Dr Deborah Robinson
Email: Debbierob55527@gmail.com
I am an artist who makes audio-visual installation artwork that is based on interdisciplinary collaboration. This has included working with biologists, ecologists, biomedical experts, technologists, literary theorists and specialists in mental health. I am interested in the social issues that accompany scientific research and how public exhibitions provide a space for dialogue with the public.
Education
2003 PhD The Materiality of Text and the Body in Painting and Darkroom Processes: An Investigation through Practice.
Current
2018 – Honorary Artistic Research Fellow, Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health, University of Exeter.
2011 – Co-founder of RADIX an interdisciplinary environmental group.
Former
2004 – 2018 Associate Professor (Reader) in Contemporary Art, University of Plymouth. Convener: ARC (Artistic Research in Context) research group.
2013 -2018 Transart international PhD programme: Berlin and New York. Supervision of research through creative practice. (P/T)
2007 – Visiting Research Fellow with Egenis, ESRC Centre for Genomics in Society, University of Exeter.
Artistic Research Fellowships and Residencies
2015 Artist Research Residency, Baltic Arts Centre, Gotland.
2012 Bright Ideas fellowship, ESRC UK Genomics Forum, University of Edinburgh.
2012 – 13 Artist Residency, Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge.
2010 July – August, Guest Fellowship, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin.
2010 – 2014 Artist Residency, Marine Biology, Plymouth.
2009 -10 Artist Residency with the Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art and the Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath.
2005 Artist Residency, Embryology, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge.
2004 – 2007 Artist in Residence, (Stages 1 and 2), Egenis, University of Exeter.
Exhibitions
2017 March. Noisy Embryos (RADIX collaboration), Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge. Exhibition catalogue with essay by Professor Andrew Pickering.
2016 July. Like a Signal Falling (film), preview at Glenside Psychiatric Hospital Museum, Bristol. Produced in collaboration with the AHRC funded networking project Modernism, Medicine and the Embodied Mind: Disorders of Self.
2015 September – May 2016. Parasite, solo exhibition, Wellcome Trust Cultural Zone, WT Sanger Institute, Cambridge.
Catalogue contributions by Dr Mary Dobson (medical historian), and Dr Julian Rayner, Malaria Programme, WT Sanger Institute.
2014 May 15 – August 3rd. Wandering Snail installation at Fields – patterns of social, scientific, and technological transformations exhibition, curated by RIXC. Arsenals Exhibition Hall of the Latvian National Arts Museum (LNAM). RADIX collaboration.
2014 May. Parasite installation, Heidelberg Castle, Germany. At the invitation of the EVIMalaR network.
2014 Feb – March. Exhibition Parasite, Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath.
2013 July. Parasite installation, Shanghai International Science and Art curated exhibition. Award winner, Chinese Government, for excellence in Science, Art and Technology.
2013 June – July. Parasite, exhibition Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge.
2013 March Parasite Co-presentation (with Dr Mary Dobson and Dr Julian Rayner at St Johns College, Cambridge. Cambridge Festival of Science event.
2013 March – April Fish-Eye-I installation at the Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge. Cambridge Festival of Science event.
2013 March Parasite exhibition (group show) Inspace, Bioinformatics gallery, University of Edinburgh.
2012 Parasite, Tent Gallery, Edinburgh. Hosted by ASCUS.
2012 February. ATRIA, RADIX sound installation, Portland Square Building, University of Plymouth.
2012 April – June, Transpositions, exhibition, Peninsula Arts Gallery, University of Plymouth. The accompanying catalogue Transpositions contains four essays about the artwork.
2011 Data Unveiling selected for Before the Crash: Art and Science Collide, University of Exeter.
2010 Spot On – Fieldwork: Deborah Robinson and Lucy and Jo Orta, Exhibition Scott Building, University of Plymouth.
2010 Data Unveiling, A collaboration between Deborah Robinson, David Strang and Professor Robert Kelsh, exhibited at the Sanger Conference Centre, Cambridge. At the European Society of Pigment Cell Research Conference.
2010 April – June, Fish-Eye-I, Art Space 2, Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath.
2008 Silent Witness, selected for inclusion in an exhibition of photographic work at the National Theatre, and the symposium Arts and Technology, the Role of the Arts in Democratic Policy. Bio Centre UK.
2007 March – June. Molecular Laboratory: Representing Time Exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath. This body of photographic work is in the University of Bath collection.
2007 August, Molecular Laboratory: Representing Time, solo exhibition, Phoenix Arts Centre, University of Exeter.
2006 Topographies of the Genome, an installation artwork on permanent display at Egenis, Byrne House, University of Exeter.
2006 May, Work in Progress, gallery residency at Transitions, Newlyn Gallery, Cornwall.
Talks and presentations
2017 Noisy Embryos: the Bane of Embryology: Cambridge Science Festival Event, Co-presentation by Professor Nick Hopwood, Cambridge, Professor Simon Rundle, Plymouth, and artists David Strang and Deborah Robinson.
2017 November. Talk Like a Signal Falling, at the Sussex Centre for Modernist Studies.
2016 July. Talk Like a Signal Falling, Glenside Psychiatric Hospital Museum, (as part of the conference Modernism, Medicine and the Embodied Mind: Disorders of Self).
2015 September. Parasite talk given at exhibition preview, Wellcome Trust Cultural Zone, WT Sanger Institute, Cambridge.
2015 NGM Politicizing Art and Creative Practices: A Provocation for Geographers, Tallin. (Paper given)
2014 May Article. we-make-money-not-art.com/wandering_snail/
2014 May. Parasite, talk given to EvilMalar Conference delegates, Heidelberg Castle, Germany.
2014 February, Presentation: Deborah Robinson and Dr Oliver Billker (group leader Malaria programme, WT Sanger Institute). Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath.
2013 June. Parasite exhibition talk co-presented with Dr Julian Rayner, Group Leader, Malaria programme, WT Sanger Institute. Hosted by Cambridge Art and Science Circle.
2013 March Parasite Co-presentation with Dr Mary Dobson, medical historian, and Dr Julian Rayner, St Johns College, Cambridge. Cambridge Festival of Science event.
2013 March Parasite presentation at the Evaporation of Things symposium, University of Edinburgh.
2012 Parasite, presentation given at Tent Gallery, Edinburgh. Hosted by ASCUS.
2012 February. ATRIA Co-presentation by RADIX collective: Deborah Robinson, Professor of Aquatic Biology Simon Rundle Rundle, and sound artist David Strang. University of Plymouth
2012 October Moby Dick – The Big Read (chapter 38) 2013 Moby Dick The Big Read (Chapter 38) http://evastalker.com/2012/10/28/the-moby-dick-big-read-chapters-37-to-43/
2010 April – June, Fish-Eye-I, Art Space 2, Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath. Robinson in discussion with Dr Richard Hooley, HoD, Bioscience and Biochemistry.
2007 August, Talk, Molecular Laboratory: Representing Time Exhibition + Gallery Residency, Phoenix Arts Centre, University of Exeter.
Funding
2017 Artist working on a Waiting Times, a 5 year funded project by a Wellcome Trust Collaborative Award (with joint PIs at Exeter and Birkbeck).
2015 Baltic Arts Centre, Gotland, award of funded research residency.
2015 AHRC support for development of the film Like a Signal Falling.
2014 EU funds via Evilmalar for the Parasite exhibition and talk, Heidelberg Castle, Germany.
2012 Bright Ideas fellowship, UK ESRC Genomics Forum, Edinburgh. Funded research residency.
2012 Arts Council England major award to support development of Parasite. Additional support given by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art, University of Bath, and Plymouth University.
2011 European Framework 7 grant exploring science/art interface to support exhibition of Data Unveiling as part of a group exhibition Before the Crash: Art and Science Collide. The development of Data Unveiling was supported by EPCR (European Pigments Cell Research).
2011 Department of Science and Engineering, funding towards solo exhibition Transpositions, Peninsula Arts Gallery. Plymouth.
2010 Faculty of Science and Engineering, Plymouth, funding for an Artist Residency with the Marine Institute, Plymouth.
2009 Funding from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Contemporary Interdisciplinary Art (ICIA) to support exhibition ‘Fish-I-Eye’.
2009 Arts Council England award for development of Fish-Eye-I
2009 MPWIG, Berlin.
2006 Esme Fairbairn Media Award.
2006 Arts Council England award for Artist Residency, Egenis,
2006:ICIA of a new body of photographic work.
2006 Esmee Fairbyrne media award, Phoenix, Exeter.
2004:Egenis, awarded of Artist Residency following a national call.
2005 Installation of Topographies of the Genome, Peter Chalk Centre, University Exeter
GUEST TEACHING
Teaching includes: 2002 The Welsh Institute, Visiting Lecturer M.A. 1996 –7 California State University of Longbeach, California, MFA. Visiting lecturer. 2002 University of the West of England, B.A Hons Fine Art, 2002 The Bournemouth Institute, B.A. 1996 – 7 Pomona State Polytechnic/University, California, US
SYMPOSIUM ORGANISATION
2013 July, co-organiser (with Dr Geoff Cox, Aarhus) Transwhat – across and beyond (artistic) research, Symposium, Transartfest, Berlin.
2010 March, co-organiser Models as Active Spaces, Plymouth Arts Centre, Egenis and UoP science / art symposium.
2009 May, co-organiser Animal Gaze Symposium, Peninsula Arts, University of Plymouth.
