Alice Butler writes that 'in Vanessa Mitter’s paintings, the personal is treated as a pliant material, a source of affect and investigation, but also of fiction and performance. Collage, paint and pigment find a way on to the canvas in ephemeral expressive gestures. There is an abject narrative at play – of lost childhood and drifting brides – but it is a narrative that wanders in and around the artifice of the material.'
Her paintings are both exuberantly high-octane in terms of colour, but mordant in terms of their conceptual approach. Endless layers of patterning, collage and gaudy colouring are deliberately extreme, to the point where the paintings, when viewed in the flesh, are almost too vivid, too excessive.
In her practice, Vanessa Mitter is also informed by Julia Kristeva's writing(s) concerning the abject in relation to ideas of the feminine. 'We may call it a border; abjection is above all ambiguity. Because, while releasing a hold, it does not radically cut off the subject from what threatens it - on the contrary, abjection acknowledges it to be in perpetual danger.' (Kristeva, Powers of Horror). In her paintings, there is a sense of threat; of beauty and innocence on the edge of collapse.
Vanessa Mitter makes performances which explore confrontation, antagonism and ritual. These performances also reflect on the history of action painting and performance art. They are visceral and physically challenging. In all of her practice, she is interested in the performative and the gestural and in how these elements relate to liminal space and ritual. She seeks to destabilize the audience, forcing them to question their surroundings and their accepted modes of thinking and behaving. She asks questions about gender (taking on male and ambiguous alter egos), history (the personas are sometimes from another time/era), the relationship between the viewer and the viewed or the performer and those who bear witness.
Education
Chelsea College of Art and Design, 2008-2010
Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art, 2009
MA Fine Art, 2010
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, BA Honours Degree in Fine Art
Kingston University, Surrey, Btec Foundation in Art and Design
Selected Exhibitions
Upcoming 2025
Cathedral, Hilbertraum, Berlin
Funeral, Kingsgate Project Space, London
Cat Show, Thames-Side Projects, London
2024
Lido Open, The Lido Stores Gallery, Margate, selected by Vincent Hawkins and Kirsten Healy
Blink and You’ll Miss it, Safehouse 1, London
Debunk, Terrace Gallery, London
In Spring, VB Contemporary, Washington and online
This Year’s Model, Studio 1.1 Gallery, London
Dog Show, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London
2023
What This Awl Means, Kunstlerhaus, Bregenz, Austria, fully funded
Dog Show, Thames-Side Studios Gallery
This Year's Model, Studio 1.1 Gallery
Barbican Artworks Open, curated by Jasleen Kaur and Rudy Loewe, Artworks Project Space, London
Combat Stress postcard auction, Mall Galleries, London
2022
A Generous Space 2, The New Art Gallery, Walsall, selected and curated by Stephen Snoddy and Matthew Burrows, 2022
A Woman’s Place is Everywhere, Cello Factory
Swamp Legends, Terrace Gallery, London
This Year’s Model, Studio 1.1 Gallery, London
2021
The Smoke,Terrace Gallery, London
More Heed, The Auction Collective, London
This Year's Model Part 1, Studio 1.1, London
Art on a Postcard - International Women's Day, London
Foot in my Face and other tectonic strategies, Kingsgate Project Space, London
Contemporary Narratives Part 2, London Paint Club
2020
This Year's Model Part II, Studio 1.1, London
Art on a Postcard Auction for International Women's Day, London
Goose Summer, curated by Hannah Murgatroyd and Martyn Cross
Paint Talk, London, curated by Mark Connolly
2019
Art on a Postcard Charity Auction + Exhibition, London
Objects of Desire, ASC Gallery, London
GIFC and Velvet Ropes, House of Vans, London
Creekside Open, APT Gallery and Studios, London
Mother Art Prize, Mimosa House, London
2018
Rules of Freedom, Collyer Bristow Gallery, London
Athina Art Fair, Athens, through Zero Zero Gallery, Los Angeles
Ornamental Neon, ASC Gallery, London
Velvet Ropes, Furniture by Artists, David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen
Lore of the Land, Churchgate Gallery, Somerset. Curator: David Harrison
You Are Here, Stockport War Memorial Museum
Frivolous Convulsions, Turf Projects, London. Arts Council funded. Curators: Vanessa Mitter and Ben Westley Clarke
2017
I Am A Beautiful Monster (two person show), Arthouse1 Gallery, London
The Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize, Piano Nobile Gallery, London
2016
Unquiet Brides (solo exhibition), Unit G Gallery, London
What You See, K Projects, Berlin
2015
And The Dark And The Dark, A-Side B-Side Gallery, London
Strange Attraction, A.P.T Gallery, London
2014
Hackney Wicked Art Festival (Arts Council funded), Bridget Riley House, Space, London
Beuys Keep Swinging, Landing Space, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London
The Painting Game, K Projects, Berlin
2013
The True, The Beautiful, The Good, Symposium, The Museum of Ethnography, Belgrade, Serbia
Hot-One-Hundred, Schwartz Gallery, London
2012
Collective (Frieze Week Exhibition), The Bear Pit, London (through Carter Presents)
FAD Office, Performance, The Other Art Fair, Ambika P3, London
FAD, If Only You Could See What I've Seen with Your Eyes, Performance, The Other Art Fair, Ambika P3, London
2011
Forza Nuova, Space 4828, Venice curated by Nicola Ruben Montini
Trajector Art Fair, Brussels, through Carter Presents Gallery, London
de Kooning, de Kooning, de Kooning, David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, curated by Dexter Dalwood
I Am Not Here To Entertain You, Field Project Space, London
2010
Then I Remembered, Carter Presents Gallery, London
Showroom, Man Can Not Live by Bread Alone, London
Enjoy Democracy Responsibly, Forman's Smokehouse Gallery, London
Dillmann Kunstmarkt, Art Fair, Stuttgart, Germany
Performance, The Surreal House, Barbican Art Gallery, London
Performance, Flat-Time House, London
Condensation, Hanbury Hall, Spitalfields, London
Und wieder lockt das Weib, Galerie Deck, Stuttgart, Germany
Scapegoat Society, Performance, Guest Projects, London
Your Higher Plane Awaits, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London
Going Postal, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
2009
Police and Violence, Performance, The Sassoon Gallery, London
Invisible Means of Support, Rochelle School, Arnold Circus, London
Salon Series, Auto-Italia Project Space, London
One Night Stand, The Gallery, Wimbledon College of Art, London
2008
Goon Island, Take Courage Gallery, New Cross, London
2007
Life Was Never Meant To Be This Way, Casal de Cultura Museum, Mallorca, Spain (solo exhibition)
Curating
2018
Frivolous Convulsions, Arts Council funded, Turf Projects, London
2011
The Dandyism of Contempt ,Camden Space Unlimited, London, NW1 Field Project
I Am Not Here To Entertain You, Space, London
Prizes and Awards
The Lido Open Prize and exhibition, 2024 - shortlisted and curated by Vincent Hawkins and Kristen Healy
Barbican Artworks Open - 2023 - selected and curated by Jasleen Kaur and Rudy Loewe
Longlisted for Jacksons Painting Prize, 2023
Shortlisted for Jacksons Painting Prize, 2022
Selected - 2022 for the Mark Rothko Memorial Trust Award, fully-funded residency at the Mark Rothko Memorial Trust, Latvia, by Paul Huxley RA, Artwise Curating Consultancy, Tim Marlow OBE, Director of The Design Museum and Rebecca Salter PRA, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, London
Mother Art Prize - 2019, selected and curated by Elizabeth Neilson, Laura Smith and Marcelle Joseph
Freelands Foundation Emergency Fund - 2020
The Lido Open Prize and exhibition, 2024 - shortlisted and curated by Vincent Hawkins and Kristen Healy
Barbican Artworks Open - 2023 - selected and curated by Jasleen Kaur and Rudy Loewe
Longlisted for Jacksons Painting Prize, 2023
Shortlisted for Jacksons Painting Prize, 2022
Selected - 2022 for the Mark Rothko Memorial Trust Award, fully-funded residency at the Mark Rothko Memorial Trust, Latvia, by Paul Huxley RA, Artwise Curating Consultancy, Tim Marlow OBE, Director of The Design Museum and Rebecca Salter PRA, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, London Mother Art Prize - 2019, selected and curated by Elizabeth Neilson, Laura Smith and Marcelle Joseph
Freelands Foundation Emergency Fund - 2020
Shortlisted - The Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize 2017
Joint winner - Hackney Wicked Art Prize, 2015
Longtlisted for 100 Painters of Tomorrow, Beers Lambert Gallery, 2013
Shortlisted for The Red Mansion Foundation Art Prize, 2011
Shortlisted for the GAM Gilbert de Botton Art Prize, 2010
Collections
Vanessa Mitter's work is held in private collections in Europe and America, and in public collections, including The Mark Rothko Art Centre Collection, Latvia.
Selected Publications
2023
Funded catalogue for What This Awl Means, Kuenstlerhaus, Bregenz, Austria
2020
Art Maze Magazine, Issue 17, triple page feature
2018
Ornamental Neon at ASC Gallery, Alex Michon reviews 'a performance of the feminine' painting show by imagining that the artists are all members of a girl band, Garageland blog/magazine, Transition Gallery, London
Frivolous Convulsions, Paul Carey-Kent, Catalogue, Arts Council funded in the British Library
Cadaverous in Croydon (review of Friviolous Convulsions), FAD magazine
Death Animated: Frivolous Convulsions, Tom Carrao
Lore of the Land, Catalogue
You Are Here, Catalogue
2017
I Am A Beautiful Monster, Review by Tom Carrao
2016
Unquiet Brides, Catalogue essay by Alice Butler (Frieze Writer's Prize Winner, 2012)
2015
Strange Attraction, Catalogue essay by Alice Butler
2012
Posi+tive Magazine, Interview and feature by Nicola Ruben Montini
FAD Art, Review of performance
2011
Frieze Magazine, April edition, review of de Kooning……
Politiken, Denmark, Review of de Kooning, de Kooning, de Kooning by Trine Ross, 6th February 2011
Kunste.NU, Denmark, Review of de Kooning, de Kooning, de Kooning
Kunstkrittik, Denmark, Expressionismen i dag by Av Maria Kjaer Themsen
Kunst & Kultur, Denmark, Her er Universet by Michael Jeppesen
2010
Deck, Kunstmarkt issue, Feature under Watchlist, pgs 30/31
Sonnendeck art magazine
2009
Sonnendeck art magazine, Feature
2008
Life Was Never Meant To Be This Way, Catalogue for solo exhibition, Mallorca