)

Deserts on the moons of other planets, Passengers, London, UK. 2017 (Solo)

A Rake’s Progress, Dimensions Variable, Miami, USA, 2012 (Solo)

Single-Shot: Glass Gun, Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Manchester, UK, 2008 (Solo)

Crying Out Loud: Ladies’ Room, Edwardian Cloakroom, Bristol, UK, 2016 (Duo)

Crying Out Loud: Guest Projects, London, UK, 2012 (Duo)

COMMISSIONS & AWARDS
Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation, Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year, Royal Museums Greenwich. 2020

Arts Council: Developing Your Creative Practice Grant. 2019

Arts Council: Grants for the Arts. 2016–17

Wellcome Trust People Award & Arts Council Grant for the Arts, 2013. (Artakt/Curator)

Arts Council: Grants for the Arts. 2012

Arts Council & British Film Council New Cinema Lottery Fund Commission. 2006


RESIDENCIES

Food & Art Studies, Institute of Post-Natural Studies & La Foresta, Madrid/Rovereto IT,  The Gramounce, 2023–24

Sustainable Futures Series: Outer Space, Land Art Agency. 2021. Partnered with Dr Valerie Olson and artists Abigail Hunt & Kieren Reed.

DEFAULT 19, Ramdom, Gagliano del Capo, IT. 2019

Terminal Creek Contemporary, Bowen Island, Vancouver, CA. 2019

In Search of Darkness, Grizedale Sculpture. 2018 

Lumen Studios, London, UK. 2017

Lumen: Atina, IT. 2016

The Florence Trust, London, 2013–14

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

HyperThyme, Espacio Gaviota, Madrid, ES. Curated by Kevin Bello for The Gramounce, 2024.

Outside/In, SET Ealing, Curated by Anna Lytridou. London, UK. 2024

Seventeen, Bomb Factory, Marylebone, London. 2023 

Aora IV: Light, Aora. Online. 2022.

Heaven Neither Burning Farther, The Crypt Gallery, London, UK. 2022

Seeing Stars, The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, Leeds, UK. 2022

Carbon-Borders-Voices. 2022 (online)

The AI Gallery, National Gallery X: National Gallery, London, UK. 2021 (online)

Thinking Machines, National Gallery X & RUSI: National Gallery, London, UK. 2021

Astronomy Photographer of the Year, National Maritime Museum + Jodrell Banks, 2020–21. Fox Talbot Museum, 2021–22

VIA Art Prize, Embassy of Brazil, UK. 2020

Transits for Local Midnights, Part I & II, Home Cooking (online). Curated by Asad Raza, Mariana Simnett & Prem Krishnamurthy. 2020

The Island of Bad Art and other new discoveries, Joseph Wales Studios, Margate, UK. 2019

The Immaculate Dream, Collyer Bristow Gallery, London. Curated by Rosalind Davies. 2019

Field/s ONE, Sluice HQ, London, UK. 2018

In Search of Darkness, Grizedale Sculpture Project Space, Cumbria, UK. 2018

LCN Showcase, SPACE, London, UK. 2018

Recreational Grounds II, Ground Floor Car Park, Wendover House, London, UK. Curated by Fiona Grady & Tim Ralston. 2018

Constellations, curated by Lumen, Art Night Associate Programme, London, UK. 2017

School of Light, curated by Lumen, Ugly Duck, London, UK. 2017

La Fine Dell’Universo, The Crypt Gallery, London, UK. 2016 & La Fine Dell’Universo, Atina, IT. Curated by Lumen. 2016

Pokey Hat, curated by VERBureau, Glagow International Festival, Glasgow, UK. 2016

Uncertain States, The Arts Pavilion, (PhotoMonth), London, UK. 2015

Sluice Art Fair, London, UK. 2015 

Guerilla Sculpture Park, Middlesex Filter Beds, Tremelo Projects/ArtLicks, London, UK. 2015

From East to the Barbican, Something Human, Barbican Centre, London, UK. 2015

Activating the Archive, Banner Repeater/ Hackney Archives, London, UK. 2015

Summer Exhibition, The Florence Trust, London, UK. 2014

inconTROLL, Sassoon Gallery at Peckham Springs, London, UK. 2014

Cartographies of Life & Death, LSHTM/Artakt, London, (Curator). 2013

Salon Photo Prize, Matt Roberts Arts, London, UK. 2011

Ffilm: Single-Shot, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery/Film & Video Umbrella, Swansea, 2010–2011

The Mulberry Tree Press, SE8, London, UK, 2010

Print & Design Now, Bearspace, London & The London Art Fair, London, UK. 2010

C.R.A.S.H: A Postcapitalist A–Z, Artsadmin, London, UK. 2010

Festival Pocket Films, Forum des Images, Pompidou Centre, Paris, France. 2007

Stick*Stamp*Fly, Gasworks, London, UK. 2007

ArtRadio, Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK. 2007

Single-Shot, Tate Britain & touring, UK. 2007

Object:React, ICA, London, UK. 2006

All The Love’s, Resonance FM, London, UK. 2006
BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Stone Sky, with essay by Anjana Janardhan. 2023

Earth, Water, Night
, with essay by Victoria Walters. 2023

What makes a lake
, Another Earth. 2023

Less A Building: Interactions with the London Zoo Aviary
, Michaela Nettell (artist/editor). Pub. Passengers. 2021

Times III: Terrain
, 87 Gallery. 2021

Recreational Grounds, 
eds. Fiona Grady, Tim Ralston & Anna Lytridou. 2021

Artist Feature: The Universal Library
, Sluice A/W 2020–21

Uncertain Ruins
, with contributions from Roberto Trotta, Crystal Bennes, Libby Heaney et al. 2020

Default 19: Extreme Land
, Ramdom. 2019

Of Stars & Chasms
, exhibition catalogue with essay by Sara Jaspan. 2019

Passengers, exhibition catalogue with essay by Farrah Jarral. 2018

Ladies Room, with texts by Marina Warner, Farrah Jarral & Nella Aarne. Petel, 2016

Uncertain States, catalogue. 2015

The Lost Aura, Petrel, artist book. 2015

Florence Trust, catalogue. 2014

inconTROLL, catalogue. 2014

‘Stoke Newington Library’ in All the Libraries, Ruth Beale and Simon Elvins. 2014

Cartographies of Life & Death, web-catalogue, ed. Julie Hill and Caterina Albano. 2013 

Crying Out Loud, exhibition catalogue with essays by Volker Sommer, Chantal Faust and Deborah Levy. Petrel. 2012

The Mulberry Tree Press: Partial Fictions, SE8, London. 2011

Crisp Divination: Tuberosumography, artist book, Exposure Publishing, ISBN 1846851920, May 2006, 2011

SELECTED PRESS
Lumen // Artist of the month. 10.20

The Experience we were supposed to be having: Asad Raza on DIY Intimacy, Édouard Glissant, and Home Cooking
, 032c.com. 06.20

Travelling Bristolian artists, and Toy Story characters, among treats at Art Licks Weekend festival,
The Art Newspaper, 10.19

Sculpting the cosmos
, Bowen Island Undercurrent, 04.19

Review of Field/s, Lina Ivanova, Revolv, 11.18

‘Kosmos: History is constructed’, Art Narratives, 04.16

Interview: ‘Doctors didn’t know how cholera spread until one genius drew a map’, Science Solved It, Motherboard/VICE Radio, 05.17

Pokey Hat, The Tempohouse, Apr 2016

Exploring a woman’s space, Radio Gorgeous, Feb 2016

City Gallery, The Bristol Magazine, Feb 2016

Maps and Legends, The Lancet, 2013

John Snow & Disease Mapping, M Reisz, Times Higher Education, 2013

A Rake’s Progress, Amanda Sanfilippo, The Miami Rail, Winter 2012

DWNTWN ArtHouse adds to lively downtown Miami scene, Tom Austin, Miami Herald, 30 Sep 2012

The First 48 Hours, Give or Take, Art Practical, 26 Sep 2012

A conversation with Julie Hill, artisabout.com

Crying Out Loud, Zoe Pilger, The Independent, Visual Arts Review 4*, 30 May 2012

Crying Out Loud, Artfeelers.com, May 2011

Selected Portfolio, Forms of practice, Idea magazine, Issue 340. May 2010

London Art Fair: A project of tradition, Oliver Basciano, Artreview.com, Jan 2010

Artbreakers: Artists to Watch, NYLON magazine, Feb 2008

Single-Shot, Modern Painters, March 2007

Single-shot, Aaron Callow, Aesthetica Magazine, Feb/Mar/Apr 2007

Single-Shot, Film Preview, The Guardian Guide, Nov 2006
EVENTS, TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Artist’s talk, Fine Art department, London Metropolitan University. 03.23

Land Art Agency: Sustainable Futures: Outer Space
, online event. 03.21

An Evening of Astrophotography
, panel discussion, Royal Museums Greenwich. 12.20

In Search of Darkness
, artist talk with Lumen for Yorkshire Dales Dark Sky Festival with Go Stargazing. 10.20

Dark Quartet, choral performance, Multiplex, Passengers, London. 09.17

Panellist: The Details are Invented, Passengers, London. 08.17

Sensing Space, Super/Collider, The Collective. 06.17

Film screening: Intro to Antonioni’s The Passenger, Curzon Bloomsbury. 04.17

Artist dinner based on the Saturnian moon Titan, Passengers. 03.17

Reading with ice-cream at Jaconelli’s, Pokey Hat, Glasgow International. 04.16 

Cultural Connections, panellist, Visual Communication, Royal College of Art. 05.15

Performance/Reading with Scent of the Universe, Banner Repeater. 05.15

Visiting lecturer, Criticism, Curation and Communication, Central Saint Martins. 04.15

Visiting lecturer, Duncan of Jordanstone Art School, Dundee, talk and workshop. 10.12

Visiting lecturer, Canford School, Dorset. 03.12

Staying Alive: Collaboration for survival, Department 21, Royal College of Art. 07.10

Interference, Co-curator/facilitator, workshop/events, Artsadmin, London. 06.10

Visiting lecturer, Glasgow School of Art, talk and workshop. 04.10

Visiting lecturer, Brighton University. 02.10


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Food & Art, Alt MA, The Gramounce, 2023–24

a-n, Professional Development Bursary. 2022–23

London Creative Network, SPACE, London. 2018


a-n Professional Development Bursary. 2018

Field/s, ARTQUEST Peer Forum, The Photographers Gallery/GASWORKS, 2017–




© Julie F Hill                   Curatorial