Jean Sonderand (b. 1991) is a New Media artist , photographer, and filmmaker based out of New York, NY. Their work explores divergent aspects of human identity and life in the Anthropocene; utilizing a blend of specialized techniques including projection mapping, computer generated graphics and animation, synthesized audio, photography, video, and film.
Sonderand frequently works as a collaborator with other artists to reimagine the boundary of other bodies of work, often with other members of the trans and lgbtqia+ community, with whom they share the mutual goal of advancing queer art, aesthetics, and perspective, to stake out a space of expression even within an antithetical political and social climate.
Jean has exhibited work in group exhibitions at Weinberg Newton Gallery, Chicago Therapy Collective, LITHIUM Gallery, Hairpin Arts Center, and the 16th Venice Biennale de Architectura “Dimensions of Citizenship” (2018), with solo exhibitions including a retrospective at Maggi Peyton Gallery “Rags and Riches” for the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and “No Future, A Memorial” as well as “The Body is Merely The Apparition of a Framework” at the Joan Flasch Artist Book Library”. During the ongoing pandemic, Jean’s work shifted to collaborative projects with performance and movement based artists, with two residency-based performances “Butch Queen Vol. 2” at Judson Memorial Church cor. Malcolm X Betts, and “High Functioning x.o” with x syrance at University Settlement and HERE Arts Center. Jean directed several short films, including 8:46 (2020) with movement by Malcom X Betts, “All That I Know” (2021) cor. August Henderson (released) for the Indigenous Curatorial Collective, and “Until I Come” (in post production) (2023) produced by Neon Coven, also “Roses” (2022) self written and directed for 16mm film, and “Curd” written by Mike Stinovage (in post production). An interview on their life and upbringing was made by the Enby Spoken History project and preserved at the Smithsonian Library for American Folk Arts.
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Solo Exhibitions:
2019 “Rags and Riches,” A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, Maggi Peyton Gallery, Manhattan Borough President’s Office, New York *Note, for this exhibition I also curated a selection of artworks from the art and performance community around me.
2018 “No Future: A Memorial” Sculpture and curatorial selection | Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection
2017 Filter Photo Festival: “The Body is Merely the Apparition of a Framework” Photography and curatorial selection of artists’ books | Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection
Group Exhibitions:
2019 “Trans Art Is: Love and Liberation” Curated by Ken Folk, Produced by Vicente Ugartechea | Chicago Therapy Collective, Chicago, IL
2018 “Exploring Belonging: Dimensions of Citizenship” | 16th Venice Architecture Biennale | Universita’ Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Venice, Italy
2018 “helps it to feel, compels it to make” | Weinberg/Newton Gallery, Chicago, IL
2017 “Millennial Millionaires and the Survivor’s Club” | LITHIUM, Chicago, IL
2017 “Post/Natural” Curated by Kayla Anderson | Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection, Chicago, IL
2017 “Declarations of Contemporary” | Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago, IL
2017 “How To Get Read” | Visual and Critical Studies Symposium at SAIC, Chicago, IL
2016 “Open Studio Night” at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago
2016 “New Media” by DAEMON (daem.onl) Curated by Jon Springs | Sulfer Studios, Savannah, GA
2015 “Brooklyn Zine Festival” | Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn, NY.
Performances:
2018 “The War” Prince Julius | Directed by Rumi Missabu (aka. James Bartlett) | Judson Memorial Church | New York, NY
2016 “The Last Days of Pompeii” Apoecides | Directed by Rumi Missabu (aka. James Bartlett) | Lincoln Center | New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium | New York, NY
2015 “The Wisdom of The Sands” Boyfriend No. 1 & The King’s Son | Directed by Rumi Missabu (aka. James Bartlett) | Judson Memorial Church | New York, NY
Bibliography:
“Take Care” ed. Goldberg, Luna. Amado, Sophie. 2019
“The Body is Merely the Apparition of a Framework” | Artist Book and Thesis, Readers: Shawn Michelle Smith, Kamau Patton, Romi N. Crawford | Flaxman Library, Department of Visual and Critical Studies at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, 42 pp, 2019
“Flowers From My Childhood” Risograph print installation, School of The Art Institute of Chicago. 2017
2016 and Earlier:
“Identity and Experience” Duke Colloquium, Advisor: Dr. Sara Morrison. William Jewell College, Liberty, MO
Editorial: Intro to “Inferno” photographs by Daniel Zvereff
Editorial: “Masters of Discipline” for Steady Magazine
Editorial: “Stasis & Static” for Steady Magazine
Art Publications & Collection Holdings:
“No Future Urn” Marble urn and paper ashes, 2018. Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“Canon” 20pp. 2017 | Collected by The School of The Art Institute of Chicago MAVCS
“In/Finite” 20pp. 2016 | Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“Death’s Head” 9pp. 2016
“Urbstract” 9pp. Foldout 2015 | Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“One In Woods” 12pp. 2015 | Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“Winter Aesthetic” 16pp. 2015 | Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“Unfortunately, I Was Dead” 24pp. 2015 | Collected by the Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection
“All My Eyes See” 8 panels 2015
Education:
School of The Art Institute of Chicago | Graduated May, 2018
- Master of Arts in Visual and Critical Studies
- Awarded the enrichment grant, nominated for all graduate fellowships
William Jewell College | Graduated May, 2013
- Major: English | Gender Theory – History of Sexuality – Critical Theory and History – Art History
- Minor: Philosophy | Existentialism – Language & Science – Subjectivity & Identity – Politics, Law, & Economics
- Awarded music scholarship, presidential scholarship, and honors scholarship
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