Lycia Trouton
Encyclopedia
Dr Lycia Danielle Trouton is a Sculptor / Installation Artist / Writer / Educator / Art theorist / Presenter based in Sydney
and Belfast
. A site-conscious sculptor who uses the 'art of textiles' and memory in her artwork.
Lycia was born in 1967 in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
and emigrated to Canada
in 1970. After pre-college studies at Otis College of Art and Design
, Los Angeles
followed by a year of liberal arts, majoring in art and drama at Whittier College
in California
, U.S.A. Lycia obtained her BFA (Hons) - Sculpture at Carnegie Mellon University
, Pennsylvania
, U.S.A in 1988 and her MFA - Sculpture at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
, U.S.A in 1991. After moving to Australia in 2001, Lycia completed her DCA (50% thesis and 50% creative project - The Linen Memorial
, An Intimate Monument: Re-Narrating The Troubles in Northern Ireland) at the University of Wollongong
, 2006.
Lycia's Canadian oeuvre has been large scale site-specific sculpture. Her signature artworks engage 'materialism in sculpture'; 'aggregate' sculptures in the style of organic conceptual minimalism, made of compressed materials that are iconic to 'place' or 'country'. She often chooses to work with banal, inexpensive materials similar to that of the arte povera
movement, using materials which produce artworks that are time-based and of 'a living system'.
After a decade of constructing earthworks in North America
, and installing one civic and one ecclesiastical commission (both in bronze) in Seattle, USA, Lycia conceived of The Linen Memorial in 2001 after exhibiting in North Belfast. The Linen Memorial commemorates those killed in 'The Troubles
' in Northern Ireland
in a non-hierarchical listing of names hand sewn memorial on Irish Linen Handkerchiefs. The 2002 Australian showing included an interdisciplinary dimension, featuring an original sonic-scape by Thomas Fitzgerald (composer)
, which incorporated Kevin McFadden's Gaelic poetry, with oration by Antony Stamboulieh, and a performance with choreography by Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, OAM, and her Mirramu Dance Company
. The Memorial was publicly unveiled in Ireland in 2007 as part of The first Private Day of Reflection.
Lycia lectures in contemporary art history and post-modern, post-colonial art criticism and/or studio-practice, is an emerging academic writer and art critic (in print and on TV) and since 2000, art theorist, presenter and interviewer. Lycia was co founder of ArtistRun as a collaborative group providing promotional support for emerging artists and musicians in Vancouver in 2000 and in February 2007, she was responsible for the re instigation of The 19th Century Cushendall Trust 'Essay' Prize proposed by Francis Turnly (1766–1845) the former Landlord of Cushendall for his Integral Union of Human Society.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. A site-conscious sculptor who uses the 'art of textiles' and memory in her artwork.
Lycia was born in 1967 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1970. After pre-college studies at Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design is an art and design college in Los Angeles, California.The school's programs, accredited by WASC and National Association of Schools of Art and Design, include four-year BFA degrees in illustration, fine arts, graphic design, architecture, landscape design, interior...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
followed by a year of liberal arts, majoring in art and drama at Whittier College
Whittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.A. Lycia obtained her BFA (Hons) - Sculpture at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, U.S.A in 1988 and her MFA - Sculpture at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
, U.S.A in 1991. After moving to Australia in 2001, Lycia completed her DCA (50% thesis and 50% creative project - The Linen Memorial
The Linen Memorial
The Linen Memorial, conceived and created in 2001 by sculptor Dr Lycia Danielle Trouton and sponsored by Canada Council of the Arts as an ongoing site conscious memorial installation which seeks to narrate the almost 4,000 deaths which took place during the fraught period in contemporary Northern...
, An Intimate Monument: Re-Narrating The Troubles in Northern Ireland) at the University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong is a public university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney...
, 2006.
Lycia's Canadian oeuvre has been large scale site-specific sculpture. Her signature artworks engage 'materialism in sculpture'; 'aggregate' sculptures in the style of organic conceptual minimalism, made of compressed materials that are iconic to 'place' or 'country'. She often chooses to work with banal, inexpensive materials similar to that of the arte povera
Arte Povera
Arte Povera is a modern art movement. The term was introduced in Italy during the period of upheaval at the end of the 1960s, when artists were taking a radical stance. Artists began attacking the values of established institutions of government, industry, and culture, and even questioning whether...
movement, using materials which produce artworks that are time-based and of 'a living system'.
After a decade of constructing earthworks in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and installing one civic and one ecclesiastical commission (both in bronze) in Seattle, USA, Lycia conceived of The Linen Memorial in 2001 after exhibiting in North Belfast. The Linen Memorial commemorates those killed in 'The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
' in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in a non-hierarchical listing of names hand sewn memorial on Irish Linen Handkerchiefs. The 2002 Australian showing included an interdisciplinary dimension, featuring an original sonic-scape by Thomas Fitzgerald (composer)
Thomas Fitzgerald (composer)
Dr Thomas Fitzgerald is an Australian Composer, Musical Director, Conductor and Musician.Thomas Fitzgerald completed his Doctoral Thesis in Composition at the University of Wollongong in 2005. He also holds a Master of Music and Bachelor of Music from Melbourne University...
, which incorporated Kevin McFadden's Gaelic poetry, with oration by Antony Stamboulieh, and a performance with choreography by Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, OAM, and her Mirramu Dance Company
Mirramu Dance Company
Mirramu Dance Company is an Australian contemporary dance company founded in early 2002 by Australian dance pioneer Elizabeth Cameron Dalman and dancer–choreographer Vivienne Rogis....
. The Memorial was publicly unveiled in Ireland in 2007 as part of The first Private Day of Reflection.
Lycia lectures in contemporary art history and post-modern, post-colonial art criticism and/or studio-practice, is an emerging academic writer and art critic (in print and on TV) and since 2000, art theorist, presenter and interviewer. Lycia was co founder of ArtistRun as a collaborative group providing promotional support for emerging artists and musicians in Vancouver in 2000 and in February 2007, she was responsible for the re instigation of The 19th Century Cushendall Trust 'Essay' Prize proposed by Francis Turnly (1766–1845) the former Landlord of Cushendall for his Integral Union of Human Society.
Site-conscious sculpture - 1991 - 1999
- Labyrinth
- 1991 Greek Theatre, Cranbrook Educational Community, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan,1991
- Hogfuel Horns and other artworks - Webs, Logboom
- 1992, University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
- 1992, University of British Columbia
- Forest Art
- 1992 University of British Columbia Research Forest
- Three large-scale installations
- 1992 Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia
- Serpentine Knowledge and BioLogical Time
- 1993 Whitman CollegeWhitman CollegeWhitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
, Walla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census... - Catalogue essay, BioLogical Time, Gerry Craig, Gallery Director and Fabric Artist, USA, 1993. (onsite)
- 1993 Whitman College
- Art Terre
- 1994 Second Biennial Arts Exposition, Buckingham, QuebecBuckingham, QuebecBuckingham was a city located in the Outaouais region of the province of Quebec. Since January 1, 2002, it has been part of the amalgamated city of Gatineau which merged five former municipalities, including Masson-Angers, Buckingham, Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau, into a single entity...
, Canada
- 1994 Second Biennial Arts Exposition, Buckingham, Quebec
- The Dragon's Tail
- 1995 Albright CollegeAlbright CollegeAlbright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
& University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Berks Campus, Reading, PennsylvaniaReading, PennsylvaniaReading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
- 1995 Albright College
- Terra Flux
- Collaboration with David Scott-Risner
- Horsehead International Sculpture Exhibition, Seattle
- Waters of Life
- 1999 for Horsehead International Sculpture Exhibition, Belfast
- 7 Bronze Samaras: Scattering the Seeds of Knowledge
- 2002 King County Library SystemKing County Library SystemThe King County Library System is a library system serving the residents of King County, Washington, United States. Headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, KCLS is currently the busiest library in the United States, circulating 22.4 million items in 2010. It consists of 48 libraries, a Traveling...
, Maple Valley Library, Washington state with Johnston Architects and James Cutler Architects
- 2002 King County Library System
Installation Art about Memory, Trauma & Migration : 2000 - 2008
- The Linen Memorial : 2001 - 2008
- 2008 - The Linen Memorial, The second Day of Private Reflection, June 21, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
- 2008 - The Linen Hall Library exhibition
- 2007 - The Linen Memorial, The first Day of Private Reflection, June 21, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
- 2006 - Slide Presentation, Australian National UniversityAustralian National UniversityThe Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, Cross Cultural Research Centre, Canberra, ACT, Australia - 2005 The Irish Linen Memorial thesis exhibition, University of Wollongong Faculty Gallery
- 2004 Transformation of Tears: The Irish Linen Memorial Craft ACT Gallery and Design Centre, Canberra, collaborative exhibition
- 2002 The Irish Linen Memorial 'Horrific Hankies' collaborative exhibition, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong, NSW
- 2002 - Unfolding Territories group exhibition
- 2001 - Between Two Worlds: The Common Body, The Irish Linen Memorial, Gallery One, Ellensburgh, WA, USA
- Past/Future: Handkerchiefs of Hope
- Home Sweet Home Collaborative video work with Brian Kennedy, 2006
- Excavation of being at rest: Make Do and Mend (Video)
- Make Do and Mend
- Carousel
- Hinge/Fold Series
Permanent Collections
- Bundanon Collection, NSW
- King County Library System, Maple Valley Library, Washington state with award-winning Ray and Mary Johnston Architects & Assoc. and James Cutler Architects
- St. Dunstan's Church
- Stanley ParkStanley ParkStanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
, Children's Farmyard, Vancouver, B.C., Canada - Community Fence Design with co-artist Pat Beaton, printmaker, and grunt gallery, management, East *Vancouver, B.C., Canada
- Private collections
- Mary Madonis, 3 garden cauldrons
- Sally Kaplan, photo-documentation print of Labyrinth
Selected exhibitions
- 2007 How do I get out of Here, How do I get Back? Penghu Art Centre, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Curator: Chin Ming Lee - 2002 Unfolding Territories, Cloisters Gallery, University of Wollongong, NSW
- 2002 Australia's Industry World competition, 10 short-listed winners, BHP Steel Plant, NSW
- 1999-2000 Seattle Millennium Project, Festal, Seattle Center, Washington, USA
- 1999 Horsehead International Sculpture Exhibitions, Belfast, Northern Ireland & Seattle
- 1998 Horsehead International Sculpture Exhibitions, Seattle, Washington
- 1997 Albright CollegeAlbright CollegeAlbright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
, Timeframes, Reading, PA - 1995-7 Penn State University, Landmarks, Berks campus, Reading, PA
- 1995 Fremont Fine Arts Foundry, Foundry Direct, Seattle, WA
- 1991 Paint Creek Centre for the Arts, Nature as a Living System, Birmingham, MI, U.S.A.
- 1991 Detroit Artist's Market, Site, Lines and Planes - artists and architects, Detroit, MI
- 1991 Cranbrook Art Gallery MFA thesis exhibition, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- 1988 Forbes Gallery, Juried show by Sam Gilliam, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 1988 BFA Thesis exhibition.
Writing
- Lace: contemporary textiles : exhibition + new works (Contributor: ISBN 0977532550 (0-9775325-5-0)
- FibreArts 2007, VOL 34; NUMB 3, pages 44–45
Educator
- Visiting Artist and Art History and Theory Lecturer:
- Charles Darwin UniversityCharles Darwin UniversityCharles Darwin University is an Australian public university with about 20,000 students in 2007.The University offers a wide range of Higher Education degrees and Vocational Education and Training courses with flexible study options, including part-time, external and online.CDU has campuses in the...
, DarwinDarwin, Northern TerritoryDarwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, Australia 2005 - University of South AustraliaUniversity of South AustraliaThe University of South Australia is a public university in the Australian state of South Australia. It was formed in 1991 with the merger of the South Australian Institute of Technology and Colleges of Advanced Education. It is the largest university in South Australia, with more than 36,000...
, School of Art and Design, Design & Craft History and Theory, Adelaide , SA 2006
- Charles Darwin University
- Guest Lecturer and Tutor : University of Wollongong, NSW 2002 - 5
- Instructor at Kwantlen University with British Columbia Institute of TechnologyBritish Columbia Institute of TechnologyThe British Columbia Institute of Technology , is a public, coeducational, academic institution of higher education in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The polytechnic has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with the main campus in Burnaby...
(B.C.I.T) 1997 - 1999 - Applied Design Department, Canada
Public Art Consultant
- Seattle Arts Commission and Seattle Public LibrarySeattle Public LibraryThe Seattle Public Library is the public library system serving Seattle, Washington, USA. It was officially established by the city in 1890, though there had been efforts to start a Seattle library as early as 1868. There are 26 branches in the system, most of them named after the neighborhoods in...
with Streeter and Associates, award-winning Nakano Associates Landscape Architects, Washington, USA 2001 - 2002 for the renovation at Rainier Beach Public Library, South Seattle, Washington.
Grants & Awards
- Production grants
- Canada Council mid-level career production grant for The Irish Linen Memorial 2001
- Canadian High Commission, Canberra, ACT grant for The Irish Linen Memorial 2004
- Travel grants
- British Columbia Arts Council travel grant to Belfast, Northern Ireland for Horsehead International Projects exhibition
- Canada Council Travel Grant to Quebec, Canada for Art Terre
- Residential grants
- Varuna Writer's Retreat, December 2008
- Bundanon Artist Retreat, New South Wales, 2006
- NSW Ministry of Arts in conjunction with ARTSPACE, The Gunnery, Sydney, Australia, 2004
- Educational awards
- International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS)
- University Postgraduate Award (UPA) University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Mannesman Demag Senior Award in Sculpture, Carnegie Mellon University
- British Columbia Cultural Fund Scholarship
- Art Talent Tuition Scholarship, Whittier College, Los Angeles, CA
- Full Tuition Scholarship, Otis Institute of Parson's School of Design, Los Angeles, California