Michael Petry

About me:

Michael Petry was born in El Paso, Texas and has lived in London since 1981. He received a BA at Rice University (Houston), an MA at London Guildhall University, and a Doctorate in Arts at Middlesex University. He is an internationally exhibited multi-media artist, and co-founder of the Museum of Installation. He lectures part time at the Royal Academy Schools and was Guest Curator at the KunstAkademi, Oslo, and Research Fellow at the University of Wolverhampton. Petry co-authored Installation Art (1994), and Installation in the New Millennium (2003), and authored Abstract Eroticism (1996) and A Thing of Beauty is...(1997). The Trouble with Michael, a monograph of his recent artistic practice was published by Art Media Press in 2001. Petry’s book Hidden Histories: 20th century male same sex lovers in the visual arts (2004) is the first comprehensive survey of its kind, and accompanied the exhibition Hidden Histories he curated for The New Art Gallery Walsall. Petry is the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) London, and the curator of the Royal Academy Schools Gallery. His two-volume book Golden Rain (2008) accompanied his installation for the On the Edge exhibition for Stavanger 2008, European Capital of Culture. Petry is currently finishing his new book, The Art of Not Making: The New Artist Artisan Relationship for Thames & Hudson (March, 2011). Petry will be the first Artist in Residence at Sir John Soane’s Museum (2010/11), and will have a one man show The Touch of the Oracle at the Palm Springs Art Museum in March 2012. Petry is represented by www.sundaramtagore.com/artists/michael-petry/ www.dbhbg.com/michaelpetry.html www.westbrookgallery.com/gallery-artists/artist/michael-petry