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Education

                

2017            PhD Painting (by-project). Royal College of Art

2000            MA Fine Art. Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design

1999            BA Fine Art Painting (Hons). University of Gloucestershire

1998            Erasmus Scholarship. Ecole De Beaux Arts de Lyon 

 

 

Selected Fellowships, Residencies & Awards

2023            Villa Exarcheia; Phoenix Athens. Artist in Residence. Athens, Greece

                     Lakkos Artists Residency. Artist in residence. Crete, Greece

2022            Arts Itoya. Artist in Residence. Takeo, Japan

2018            South Dakota State University. Stuart Artist in Residence. SD

2017            Yaddo. Artist in Residence. NY

                    Studios at MASS MoCA. Artist in Residence. MA 

2016            XL Catlin Art Prize. (finalist). London 

2015-16       Grant Wood Painting Fellowship. University of Iowa. IA

2007            Jerwood Contemporary Painters. UK

2007            University of Nevada Las Vegas. Artist in Residence. NV

2004            British Council Award to Artists

                    Wales Art International Grant. UK

2002            Kensington & Chelsea College. Artist in Residence. London

2001            Virginia Centre for the Creative Arts. Artist in Residence. VA

 

Selected Solo & Two Person Exhibitions

 

2025           Κινέβην. Leila Heller Gallery. Dubai, UAE

2023           Flesh Poems. New Art Projects. London, UK

                   Elegies... lines. Phoenix Athens. Athens, Greece

2022-23      Pericardium. Leila Heller Gallery. New York, NY

2022           Hidora. Arts Itoya. Takeo, Japan

2021           Flesh Poems. Ruffin Gallery. University of Virginia. Charlottesville, VA                 

2019           Transfers (On the Margin). With Augustine Carr. Transition Gallery. London

2018           Herm 0918. Ritz Gallery. South Dakota State University. SD

2015           Herm 0515. Galerie Particulière / Foucher-Biousse. Paris

2014           Herm 0714. Loudhailer. Los Angeles, CA

2012           Velum. Kunstverein Heppenheim. Germany

                   Lethic. Neal Rock & Philipp Haager. Strzelski Gallery. Stuttgart

2010           Fanestra and Other Works. Mihai Nicodim Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

2009           Fanestra & Other Works. The New Art Gallery Walsall. UK

2006           Pingere Triptych. Grand Arts. Kansas City. MO

                   Neal Rock. Torch Gallery. Amsterdam

                   Hydan Project. FA Projects. London 

2005           Faith Culture. Kontainer Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

2004           Work from the Polari Range. Henry Urbach Architecture. New York, NY

2003           Work from the Polari Range. FA Projects. London

 

Selected Group Exhibitions 

2025             Art Dubai. Leila Heller Gallery. Dubai, UAE

 

2024             Art Abu Dhabi. Leila Heller Gallery. Abu Dhabi, UAE

                     Positions in Painting. Alma Pearl Gallery. London, UK

                     Stuart Residency. South Dakota Art Museum. Brookings, SD

                     Hiraeth. Freeman Κινέβην. Athens, Greece

2023            Pop Up. Leila Heller Gallery. New York, NY

                    Think Pinker. Curated by Beth DeWoody. Gavlak Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

                    Stuart Residency Exhibition. South Dakota State University. Brookings. SD

                    40 Years. Curated by Helgi Fríðjónsson. National Gallery of Iceland.

                    Reykjavík. Iceland

 

2020           40 Years. Curated by Helgi Fríðjónsson

                   Galleri Gangur / The Corridor. Reykjavík. Iceland

                   Touch Me. Curated by Veronika Neukirch, 

                   London-based artist & curator. On-line / virtual exhibition

                   Picture Palace. Curated by Cathy Lomax

                   Transition Gallery. London

                   Peripheral. Manifest Gallery. Cincinnati. Ohio

                   

2019           Small Things, Big Ideas. Barbara Davis Gallery. Houston, TX

                   Re-Assemble. Collyer Bristow Gallery. London

                   More Gravy. Tintype Gallery. London

                                 

2018           Emerge. Fulcrum Arts. Pasadena, CA

                   Central St Martins Art Auction. Lethaby Gallery. London

 

2017           Mardi Gras Requiem. Project Space Plus. Lincoln. UK

                    

2016           Grant Wood Fellowship. University of Iowa Museum of Art. IA

                   Perfectionism III. Griffin Gallery. London

                   Catlin Art Prize. London/Newcastle Project Space. London 

                   Polymer. Fold Gallery. London 

                   El Dorado. Curated by Juan Bolivar. Horatio Jr. London 

               

2015           Bloomberg New Contemporaries. ICA. London

 

2014           John Moores Painting Prize. Walker Art Gallery. UK

                   Painting about Painting. Simmons & Simmons. London 

                   Greece. LBCC Gallery. Long Beach, California

                   (Detail). Curated by Andrew Bracey. H Project Space. Bangkok;

                   Transition Gallery. London; The Usher Gallery. Lincoln. UK

                   FleurduMal. Lion & Lamb Gallery. London; Charlie Smith Gallery. London

                   Herm 0714a. Post Gallery. Los Angeles

 

2013           Beautiful Things. A & D Space. Liverpool. UK

                   Terminus. With Jack Brindley. Hockney Gallery. London

                   Slow is Smooth is Fast. Boetzelaer Nispen Gallery. Amsterdam

                   London Art Projects. Edel Assanti Gallery. London

 

2012           Happening. LACE. Los Angeles, CA

                                

2011           By Chromed Hooves It Travels Now. Annie Wharton Art & Video. Los Angeles, CA

                   Synthetic Real. Edel Assanti Gallery. London

 

2010          Desire is a Golden Carrot. The Albion. London

                  The Manchester Contemporary. Mermaid & Monster. Manchester

                  A Harmonious Mix of Objects. Mihai Nicodim Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

                  07/05/10. Post Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

 

2009          I've Watered a Horseshoe As If Were A Flower. Mihai Nicodim Gallery. Los Angeles, CA 

                 Art LA International Art Fair. Mihai Nicodim Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

                 Seduction of Blossom. Long Beach City College Art Gallery. Long Beach. California, CA

 

2008         Mermaid & Monster. Contemporary Art Society. London

                 Open Space. Art Cologne. Curated by Dan Hug. Kontainer Gallery. Cologne

                 Dream(Land). Jail Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

 

2007         Jerwood Contemporary Painters. Jerwood Space. London; The Lowry. Manchester

                 The Lucifer Effect. Curated by Gordon Cheung. Gallery Primo Alonso. London

                 Get It Louder. Curated by Newbetter & the British Council

                 Guangzhou, Shanghai & Beijing. China (Cat)

          

2006         Can Buildings Curate. Galerie Lucy Mackintosh. Switzerland 

                 Dubai. Kontainer Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

                 Gastrophoria.Curated by Andreas Leventis. Pump House Gallery. London 

 

2005         Extreme Abstraction. The Albright Knox. NY

                 Art Basel Miami. Henry Urbach Architecture. Miami, Florida

                The Nature of Things. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Birmingham

                Can Buildings Curate. Architectural Association, London &

                StoreFront for Art & Architecture. New York, NY                

                Rudiments of Ornamental Composition. LOT. Bristol

                Group Show. Rodolphe Janssen Gallery. Brussels

                Armory Show. Henry Urbach Architecture. New York, NY

                Air Borne. Henry Urbach Architecture. New York, NY

 

2004        Landscape Confection. Curated by Helen Molesworth;

                Wexner Center for the Arts. Columbus. OH; 

                Contemporary Art Museum. Houston. TX; 

                Orange County Museum of Art. CA

                Expander. Royal Academy of Art. London    

                Paradisiaco. DomoBaal. London

                Art Basel Miami. Henry Urbach Architecture. Miami. Florida

                Live Forever or Die Trying. Curated by Twan Janssen. Torch gallery. Amsterdam

                Pleasure Garden. Nottingham Castle & Art Gallery. Nottingham

                Tonight. Studio Voltaire. London

                Cinderella. Tower Bridge Business Complex. London

                Collezione1. Isabella Brancolini Contemporary -

                Curated by Stephen Hepworth. Florence. Italy

                Eyeful. Millais Gallery. Southampton

                One Day. Corridor Gallery. Reykjavik. Iceland

 

2003        Physical World. APT London

                Growth Company. With Hillary Bleecker. Kontainer Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

 

2002        Painting Class. Lethaby Gallery. London

                Island. 77 Gallery. London

      

2001        Schism. Pelican House. London

 

2000        Young Wales V. Royal Cambrian Academy. North Wales

 

 

 

 

Selected Curatorial & Residency Projects

 

2024         Κινέβην (FAR)

                 Founder & Director.

                 Launching in September 2024 as an expansion of FAR. 

                 Renovating the Freeman house in Swansea, South Wales, Κινέβην is an artist 

                 residency program, by-invitation, for mid-career and established artists to create work in 

                 response to an archive of over 750 artworks spanning over 60yrs by artist Michael Freeman.

 

2020 -       Freeman Artist Residency. (FAR)

                 Founder & Director.

                 Launched with ongoing UVA Funding. FAR is a 12-month residency  

                 program for recent UVA graduates, prioritizing BIPoC, LBGTQ+ and first-generation college 

                 graduates. Located in Charlottesville, VA at Visible Records Gallery.

 

2019         Transfer (On the Margin). Transition Gallery. Co-curated with Augustine Carr. London

 

2014         Finding A Form. PØST. Los Angeles

                 Artists: Cody Trepte, Christopher Miles, Yelena Popova, Michael Freeman, Jack Brindley,

                 Rachelle Rojany

 

                 Tender Buttons. Hockney Gallery. London

                 David Cyrus-Smith, Derek Boshier, Pearl C.  Hsiung, Melanie Counsell, Karen Lofgren,

                 Christopher Oliveria, Katrin Hanusch

 

2007         Viva Curandero. Kontainer (now Nicodim Gallery). Los Angeles

                  Artists: Rosha Yaghmai, Magali Reus, Dan Coombes, Ciprian Muresan

 

                 Near Dark. Donna Beam Gallery. Las Vegas, Nevada

                 Artists: Pearl C. Hsiung, Dennis Hollingsworth, Stephen Hendee, Carolyn Castaño

 

2005         But not as we know it. Co-curated with Deirdre King. APT Gallery, London & Kontainer, 

                 Los Angeles. Supported by the British Council.

                 Artists: David Burrows, Deirdre King, John Chilver, Jo Bruton, Twan Janssen, Jimmy Dyer,

                 Dan Coombes, Peter Lamb, Luke Gottelier, Craig Fisher

 

2003         Temporary Fiction. Transition gallery. London

                 Artists: Deirdre King, Danny Rolph, Peter Lamb, David Burrows, Hew Locke

 

                 Painting Practices. 77 Gallery. London

                 Artists: Bob Matthews, Jost Munster, Luke Caulfield, Roland Hicks

 

 

 

Public Lectures, Symposia and Panel Discussions

2023         Artist talk. University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Wales, UK

                 Artist talk. Neath Port Talbot College. Wales, UK

                 Interview with curator Nicholas Thornton. National Gallery & Museum of Wales. Wales, UK

2021         What Now? Panel discussion. Royal College of Art. London, UK

                 SCAD. Atlanta, GA

                 University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Wales, UK

2020         Oscar Murillo & Neal Rock in Conversation. David Zwirner Gallery.(online)

                 Hampden-Sydney College. Hampden Sydney, VA

                 Mary Baldwin University. Staunton, VA

2018         Painting Out of Self.  South Dakota Museum of Art. SD

                 Prosthetic Conditions of Painting. University of Coventry. UK

                 Prosthetic Conditions of Painting. Pennsylvania State University. Allihies, Ireland

2017         Prosthetic Conditions of Painting. University of Wales Trinity St David. Wales. UK

2016         Art and Social Justice. Public Lecture. University of Iowa Museum of Art. Iowa City. IA

2014         Paint in an Expanded Field. School of Fine Art - Friday Event. Glasgow School of art. UK

                 Painting About Painting. Panel Discussion. Simmons & Simmons, UK. with artists; 

                 Andrea Medjesi-Jones, Alex Gough, Andrew Hewish. Chaired by David Stone

2013         Professional Practice. Public lecture. Royal College of Art. UK

2011         Art & Professional Practice. Public Lecture. Wimbledon School of Art. UK

2010         Painting as a Material Practice. Symposium & panel discussion;

                 With David Rayson RCA, Katie Pratt & Jo Bruton. University of Wolverhampton. UK

                 Expanded  Paint. Public Lecture. Birmingham Institute of Art & Design. UK

2009         Fanestra & Other Works. Public lecture. The New Art Gallery Walsall. UK

2007         Near Dark. Exhibition lecture and discussion. Donna Beam Gallery. UNLV. NV     

                 Get It Louder. Artist Lecture & panel discussion. With Gavin Wade & Celine Condorelli;

                 Organised by Newbetter & the British Council. Shanghai. China 

2006         Polari Range & Faith Culture. Public lecture. University of Gloucestershire. UK

2005         Polari Range & Faith Culture. Public lecture. Metropolitan University. UK 

2004         Polari Range & Faith Culture. Public lecture. Central St Martins School of Art & Design. UK

 

 

 

Bibliography

2022         Pericardium. Exhibition Catalogue. Leila Heller Gallery. New York, NY

2021         Oscar Murillo & Neal Rock in Conversation. Turps Banana Magazine. Spring edition

2019         Embodied Relations. Juliet Magazine 192. Interview with Leda Cempellin

2016        Art History Creeps into the Catlin Art Prize. Review. Apollo Magazine. May issue 2016

2015        What Is [A] Painting in the 21st Century? Eclectic Magazine. Dec 30th 2015.

                By Damilola  Oshilaja

2014        Michael Freeman in Conversation with Neal Rock. Turps Banana #14. July issue 2014

2009        What, The Devil? District Magazine. Long Beach. Wed Feb 18th. By Theo Douglas

2008        Seeking Solace in Another World. LA Times. May 27th. By Jessica Porter

2007        Darkness on the Edge of Town. Las Vegas City Life. 25th Jan. By Jarret Keene

2006        Architectural Splatter. Art Review. May Issue. By Payam Sharifi

2005        The Rudiments of Ornamental Composition. Art Monthly Issue 286 2005 By

                Sarah James

                Can Buildings Curate. Art Review. April Issue 2005. By Jay Merrick

                Landscape Confection. Columbus Dispatch. Feb 6th. By Christopher Yates

                Candy-Land. American Vogue. March 2005. By Nico Israel

                Neal Rock at Kontainer Gallery. LA Times. 19th March 2005. By Holly Myers

2004        Neal Rock. Gulliver Magazine. May Issue

                Rock Garden. Tank Magazine. Spring Issue 

                Neal Rock & Erik Schmid At Henry Urbach Architecture. New York Times.   

                April 19th

                Work From the Polari Range. A-N Magazine. Feb issue. By John Deller

                Living off The Wall .Independent Education Supplement. Jan issue. By 

                Catherine Nixey

                Neal Rock at fa projects.The Independent. 13th Jan. By Sue Hubbard

2003        Work From the Polari Range. Modern Painters 12th November

                Neal Rock. Work From the Polari Range. Guardian Guide. 29th November

 

 

Teaching History

2019  -        University of Virginia. USA

                    McIntire Department of Art

                    Assistant Professor of Art; Painting

 

2018 - 19    Coventry University. UK

                    School of Art & Design

                   Visiting Lecturer in Fine Art

                   

2015 - 16    University of Iowa. USA

                    School of Art & Art History

                    Grant Wood Visiting Assistant Professor of Painting & Drawing          

                    

 2007           University of Nevada Las Vegas. USA

                    Department of Art

                    Artist in Residence & Lecturer 

                    

2001            Kensington & Chelsea College. UK

                    Department of Art & Design

                    Foundation Lecturer     

                    

 

 

Visiting Artist Positions

  

2020         Mary Baldwin University. Staunton, VA

 

                 Hampden-Sydney College, VA

 

2019         Neath Port Talbot College. Wales, UK

                 Foundation Art & Design

 

2018         South Dakota State University. USA

                 Department of Design

                 Undergraduate - Studio Arts, Architecture & Design 

                 Seminars, group & one-to-one critique 

                 

                 Pennsylvania State University. Allihies, Ireland

                 Undergraduate & Graduate Summer Workshop

 

2017         UCL - Slade School of Fine Art. UK

                 BA Fine Art Sculpture

 

                

                 University of Wales Trinity Saint David. UK

                 BA Fine Art

 

                 Neath Port Talbot College. UK

                 Foundation Art & Design

 

2015         Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design. UK

                 BA Fine Art Painting

 

2014         Glasgow School of Art. UK

                 MA Fine Art

              

                 Neath Port Talbot College. UK

                 Foundation Art & Design

 

2013         University of Wolverhampton. UK 

                 MA Fine Art

 

2011         University of Southern California. Los Angeles. USA

                 Undergraduate Architecture

 

                 Wimbledon School of Art & Design. UK 

                 BA Fine Art Painting

 

                 Neath Port Talbot College. UK

                 Foundation Art & design

 

2010         Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design. UK

                 MA Fine Art 

 

                 Birmingham Institute of Art & Design. UK

                 BA Fine Art

 

2007         University of London Goldsmiths. UK

                 MFA Fine Art

         

2006         University of Gloucestershire. UK

                 BA Fine Art Painting

 

                 Kansas City Art Institute. USA

                 BFA sculpture 

 

                 Neath Port Talbot College. UK

                 Foundation Art & Design

 

                 Wimbledon School of Art & Design. UK

                 BA Fine Art Sculpture

   

2005         Metropolitan University London. UK 

                 BA Fine Art 

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