Nathaniel Mellors
About Nathaniel Mellors
Current Teaching
Nathaniel Mellors is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Art, Architecture & Design. He is also an adviser at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam.
Research Interests
The complex relationship between language and power is a recurring theme in Nathaniel Mellors' multi-faceted work, typically manifesting itself in absurdist, humorous narratives that reveal a penchant for satire and the grotesque.
Mellors makes film and video, sculpture, painting, mechanized (animatronic) sculpture and music. Script-writing underpins a lot of Mellors visual work as he explores different approaches to the development of his original texts in a variety of media. Parodying the formats and structures through which information is popularly conveyed – such as the television drama, political broadcast, critical analysis or avant-garde plays - Mellors sets up theatrical frameworks to test the line between meaningful content and incomprehensibility. At the core of his practice lies a fascination with the relationship between word and effect.
Selected Publications
Journal articles (4)
- Mellors NM (2013) Simona Cresci, Nathaniel Mellors - MONITOR, Rome Flash Art Italian edition, Feb 2013
- Mellors NM (2013) 'Full Stream Ahead - Artists' Moving Image', Sight & Sound, June 2013, p.68
- Connolly M (2013) Televisual Objects - Props, Relics & Prosthetics
https://doi.org/10.1086/672021 - Mellors NM (2011) Manon Braat, 'Nathaniel Mellors @ Cobra Museum', Kunstbeeld.nl, 14 December 2011
Artworks (12)
- Mellors NM (2014) "The Sophisticated Neanderthal Interview", Hammer Museum, Los Angeles.
- Mellors NM (2014) "The Sophisticated Neanderthal", Galerie art:concept, Paris.http://moussemagazine.it/nathaniel-mellors-artconcept/#sthash.wkH4DwxF.dpuf
- Mellors N (2009) Altermodern
- Mellors N (2009) Contour 2009, 4th Biennial of Moving Image
- Mellors N (2009) Giantbum, Lombard - Freid Projects
- Mellors N (2009) Giantbum, Stedelijk Museum Bureau
- Mellors N (2009) The Time Surgeon
- Mellors N (2009) The Time Surgeon
- Mellors N (2008) Agrifashionistas, Grizedale Arts/ A Foundation
- Mellors N (2008) Art & Research 2008
- Mellors N (2008) Art Now
- Mellors N (2008) Deep Screen - Art in Digital Culture: Proposal for Municipal Acquisition 08
Books (3)
- Mellors NM (2017) The Aalto Natives - A Transcendental Manual. Mousse Publishing.https://www.moussepublishing.com/?product=the-aalto-natives-a-transcendental-manual
- Mellors NM (2015) Past Realization - Essays on Contemporary European Art Vol. 1 -. 1. John C.Welchman, Sternberg Press, 2015.
- Evans D; Herbert M; Higgie J (2007) Nathaniel Mellors - Bok (Text + Work). London: Matts Gallery.https://www.mattsgallery.org/
Compositions (1)
Conference contributions (2)
Exhibitions (26)
- Mellors NM. Giantbum', Altermodern, Curated by Nicolas Bourriaud., 03/02/2009-26/04/2009
- Mellors NM. Nathaniel Mellors, Solo Exhibition, 01/01/2013-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse Episodes1,2 & 4. Solo exhibition of work, publication and curation of film and events programme, 01/01/2011-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Prequel Dump, 27/02/2016-23/04/2016
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse, Galway Arts Centre, Ireland, (In press)-01/01/2013
- Mellors NM. Nathaniel Mellors & Jimmy Joe Roche, 01/01/2013-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse Episode 3, 'The Cure of Folly', 01/01/2012-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse E3 feat. BAD COPY, Salle de Bains, Lyon, 01/01/2012-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse E3 feat. BAD COPY, Matt's Gallery, London, 01/01/2012-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Nathaniel Mellors - The Nest, Cobra Museum, Amstelveen, Netherlands, 01/01/2011-(In press)
- Mellors NM. :Hypercolon:, SMART Project Space, Amsterdam, 01/01/2011-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Tala Madani & Nathaniel Mellors, 28/03/2014-09/05/2014
- Mellors NM. "The Sophisticated Neanderthal" Video Room, Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland., 07/05/2014-25/05/2014http://csw.art.pl/index.php?action=aktualnosci&s2=1&id=987&lang=eng
- Mellors NM. INTRUSION#1, Nathaniel Mellors - Ourhouse Episodes 1&2 The View, Switzerland, 13/04/2014-12/06/2014
- Mellors NM. NEW_CAVE_ART_NOW Stigter van Doesberg, Amsterdam, 05/04/2014-10/05/2014http://www.stigtervandoesburg.com/exhibitions/new-cave-art-now
- Mellors NM. "The Sophisticated Neanderthal Interview", Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin., 05/09/2014-01/11/2014
- Bourriaud N. Taipei Biennial 2014 - The Great Acceleration - A tribute to the co-activity amongst humans, and animals, plants and objects., 03/09/2014-04/01/2015http://www.seismopolite.com/nicolas-bourriaud-notes-for-the-great-acceleration-taipei-biennial-september-13-january-4
- Mellors NM. A Modest Proposal for Radical Bourgeoisie, De Hallen, 01/01/2015-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Super-spreader: Media Virus, 01/01/2015-(In press)
- Mellors NM. Alfred Jarry Archipelago, 18/10/2015-14/02/2016
- Mellors NM. Taipei Biennial 2014 - The Great Acceleration - A tribute to the co-activity amongst humans, and animals, plants and objects., 03/09/2014-04/01/2015https://www.taipeibiennial.org/2014/en/index.html
- Mellors NM. Ourhouse, Episode -1: 'Time', 06/02/2016-04/06/2016http://www.harrismuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/1018-nothing-happens-twice
- Mellors NM. The Aalto Natives, Finland Pavilion, 57th Venice Biennale., 18/02/2017-26/11/2017http://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2017/national-participations
- Mellors NM. Escape From Neolithic, 17/11/2017-20/01/2018http://www.monitoronline.org/
- Mellors NM. "The Sophisticated Neanderthal Interview", Kunsthalle Munster Germany., 08/12/2017-10/03/2018
- Mellors NM. The Aalto Natives, Cobra Museum Amstelveen, Netherlands., 15/12/2017-25/02/2018
Films or broadcasts (8)
- Bob Parks - The R&B Feeling (2016) Mellors NM. :
- "The Sophisticated Neanderthal Interview", Stejdelijk Museum Amsterdam and DeHallen Museum Haarlem. (2015) Mellors NM. :
- European Media Art Festival Osnabrueck (2015) Mellors NM. : Neanderthal Container - screening
- Can Objects Perform? Cricoteka programme at Performa 13, New York (2013) Mellors NM. : Performa 13
- Random Acts (2013) Mellors NM. : Channel 4, UK (Two screenings of TSNI (Sporgo) on Channel 4)
- The Saprophage - Rotterdam Film Festival (2013) Mellors NM. :
- The 7 Ages of Britain Teaser (2010) Mellors NM. : BBChttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p006yyn1
- Art: Ann Demeester over Nathaniel Mellors, AVRO Kunstuur Ned2,Netherlands. (2010) Mellors NM. :
Internet publications (4)
- Fox D (2014), Highlightshttps://frieze.com/
- Mellors NM (2014), 'Nathaniel Mellors at TBG&S', Art Dublin, Hilary Murray
- Mellors NM (2014), 'Paleo-Riot', Rosa Abbott, Totally Dublin
- Mellors NM (2014), 'I'm With Stupid', Billion Journal 86, James Merriganhttp://www.billionjournal.com/time/86_Im_with_Stupid.html
Newspaper or magazine articles (20)
- Mellors NM; Sutcliffe J (2015) The R&B Feeling - dir. Marcus Werner Hed and Nathaniel Mellorshttps://www.artmonthly.co.uk/
- Morton T (2015) Taipei Biennial 2014https://frieze.com/
- Griffin J (2015) Out of the Light Into the Shadows - a History of the Photogramhttp://www.tate.org.uk/
- Kavaliunas L (2014) I AM (NO) ROBOT - Occupy the world: Seminal art theorist Nicolas Bourriaud on Art in the New Machine Age.https://hero-magazine.com/
- Mellors NM (2014) Naive Fascinations, Taipei Times, David Frazier
- Mellors NM (2014) Life in the Fast Lane, Artforum Scene & Heardhttps://www.artforum.com/
- Merjian. H. A (2013) Mascots & Museshttps://frieze.com/
- Fabricius J (2013) Nathaniel Mellors interview with Jacob Fabriciushttps://artreview.com/
- Watson M (2013) Nathaniel Mellors - MONITOR, Romehttps://frieze.com/
- Gianni I (2013) Nathaniel Mellors (MONITOR, Rome, Artforum Critics Picks)https://www.artforum.com/
- Quaintance M (2013) Bob Parkshttps://frieze.com/
- Manfellotto M; Mamula T (2013) Catch The Butterfly and Eat It - Chris Bloor & Nathaniel Mellors interviewed by Tijana Mamula and Manuela Manfellotto.http://www.neromagazine.it/magazine/index.php?c=articolo&idart=1088&idnum=42&num=32
- Mellors NM (2013) Manfellotto
- Gasparina J (2012) Nathaniel Mellors - On Appropriation & Being Appropriated - Jill Gasparina in Email Discussion with Nathaniel Mellors.
- Griffin J (2012) Rudely Transgressing the Borders Between the Elevated and the Profanehttp://www.tate.org.uk/
- Craen. de I (2012) Nathaniel Mellors - Cobra Museum of Arthttps://frieze.com/
- Sooke A (2011) Culture Review of The Year: The 5 Most Promising Artists of 2011 - In Pictures
- Jones J (2011) Paul McCarthy: I had this thing about exposing the interior of the body.https://www.theguardian.com/uk
- Perry C (2011) TV Makeoverhttps://www.artmonthly.co.uk/
- Dezeuze A (2011) 54th Venice Biennalehttps://www.artmonthly.co.uk/
Other (4)
Performances (4)
- Mellors NM (In press) Musical Performance, All The Instruments Agree 'The God In Hackney'
- Mellors NM (In press) Radical Languages, Cricoteka, Krakow (The God in Hackney)
- Mellors NM (In press) Socrates That Practices Music for Junior Aspirin Records, Performa Biennial 2011, New York
- Mellors NM (In press) Fun Palace (with Junior Aspirin Records), Centre Pompidou, Paris