Dr Fernando do Campo

Fernando do Campo (b. Mar del Plata, 1987) is an artist, writer and curator. Since 2015 he also produces work as the HSSH (House Sparrow Society for Humans). Recent projects have used a practice of birdwatching, curatorial methodology, painting, fiction and post-humanist writing to examine the documented and undocumented histories of introduced species in the global south. Much of his material practice emerges from his research into the possibility of a re-positioning of historiography within colonial archives and collections. Through experimental narration, countering archives with feminist, queer, post-humanist and decolonial lenses; art has the power to re-author the southern narratives.

Fernando joined UNSW Art + Design in 2017 after completing two years at Parsons School of Design, The New School, New York, as a Sir General John Monash Foundation Scholar. Fernando is represented by Praxis Gallery, Buenos Aires & New York. He holds degrees from the University of Tasmania, the Australian National University and The New School, completing an MFA at Parsons School of Design, in 2016.

Solo exhibitions include: The towneys watched back, Ararat Regional Gallery, VIC; I always hear you before I see you, Praxis Gallery, New York (both 2017); Localized Contagion, Praxis Gallery, New York (2015); Figure behind a lake, Australian Consulate General, New York (2015); Come away closer, Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, Darwin (2014); and Two clouds passing behind stars, Mclemoi Gallery, Sydney (2013). Group exhibitions and projects include: Atavast, curated by Jess English, Standard Practice, Brooklyn (2016), I can because you do, curated by Alhena Katsof, Participant Inc. New York (2016); When Contradictions Collide, curated by Alasdair Doyle, NextWave Festival, Melbourne (2016); Why Listen to Animals? curated by Danni Zuvela and Joel Stern, Liquid Architecture at Westspace, Melbourne (2016); and Rainbow and Others, commissioned by Geoff Robinson, Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne (2016).

Fernando was Assistant Curator of The New School Art Collection (2014-2016) researching the school’s 13 major public art commissions since 1930 including works by Kara Walker, Sol LeWitt, Glenn Ligon and Alfredo Jaar. He was founding director of Sawtooth ARI, Tasmania and team leader at the Australian Pavilion, 55^th Venice Biennale, 2013. Fernando  has curated freelance exhibitions for Devonport Regional Gallery, Contemporary Arts Tasmania (CAT), Junction Arts Festival and Hobart City Council. His artwork and writings have appeared in numerous publications and journals and he is a regular contributor to Art Monthly Australia.

Fernando has received awards from the Australian Regional Arts Fund, Arts Tasmania, Ian Potter Cultural Trust, Australia Council for the Arts, and Parsons School of Design. He has undertaken residencies at the Chelsea Westminster Hospital, London; Cite International des Arts, Paris and BMUKK, Austrian Ministry of Culture, Vienna.