Michael Vale is a visual artist, writer, curator and academic. In addition to exhibiting paintings, installations, photographs and video works he has also worked as a TV writer, scenery painter, interior designer, and art administrator. In 2006 he completed his PhD at Monash University with a multi-media “art fiction” project entitled Le Chien qui Fume – A Smokey Life. In 2006 he was awarded Best Film on Art at the prestigious Asolo Artfilm Festival in northern Italy for a video work entitled The Long Walk. He has also been a finalist in the Archibald Prize on two occasions, with portraits of rock’n’roll musicians Dave Graney & Clare Moore in 2012, and Warren Ellis in 2013.

Primarily trained as a painter,Vale has also worked extensively in film and TV as a script writer and support crew and, more recently, as a director and production designer. He has held 21 solo exhibitions since 1986, as well as curating and participating in numerous group exhibitions and short film festivals. He is a senior lecturer in Fine Art at Monash University, having also taught at RMIT and the Hong Kong Art School . His works are held in several public collections in Australia, as well as private collections in Australia and overseas. During the 1980’s Vale was the inaugural director of Linden Contemporary Art Centre in St Kilda, and also worked as chief writer for the children’s TV show Shirl’s Neighbourhood as well as brief stints with Henson International TV, the ABC, and 3CR community radio.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS 
PhD Fine Art, Monash University, 2006
Master of Fine Art by Research, R.M.I.T., 2000

RECENT SOLO & COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITIONS

2016
The Transit of Mercury, Anna Pappas Gallery, Melbourne

2015
The Umbelliferous Portraits – Rubicon ARI (with Nicholas Ives)

2013
The Conquest of Space – Five Walls Projects

2012
Lamplike – Trocadero Artspace

2011
Untitled (green) – Screenspace
The Innocents – Westspace (collaboration with Donna McRae)

2009
R.I.P. – Linden

2006
Le Chien Qui Fume (a smokey life) – Monash University Faculty Gallery
Chiengrila – Chapman & Bailey

2005
Le Chien Qui Fume – Westspace
A Smokey Life – TCB art.inc.

RECENT CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2016
Slippery Stories (co-curated with Tom Dunn, Strange Neighbour / Durden & Ray), Los Angeles

2014
A Window that isn’t There, Strange Neighbour, Melbourne

2014
Whistling in the Dark, Trocadero Artspace,  Melbourne

2012
Threshold Projects (co-curated with Siri Hayes, Screenspace)

2011
Beautiful Volcanoes (Monash Faculty Gallery)
Loop 11 (Barcelona Video Festival, program of Monash video work)

RECENT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2016
Slippery Stories (co-curated with Tom Dunn, Strange Neighbour / Durden & Ray), Los Angeles
Museum of Doubt (cur. Peter Hill, Despard Gallery, Hobart)
Authenticity? (cur. Richard Ennis, Incinerator Gallery)
Dada Here & Now (cur. Hanna Regev & Matt McKinley, Fort Mason – San Francisco Arts Festival)
Bayside Art Prize (Bayside Gallery)

2015
Horror Show (cur. Natalie & Pip Ryan, Strange Neighbour / Gippsland Regional Gallery)
Oily Rag (cur. James Bowen, Fort Delta)
Decade (cur. Michael Brennan & Aaron Martin, Trocadero Artspace)
Likeness (cur. Mardi Novak & Kent Wilson, Town Hall Gallery)

2014
Make Believe it’s Nothing (cur. Brie Trenerry & Kieran Boland, MARS Gallery)
A Window that isn’t There (cur. MV, Strange Neighbour)
As If (cur. Peter Hill, Kings ARI)
Whistling in the Dark (cur. MV, Trocadero Artspace)
Salon des Refusés – S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney

2013
The Archibald Prize (AGNSW)

2012
The Archibald Prize (AGNSW)
Museums in the Incident (cur. Steven Rendall, Monash Faculty Gallery)
Underdog (cur. Aaron Martin, Five Walls Projects)
Belleura Works on Paper (Mornington Peninsular Regional Gallery)
Fletcher Jones Art Prize (Geelong Art Gallery)

2011
Beautiful Volcanoes (cur. Michael Vale, Monash Faculty Gallery)

2010
Belleura Works on Paper (Mornington Peninsular Regional Gallery)
Short Play (cur. Rachel Feery, Thousand £ Bend, Melbourne)

2009
Loop 09 (Barcelona Video Festival)
Nardini’s Garage (Group exhibition, Bassano al Grappa, Italy)

RECENT FILM FESTIVALS
2014
PollyGrind FF (Las Vegas)

2013
South Texas Underground Film Festival

2012
South Texas Underground Film Festival
5thMinneapolis Underground Film Festival
Revel8 Film Festival (Perth)

2010
Bergamo International Art Film Festival (Bergamo, Italy)

2008
St Kilda Film Festival