United States, born 1981
Jesse Berlin has been an avid sculptor from early childhood. He received a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in Sculpture from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale where he specialized in highly detailed figurative sculpture. While at SAIC he worked at the International Museum of Surgical Science as the curator of the Anatomy in the Gallery exhibition, a constantly changing showcase of medically themed, contemporary artwork. Upon graduating from SAIC, Jesse was recruited into the Maxillofacial Prosthetic Technician training program at the Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center in conjunction with Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York where he advanced his skills learning to make complex and highly realistic facial prosthetics.
Jesse has exhibited in numerous prestigious galleries across the country and has received several awards for his work. Two of his pieces were featured in the 2013 Arizona Biennial and in 2014 he was featured in a two-page spread in Direct Art magazine. He has also been a regular contributor to the Conjoined series of exhibitions at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, and has exhibited in several national venues, including DeVos Place Convention Center, Limner Gallery, Sacred Machine, and Manifest Gallery.
He now resides in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona where continues to produce arresting and provocative sculpture, and remains an active part of the local art community. He has organized and curated local events including the annual Tucson Erotica exhibition and Tucson Sculpture Fest.
Exhibitions (*solo exhibitions, ** received award)
2019
Creep Show: Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. Juried by Brian Patrick Weaver.
2nd Annual Tucson Sculpture Month Exhibition: Copenhagen Imports, Tucson, AZ. Curated by Maurice Brantley
2018
Tucson Erotica: The Sculpture Resource Center, Tucson, AZ. Curated by Dianna Taylor.
39th Annual Contemporary Crafts: Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Mesa, AZ. Juried by Bruce Hoffman
Final Bosses: Xpanded Universe, Tucson, AZ. Curated by Michael Olivarez.
9th Annual Tucson Sculpture Festival 2018: The Sculpture Resource Center Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Dianna Taylor
2017
Clay Inspirations: Gallery Azul, Tucson, AZ. Curated by George Penaloza
Tucson Erotica: The Sculpture Resource Center, Tucson, AZ. Curated by Dianna Taylor.
8th Annual Tucson Sculpture Festival 2017: The Sculpture Resource Center in conjunction with Borderlands Brewery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Dianna Taylor
Conjoined VII : Copro Gallery, Los Angeles, California. Curated by Chet Zar.
2016 Cult of Nostalgia: Thunder Canyon Brewery, Tucson, AZ. Curated by Dianna Taylor.
Tucson Erotica: The Sculpture Resource Center, Tucson, AZ. Co-curated by Jesse Berlin and Dianna Taylor.
7th Annual Tucson Sculpture Festival 2016: The Sculpture Resource Center in conjunction with Borderlands Brewery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Paul Whitby.
2015
Misshapen*: Wee Gallery, Tucson, AZ. Self-Curated
1st Annual Ruthie A. Preston Wildlife Art Exhibition**: International Wildlife Museum, Tucson, AZ.
2015 Tucon Erotica: The Sculpture Resource Center, Tucson, AZ. Co-curated by Jesse Berlin and Paul Whitby.
Conjoined V: Copro Gallery, Los Angeles, California. Curated by Chet Zar.
6th Annual Tucson Sculpture Festival 2015: The Art Gallery in conjunction with the Drawing Studio, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Tanya Rich.
2014
Jesse Berlin Retrospective*: Red Sky, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Sean
Thermal PHX: Monorchid Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona. Curated by Justin Germaine.
Steampunk**: Industria, Tucson, Arizona. Curated and judged by Marc David Leviton.
5th Annual Tucson Sulpture Festival 2014: The Art Gallery in conjunction with The Sculpture resource Center, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Tanya Rich.
Conjoined IV: A new Beginning: Copro Gallery, Los Angeles, California. Curated by Chet Zar.
2013
Small Works Invitational: Sacred Machine Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Paula Catherine Valencia.
Show of Heads: Limner Gallery, Hudson, New York. Curated by Tim Slowinski.
Arizona Biennial 2013: Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona. Juried By René Paul Barilleaux.
Art Prize: DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI. Curated by Eddie Tadlock.
Specimen*: SIU Museum, Carbondale, Illinois. Self Curated.
Mad world: Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, Illinois. Natalie Domchenko.
7th Annual C4 Juried Exhibition**: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried by David Freeman.
2012
Art Over Easy 8 Auction and Juried Competition: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried By Buzz Spector.
New Works By Critical Forum: Jacoby Art Center, Alton, Illinois. Curated by Critical Forum
6th Annual C4 Juried Exhibition: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried by Ivy Cooper.
Transformation: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Curated by the School of Art and Design at SIUC.
2011
Third Annual Nude Juried Exhibition: Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio. Curated by Jason Franz. Manifest Jury Committee. (catalogue)
Art Over Easy 7**: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried By Barry Blinderman.
Function?: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Curated by Critical Forum.
First Year Chopping Block: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Curated by the School of Art and Design at SIUC.
Night of the Living Doug: The Douglas School Art Place, Murphysboro, Illinois. Curated by Jason Wonnell.
2010
New Work*: The Vergette Gallery at SIUC, Carbondale, Illinois. Self-curated.
Erotica Invitational: La Malinche Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Martin Quintanilla.
2009
Salon Des Refuse Invitational: Dinnerware Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by David Aguirre.
Summer Invitational: La Malinche Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Martin Quintanilla.
Second Thursday Event: Sculpture Resource Center, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Mathew Woodhall.
Winter Invitational: La Malinche Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Martin Quintanilla.
Pima College Juried Exhibition**: Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Juried by A. T. Willet, Michael Contreras, and Jude Clark.
2008
Pima College Juried Exhibition**: Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Juried by Frances Murray, Susannah Maurer, and John Salgado.
Mythopoeian Perspectives: Two-person show, Art Culture Partnership Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Curated by Xotchitl Gil.
2004 Senior Exhibition: Gallery 2, Chicago, Illinois. Curated by The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Education
2013 MFA in Sculpture-Southern Illinois University
2006 Certificate of Anaplastology-James J. Peters Veterans Medical Center in conjunction with Columbia University
2004 BFA-The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1997-98 The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
1999-2000 Pima Community College
Bibliography (*reviews)
Presnell, Kelly. "Tucson Creatives: Meet Jesse Berlin." Arizona Daily Star 27 Jun. 2019: Caliente 8. Print and Online,
Sculpture Tucson, Sculpture Festival, Show & Sale, Exhibition Catalog, 2019
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, 39th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Exhibition Catalog, 2018 Kathleen Allen, "Arizona Dailey Star: 1/29/2015 Caliente," 2015 Sculpture Fest Showcases a variety of styles, media," insert: "Jesse Berlin, by Daniel Durkart" http://tucson.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/sculpture-fest-showcases-a-variety-of-styles-media/article_42ae0967-f088-5415-84a2-20054e088cab.html
Ken Carr (producer), “KGUN 9 Morning Blend: 12/22/2014," 5 minute segment: "Jesse Berlin - Sculptor," http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/shows/the-morning-blend/video/jesseberlin-286607211.html
Tim Slowinski (editor), “Direct Art Magazine: Vol. 21, 2014-2015,” 2 page spread, 2014-2015
David Franklin AKA Phlegm Buoyant, “The Artfest Show: Episode 8,” television interview, April 2014. http://www.accesstucson.org/programming/program/69153/
*Howard Salmon, “Arizona Biennial 2013: Gutsy Art,” Tucson Art Echibits Reviewed, http://tucsonartexhibit.blogspot.com/2013/07/arizona-biennial-2013-music-meat-food.html, July 2013
*Fran Watson, “Take It Off (‘Nude’ at Manifest Gallery),” ÆQAI, September 2011 and Express Cincinnati, September 2011
Jason Franz, Manifest Volume 56: 3rd Annual Nude|Go Ahead...Touch Me!, Exhibition Catalog, 2011
Rhihannon Helms and Tom Speer, Ph.D., Sand Script Art and Literary Magazine, Visual Art Portfolios, 2009.
Julie Farstad, Oral Report: The International Museum of Surgical Science, Mouth to Mouth Magazine, curatorial interview, Winter, 2004.
Awards and Honors
2017 O'Halloran Scholarship: Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
Directors Choice Award: 1st Annual Ruthie A. Preston Wildlife Art Exhibition: International Wildlife Museum, Tucson, AZ
2015 Semifinalist: One 5: 5th Annual Manifest Prize: Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. http://www.manifestgallery.org/about/schedule.html
2014 Double Page Feature Award: 2014 Direct Art Magazine: SlowArt Productions, Hudson, NY http://www.slowart.com/damag.htm
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th 2014 Showcase Winner: Artslant Prize: http://www.artslant.com/ny/showcases/showcase
Best in Show: 2014 Steam Punk: The Gallery at Indiustria Studios, Tucson, Arizona. Juror Marc Leviton.
2013 Windgate Graduate Scholorship: Windgate Foundation in conjunction with Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. Jurors Graduate Faculty Committee.
2013 First Prize In Graduate Category: 7th Annual C4 Juried Exhibition: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried By David Freeman.
2011 Silver Egg in Student Category: Art Over Easy 7: Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, Illinois. Juried By Barry Blinderman.
2009 Best in Mixed Media: 2009 Pima College Juried Exhibition; Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Juried by A. T. Willet, Michael Contreras, and Jude Clark.
2009 Arizona Designer Craftsmen Award For Art in Craft Media: Pima College Juried Exhibition; Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Tucson. Presented by the Arizona Designer Craftsmen Southern Arizona Chapter.
2008 Best in Sculpture: 2008 Pima College Juried Exhibition; Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Juried by Frances Murray, Susannah Maurer, and John Salgado.
2000-2004 Academic Merit Scholarship: School of The Art Institute of Chicago
Collections
Douglas Nielson Collection, Tucson, Arizona
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