b. 1973, Boston, MA
Lives and works in Providence, RI
Education
1997 BFA in Film/Video/Animation, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Solo Exhibitions
2026
Stratacaster, Derek Eller Gallery, New York, NY (forthcoming)
2021
Ara Peterson, Fuller Speed Shop, Providence, RI
2020
Glass Eye, Scooters for Peach, Tokyo, Japan
2016
Ara Peterson, Derek Eller Gallery, New York, NY
2013
Wavepacks, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
2012
Neon Gray, Galleri LOYAL, Malmo, Sweden
2009
Turns Into Stone, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
2007
Arcade, Positions / Art Basel Miami Beach, John Connelly Presents, Miami, FL
Multidimensional Warp, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
Ara Peterson’s Energy Fields, curated by Douglass Freed, Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO
2006
Wotcha, John Connelly Presents, New York, NY
2005
The Wedge, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
Selected Videos 1997-2005, John Connelly Presents, New York, NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025
Material Instinct, Post Times Gallery, New York, NY
Building Infinity, Building 8, Providence, RI
2024
Electric Op, curated by Tina Ryan, AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY
Unhealthy Obsessions Surf Shop, Cruise Control Gallery, Cambria, CA
2022
Rising Tide Exhibition, curated by Jon Baylor, Jamestown Art Center, Jamestown, RI
2019
The Bellport Anarchist Society, curated by Barry McGee, Auto Body, Bellport, Long Island, NY
Post Analog Studio, The Hole, New York, NY
Vinyls & Clips, Sound Collection Guy, Schraenen & clips d'artistes, Frac Franche-Comté, Besancon, France
2016
CDCDDCDCDCDD, Brian Belott, Ara Peterson, Constance Tenvik, Steina & Woody Vasulka, LOYAL, Stockholm, Sweden
Art Basel Film Sector, curated by David Gryn, Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL
Group Show, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
DFW, Slow Culture, Los Angeles, CA
At Home, curated by Dan Nadel, Launch F18, New York, NY
2015
Exposition Providence, curated by Jonas Delaborde, MIAM Musée International des Arts Modestes Sete, France
What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 to the Present, RISD Museum, Providence, RI (travelled to Matthew Marks, New York, NY)
2014
The Optical Unconscious/Das Optische Unbewusste, curated by Bob Nickas, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
This is Our Music, David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
A Massive Swelling, Mudguts, Brooklyn NY
2013
XSTRACTION, The Hole, New York, NY
Pattern: Follow The Rules, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, East Lansing, MI
Locally Made, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI
2012
Transmission LA: AV Club, curated by Mike Diamond, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Abstract Realities, The Studios, Key West, FL
2011
Dadarhea, Canada Gallery, New York, NY
Among the Breakage, David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University, Providence, RI
New York Minute, The Garage, Center for Contemporary Culture, Moscow, Russia
Frederik Meijer, Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI
2010
PortugalArte10, PortugalArte, Lisbon, Portugal
FORCEFIELD: Videos, Paul Pieroni's Programme, London, UK
Ashes To Ashes, AMP, Athens, Greece
2009
Topographies, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
Wynwood Walls, in collaboration with Jim Drain, Goldman Properties, Miami, FL
eARTS Beyond, Shanghai International Gallery Exhibition of Media Art, China
Borderland Abstraction, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE
New York Minute, MACRO FUTURE, Rome, Italy
Liberation Upon Contact, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
Galaxy: A Hundred or So Stars Visible to the Naked Eye, curated by Lawrence Rinder, University of California, Berkeley Art Museum
2008
It Ain’t Fair, O.H.W.O.W, Miami, FL
Materialized: New American Video and...., Bergen Kunsthalle, Bergen, Norway
Constraction, Deitch Projects, New York, NY
2007
Alpha, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA
Deaf "From the audible to the visible", at Galerie Frank Elbaz, Paris
2006
Music is a Better Noise, curated by Bob Nickas, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center/The Museum of Modern Art, Long Island City, NY
Cosmic Wonder, with Jim Drain, curated by Betty Nguyen, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
The 59th Minute: Video Art on the NBC Astrovision by Panasonic, Times Square, New York, NY
The Gallery Show, Extra City Center for Contemporary Art, Antwerp, Belgium
Slow Burn, Galerie Edward Mitterand, Geneva, Switzerland
Panic Room, The Deste Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
2005
Hypnogoogia, with Jim Drain, Deitch Projects, New York, NY
Extreme Abstraction, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
The Jeweleigha Set, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York, NY
Seventh Annual Altoids Curiosly Strong Collections, various locations
2004
Wiggin Village, with Jim Drain, The Moore Space, Miami, FL
Color Wheel Oblivion, Marella Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy
The Transparent Eyeball, Liverpool Biennale, UK
Curious Crystals of Unusual Purity, curated by Steve Lafreniere and Bob Nickas, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center/The Museum of Modern Art, Long Island City, NY
Collection (or how I spent my year), P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center/The Museum of Modern Art, Long Island City, NY
Tedious Limbs Exhibit, Flynn Farm, Los Angeles, CA
Domestic Porn, Foksal Gallery Foundation, Warsaw, Poland
2003
Group Show, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
Bizarre Love Triangle, with Jim Drain and Eamon Brown, The Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA
It Happened Tomorrow, with Jim Drain and Eamon Brown, Biennale d’arte contemporian De Lyon, France
Window, with Jim Drain, H.P.France:Bjoux, Tokyo Station, Japan
Piled High, Hanna hp grp, Tokyo, Japan
Regarding Amy, with Jim Drain, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York, NY
Karaoki Death Machine, Daniel Reich Gallery, New York, NY
Paper Rodeo Group Show, Space 1026, Philadelphia, PA
2002
The Kids are Alright, ATM Gallery, New York, NY
Group Show, as Forcefield, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, IL
Flashpapers, as Forcefield, Daniel Reich Gallery, New York, NY
Body of Work, as Forcefield, Gallery Agniel, Providence, RI
Third Annual Roggabogga, as Forcefield, 2002 Biennial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
2001
Forcefield, Parlour Projects, Brooklyn, NY
Bibliography
2022
Undercurrents, "Stenciled Air Mattresses." The Surfers Journal. April/May 2022. Print.
2016
Rosenberg, Karen. “Galleries.” The New York Times. 16 Dec 2016. Print.
2010
Melendez, Franklin. Ara Peterson. New York: Seems, 2010. Print.
2009
Melendez, Franklin. “Ara Peterson’s Tension.” Artslant. Nov. 2009. Web.
2008
Golonu, Berin. “William T. Wiley and Ara Peterson.” Art on Paper. Nov. 2008: 74–75. Print.
2007
LeBlanc, Marc. “Ara Peterson.” Artillery Sep. 2007: 43. Print.
Diaz, Karla. “Ara Peterson.” Beautiful Decay 2007: 36. Print.
Georgeopoulos, Alexis. “Ara Peterson: Multidimensional Warp.” The San Francisco Bay Guardian 23 May 2007: 41. Print.
2005
Bing, Alison. “Ara Peterson.” SFGate.com Jul. 2005. Web.
Cotter, Holland. “Review.” The New York Times 27 May 2005: B23. Print.
Orden, Abraham. “Jim Drain & Ara Peterson.” artUS Mar. 2005: 17. Print.
Smith, Roberta. “Art in Review: The Jeweleigha Set.” The New York Times 15 Jul. 2005.
2004
Color Wheel Oblivion. Milan, Italy: Marella Arte Contemporanea, 2004. Print.
Finkel, Jori. “Front Page: Miami Beach in December: Cool Stuff.” Art in America Dec. 2004. Print.
Nickas, Robert. “GOREFEST 2004.” Vice Magazine 2004: 46. Print.
2003
Honada, Maki. “Anytime Psychedelic.” Studio Voice Sep. 2003: 13. Print.
Schwendener, Martha. “Regarding Amy.” Artforum.com Jul. 2003. Web.
Smith, Roberta. “A Grand Finale of Group Show Fireworks.” The New York Times 18 Jul. 2003: B29.
“The Rainbow Men Have Come to the Marunouchi Bldg,” BT Magazine 2003: 10–11.
Yablonsy, Linda. “Regarding Amy,” Time Out 10 Jul. 2003.
Commissions
2016
TCH Energy Corridor, Houston Texas
2014
Embassy of the United States, Vientiane Laos
Hall Wines, St. Helena, California
Collections
Albright Knox (AKG Art Museum), Buffalo, New York
Berkeley Museum of Art and Pacific Film Archive, University of California Berkeley
Altoids Curiously Strong Collection/New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York
The Deste Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
The Progressive Art Collection, Cleveland, Ohio
The Deitch Archive
The Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Museum of Modern Art, New York