Biographie
artist statement | My art currently deals with the phenomenon of “Porn Chic” which is omnipresent in our society. “Porn Chic” evolved in the 90s when the media contributed to the sexualisation of culture. As a result, the boundaries between pornography and culture became blurred and permeable and elements of pornography trickled into the mainstream. Because of its popularity, extension and impact, creating awareness of its existence is, in my opinion, of utmost importance. I aim to create awareness by blowing up “Porn Chic” images from advertisements and painting them in a semi-photorealistic way on large size canvases whilst maintaining the figures' sense of distance and glam aesthetics. Subtly created dissonances, such as an elongated limb or a slightly lopsided eye, exaggerate the characters' expressions and stereotypical personalities. This provokes thought processes and urges the viewer to question this everyday glossy explicitness.--- "Nicola's photo-realistic style is very striking and often unsettling." Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, London --- --- "well executed!" Mark Jason Gallery, London --- --- "impressive work" Portals Gallery, Chicago --- |
Education | |
| 2011 | Referee, Journal of Gender Studies |
| 2010 | member of the Academic Advisory Board, Graduate Journal of Social Science |
| 2010 | GEXcel - Visiting Research Fellowship, Linköping, Sweden |
2010 | PhD in Art, research topic: 'Porn Chic', Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
2003 | university degree 1. Staatsexamen |
1998–2003 | change of degree course to Educational Science, English & Art (at secondary school level), Universität-GH Paderborn, Germany |
1997–1998 | studies towards an MA (English language and literature, Media Studies, Culture & Anthropology), Universität-GH Paderborn, Germany |
1997 | Abitur (English, Art, Maths, Geography + 7 other A – Level subjects), Herder-Gymnasium, Minden, Germany |
Solo Exhibitions | |
| 2010 | Paintings by Nicola Bockelmann - 'Das Ewig-Weibliche/The Eternal Feminine': From Portraits to Porn-Chic', Cartwright Hall Gallery, Bradford, UK |
| 2010 | The Roast, Leeds, UK |
2006 | Porn Chic, Microzine, Liverpool - Independents Biennial Liverpool, UK Porn Chic, Brahm Gallery, Leeds, UK |
2002–2006 | KunstART, national touring exhibition organised by Paderborn University, Germany |
1996 | Tequila-Café, Minden, Germany |
Selected Group Exhibitions | |
| 2012 (forthcoming) | The Door Prize, Centrespace Gallery, Bristol, UK |
| 2011 | 13th Painting, Drawing, Print & Photography Juried Online International Art Exhibition, Upstream People Gallery, Omaha, USA |
| 2010 | The Secret Art Show, York City Screen, York, UK |
New Media, Sex, and Culture in the 21st Century, MONA (Museum of New Art), Detroit, USA | |
Waterside Open 2010, The Lauriston Gallery, Waterside Art Centre, Sale, Greater Manchester, UK | |
| 2009 | Open Exhibition - part of Saltaire Arts Trial 2009, Shipley College, Saltaire, UK |
Holbeck Music and Art Festival, Leeds, UK | |
Salon (Doppelgaenger), Torhaus, Dortmund, Germany | |
| 2008 | Salon 2008 - part of ESA’s (East Street Arts) Social Club programme Multitude, Patrick Studios, Leeds, UK |
1st Waterside Open Art Exhibition Waterside Art Centre, Sale, Greater Manchester, UK | |
2007 | Bold Expressions - 52nd Annual International Open Juried Art Exhibition, Sacramento Fine Arts Centre, Carmichael, CA, USA Sefton Open 2007, The Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport, UK Wavy Blue, various sites in Bournemouth, UK Bradford Open '07, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford, UK UAMO 2007 – 'It's about to blow up!', Kunstarkaden, Munich, Germany |
2006 | The Postcard Show, Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK |
2001 | Mischen, Diözesanmuseum, Paderborn, Germany |
1998/ 1999/ 2000 | annual exhibitions by the Art and Textile Department of Paderborn University, Germany |
Selected (Public) Commissions | |
| 2011 | Arts Mural, Baildon Community Link, Baildon, UK |
2007 | Town Windows Project, Knaresborough, arts project by Renaissance Knaresborough Arts Group, UK |
2002 | St. Vinzenz Krankenhaus, Paderborn, Germany |
Grants / Scholarships / Bursaries | |
2005 | Grant from Arts Council England to produce paintings for exhibitions in venues across West Yorkshire. The exhibition, called Porn Chic, will raise awareness of the increasing use of pornographic elements in advertising. |
Prizes / Competitions / Awards | |
2011
2011 2010 2010 2007 2007 2007 | 13th Painting, Drawing, Print & Photography Juried Online International Art Exhibition - special recognition The Door Prize - shortlisted Art Interview -23rd International Online Artist Competition - shortlisted Waterside Open 2010 - highly commended Sefton Open 2007 - honourable mention Bradford Open '07 - 2nd Prize Celeste Art Prize 2007 - shortlisted |
Affiliations / Memberships | |
since 2009 since 2007 | CapeUK - Creative Partnerships in education FS Flying Start (NGCE National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship) FABRIC Forum for the Arts in Bradford – Regeneration Inclusion Creativity VIBE Bradford Visual Artists LVAF Leeds Visual Arts Forum ESA East Street Arts, Leeds AXIS |
since 2006 | AIR Artists' Interaction and Representation |
since 2005 | a-n The Artists Information Company |
Art-related Work Experience / Further Education / Networking | |
| 2009 | CapeUK Creative Partnerships Professional Learning and Networking, Waterton Hall, Wakefield, UK |
2007 | Flying Start Programme for Arts and Social Enterprise, National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, Arts Council England and Northern Edge, University of Hull, Hull, UK SOW - Supporting Opportunities for Women, Digitalife, Bradford, UK FABRIC & Creative Partnerships, several networking events across Bradford, UK EAP - Enabling Artists Practice, South Square Centre, Thornton, UK |
2006 | Roadshow Leeds: Marketplace (NAN event), Patrick Studios, Leeds, UK |
2003 | work experience at ART-Restauro with qualified award winning restorer Ludmila Henseler. Responsibility for restoring a memorial for the 'Preußenmuseum', Minden, Germany |
Selected Press / Catalogues / Articles | |
| September 2010 | Review Yorkshire Post |
several articles in Telegraph and Argus | |
| Autumn 2010 | Nicola Steffen: "Porn Chic - The sexualisation of children and young people" in: New Media, Sex, and Culture in the 21st Century. Special Issue of NmediaC, The Journal of New Media and Culture |
| May 2010 | Promotional Material KHG Paderborn |
| Mar 2010 | Review Yorkshire Post |
| Nov 2009 | Promotional Material (City of Bradford MDC) for 'Bradford Open '09' |
| Dec 2008 | Art Fist - "Leeds' finest lo-fi art magazine" |
| 07/11/08 | "Art at the heart of a thriving community", Yorkshire Post |
2007 | Hannah Harvey, Karen Robinson: Hot Bodies on Campus: The Performance of Porn Chic, in Ann C. Hall, Mardia J. Bishop: Pop Porn: Pornography in American Culture. Westport: Praeger, 2007. Catalogue Celeste Art Prize 2007 |
| 18/08/07 | "Last chance to see...", Telegraph and Argus |
04/07/06 | "Porn Chic", Metro |
19/07/05 | "£4,500 grant given to 'porn chic' show", Telegraph and Argus |
09/05/96 | "Ausstellung im Tequila-Café", Weserspucker |