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Professor Emeritus – Steve Dutton – Bath Spa University

 Emeritus Professor 

Personal statement

I am an artist, artistic researcher and academic. Much of my work as a practitioner has been in collaborations, but I am currently producing a new body of solo work which is characterised by a play with image/text boundaries as a means to think around, and through, institutional and rhetorical frameworks and behaviours.

As Director of the Art Research Centre, I encouraged a holistic approach to art, research, education, curation and practice, to explore new avenues where art practice and pedagogic philosophy can come together in a brilliant Art School environment.

Up until June 2016, I was Professor in Contemporary Art Practice at the University of Lincoln where I developed Artistic Research and National and International Networks. Prior to Lincoln, I was Professor in Creative Practice at Coventry University for 4 years. Prior to that I designed and was Course Leader for the MA Fine Art Course at Sheffield Hallam University for 10 years then Reader in Fine Art at Sheffield Hallam for 5 years.

Individual and collaborative projects have been exhibited throughout the UK and internationally, including The Stag and Hound at PSL in Leeds, for which Dutton and Swindells were nominated for the prestigious Northern Art Prize.

Online academic presence

Steve Dutton on Academia.edu

Research

My art practice concerns a mattering of language, both textual and visual. I work with all kinds of images, drawings, objects and texts through a range of processes such as collage and appropriation. I also occasionally curate and any curatorial methodology emerges directly out of the work I make in the studio.

In terms of research feeding into both my teaching and my heading up of Artistic Research, I am informed by a growing body of artists who seek to rethink the nature of the art educational institution as a process of unfolding ‘epistemic events’ rather than a sequence of ‘progressive’ tiers of knowledge.

Current projects

I am currently working on new body of studio work and an ongoing co-curatorial project with Andrew Bracey.

Recent projects

Recent projects include Midpointness, a co-curated project with Andrew Bracey for Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK and the Trans-Art Triennial 2016, Art/Text, for NCST gallery. Tangshan, China and The Work is a Score for The Lock-Up Art and Culture Centre, Newcastle, Australia.

I co-curated two major projects with Dr. Brian Curtin of Bangkok University, entitled Possession (1) for Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre (BACC), which opened in March 2013 and Possession (2) for LGP in Coventry (March 2014). 

In 2015, I was Visiting Professor at the School of Creative Arts, University of Newcastle, Australia.

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

No Telos
book

Brown, A, Cocker, E, Dutton, S, Hock, K, Mackenna, T, Maier, D, Pepper, A, Reynolds, E and Sprawson, D (2019) No Telos. BEAM Editions, Nottingham.


Possession (1) : an international exhibition of contemporary art
book

Curtin, B and Dutton, S (2013) Possession (1) : an international exhibition of contemporary art. Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Bangkok.


Dutton and Swindells: Institute of Beasts
book

Dutton, S, Swindells, S and Cocker, E (2011) Dutton and Swindells: Institute of Beasts. Site Gallery, Sheffield. ISBN 9781899926138


Unspeaking engagements
book

Curtin, B and Dutton, S (2009) Unspeaking engagements. The Art Center, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.


Biennials and city-wide events
book

Dutton, S and Griffin, J, eds. (2007) Biennials and city-wide events. a-n The Artists Information Company, Newcastle upon Tyne. ISBN 9780907730828


Text + work = work
book

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2006) Text + work = work. Arts Institute at Bournemouth, Bournemouth. ISBN 9780901196118


Misleading epiphenomena
book

Dutton, S, Swindells, S and Penner, B (2005) Misleading epiphenomena. Artwords Press, London. ISBN 9780954390877


Entropic gym : Steve Dutton, Percy Peacock and Steve Swindells
book

Dutton, S, Peacock, P, Swindells, S and Cheung, J (2002) Entropic gym : Steve Dutton, Percy Peacock and Steve Swindells. Mercer Union, Toronto. ISBN 9780921527565


Daylight
book

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2002) Daylight. Artists' Publication. ISBN 1843870010


On vanishing : Dutton & Peacock
book

de Oliveira, N and Dutton, S (2001) On vanishing : Dutton & Peacock. Site Gallery; Mid Pennine Gallery, Sheffield; Burnley. ISBN 9781899926800


Towards an office of institutional aesthetics: part two
book_section

Dutton, S (2015) 'Towards an office of institutional aesthetics: part two.' In: Lowry, S and Douglas, S, eds. Anywhere v1. Project Anywhere, Newcastle, Australia, pp. 38-41. ISBN 9780692322970


Catalogue essay
book_section

Dutton, S (2012) 'Catalogue essay.' In: McLeer, B, ed. One + One - Brigid McLeer. Highlanes Gallery, Wexford. ISBN 978095543114


The mind's eye in the severed head of the works of M.K. Ho
book_section

Dutton, S (2010) 'The mind's eye in the severed head of the works of M.K. Ho.' In: Landscapes in the brain. Ho Huang-Ching. ISBN 9789574171620


Loss of irony
book_section

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2008) 'Loss of irony.' In: Erdmann, C and Lee, M.H.H, eds. Preoccupations : things artists do anyway - 111 artists reveal their obsessions. Laiyan Projects & Studio Bibliothèque, Hong Kong. ISBN 9789881763518


Spatiality, homelessness and anxiety: Dutton and Peacock
book_section

Dutton, S and Peacock, P (2002) 'Spatiality, homelessness and anxiety: Dutton and Peacock.' In: Kivland, S and Sanderson, L, eds. Transmission: speaking & listening, vol. 1. Sheffield Hallam University / Site Gallery, Sheffield. ISBN 9780863399862


8-hour shift
article

Dutton, S (2021) '8-hour shift.' Fieldnotes, 1.


Erase the background noise, prepare the ground for the performance
article

Dutton, S (2019) 'Erase the background noise, prepare the ground for the performance.' Soanyway, 2 (2).


WRITING/PAINTING/READING/DRAWING: something not yet, and yet, still something
article

Dutton, S (2018) 'WRITING/PAINTING/READING/DRAWING: something not yet, and yet, still something.' Studies in Theatre and Performance, 38 (3). pp. 302-312. ISSN 1468-2761


An obstract for Midpointness
article

Bracey, A and Dutton, S (2018) 'An obstract for Midpointness.' Ruukku, 8.


Cuts in culture
article

Dutton, S and Beales, K (2011) 'Cuts in culture.' AN Magazine, Dec.


On the specificity of biennials
article

Dutton, S (2011) 'On the specificity of biennials.' AN Magazine, Dec.


The Biennial's radical heart
article

Dutton, S (2010) 'The Biennial's radical heart.' AN Magazine, Dec.


Writing encounters: Institute of Beasts (2008)
article

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2009) 'Writing encounters: Institute of Beasts (2008).' Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, 2 (1). pp. 117-125. ISSN 1753-5204


Apocotropes, Dutton and Peacock, The Dog and Duck, Dutton and Swindells
article

Dutton, S (2007) 'Apocotropes, Dutton and Peacock, The Dog and Duck, Dutton and Swindells.' Journal of Visual Art Practice, 6 (3). pp. 251-256. ISSN 1470-2029


Curatorial questions around the British Art Show
article

Dutton, S (2006) 'Curatorial questions around the British Art Show.' AN Magazine, Nov.


Biennials and “biennials”
article

Dutton, S (2006) 'Biennials and “biennials”.' AN Magazine, Jun.


Brownfield, Art Sheffield 03, 2003
article

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2005) 'Brownfield, Art Sheffield 03, 2003.' Art Omma, 11.


What can contemporary art tell us about the matter of innovation?
conference_item

Dutton, S (2018) What can contemporary art tell us about the matter of innovation? In: 2nd International Innovation Design Summit: Regional Learning and Innovative Design in the AI Era, 25 - 26 October 2018, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xianyang, China.


Towards the midpoint
conference_item

Dutton, S and Bracey, A (2017) Towards the midpoint. In: International Conference on Artistic Research - Please Specify! Sharing Artistic Research Across Disciplines, 28 - 29 April 2017, Theatre Academy, Helsinki, Finland.


A work in process
conference_item

Dutton, S and Morrad, A (2016) A work in process. In: Fine Art Research Network Symposium: Research Practice - Practice Research, 15 July 2016, University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Lancaster, UK.


Words fail me
conference_item

Morrad, A and Dutton, S (2016) Words fail me. In: Fine Art Research Network Symposium: Research Practice - Practice Research, 15 July 2016, University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Lancaster, UK.


Art, philosophy, writing and speech
conference_item

Dutton, S (2016) Art, philosophy, writing and speech. In: International Conference on Artistic Research, 28 -29 April 2016, University of the Arts, The Hague, Netherlands.


The work is a score
conference_item

Dutton, S (2015) The work is a score. In: Next to Nothing: Art as Performance - a meeting of art and philosophy in the age of post-dematerialisation, 26 - 27 September 2015, The Lock up Culture Centre, Newcastle, Australia.


The flickering institution
conference_item

Dutton, S (2015) The flickering institution. In: Material Culture in Action: Practices of Making, Collecting and Re-enacting Art and Design, 7 - 8 September 2015, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, UK.


Text and work
conference_item

Dutton, S (2015) Text and work. In: Text Versus a Piece of Art, 18 -20 May 2015, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.


Towards an office of institutional aesthetics
conference_item

Dutton, S (2014) Towards an office of institutional aesthetics. In: Art and Research at the Outermost Limits of Location-Specificity, 13 -14 November 2014, Parsons School, New York, USA.


Institutional aesthetics: art takes residence
conference_item

Dutton, S (2014) Institutional aesthetics: art takes residence. In: 9th Annual International Conference of the Arts in Society: "The Lives of ART", 25 - 27 June 2014, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.


The Artists' Institute and the Institute of Art: a place which is not yet a 'place'
conference_item

Shepley, A and Dutton, S (2013) The Artists' Institute and the Institute of Art: a place which is not yet a 'place'. In: 8th Annual Conference of the Arts in Society, 24 - 26 June 2013, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.


The Institute of Ruin
conference_item

Shepley, A and Dutton, S (2013) The Institute of Ruin. In: Sensuous Knowledge 7, 23 - 25 January 2013, Kunsthgskolen/National Institute for the Arts, Bergen, Norway.


Inhabiting the language of the institution: how artists, teachers and students are occupying the institutional rhetoric which surrounds them
conference_item

Dutton, S (2012) Inhabiting the language of the institution: how artists, teachers and students are occupying the institutional rhetoric which surrounds them. In: 5th Elia Teachers' Academy, 11 - 13 July 2012, Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo, Porto, Portugal.


The Institute of Beasts: strategies of doubt and refusal in a contemporary art practice
conference_item

Dutton, S (2011) The Institute of Beasts: strategies of doubt and refusal in a contemporary art practice. In: 2nd Annual International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts, 6 - 9 June 2011, Athens, Greece.


Untitled conference paper
conference_item

Dutton, S (2011) Untitled conference paper. In: Creativity, Play, and the Imagination across Disciplines, 26 - 28 May 2011, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA.


Clueless: contradictions, malapropisms and tensions within a contemporary art practice
conference_item

Dutton, S (2010) Clueless: contradictions, malapropisms and tensions within a contemporary art practice. In: 1st Annual International Conference on Fine and Performing Arts, 7 - 10 June 2010, Titania Hotel, Athens, Greece.


Post-conceptual artists’ practices
conference_item

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2008) Post-conceptual artists’ practices. In: Writing Encounters: Curating the Encounter Between Writing and Performance, 11 - 13 September 2008, St John University, York, UK.


Institute of Beasts
conference_item

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2008) Institute of Beasts. In: Writing Encounters, 11 -13 September 2008, York St. John University, York, UK.


Why Art Sheffield 05 is not a biennial
conference_item

Dutton, S (2005) Why Art Sheffield 05 is not a biennial. In: Spectator T Symposium, 28 October 2005, Showroom Cinema, Sheffield, UK.


Writing, drawing, speaking (2015-2020) [REF2021 collection]
artefact

Dutton, S (2021) Writing, drawing, speaking (2015-2020) [REF2021 collection].


Que Sera
artefact

Dutton, S (2019) Que Sera.


Only Numbers Count
artefact

Dutton, S (2017) Only Numbers Count.


No Telos
exhibition

Brown, A, Cocker, E, Hock, K, Maier, D, Reynolds, E, Dutton, S, Mackenna, T, Pepper, A and Sprawson, D (2019) No Telos. In: Convocation: On Expanded Language-Based Practices, as part of the Venice Bienniale 2019, Sala del Camino, Venice, Italy, 16 – 18 June 2019.


A Share of a Future [curators]
exhibition

Dutton, S, Xu, A, Liu, C, Xu, F, Xiaohong, Z and Hongtao, Z (2019) A Share of a Future [curators]. China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, China, 9 March - 30 April 2019.


Documents, Alternatives #2 [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2019) Documents, Alternatives #2 [group exhibition]. Verge Gallery, Sydney, Australia, 18 January - 24 February 2018.


Studio behaviour
exhibition

Dutton, S (2017) Studio behaviour. In: Mind.Language.Matter, St Marys House, Norwich, UK, 23 - 28 July 2017.


Performance arcade
exhibition

Dutton, S and Morrad, A (2017) Performance arcade. In: Performing, Writing, Matiu Island, Wellington, New Zealand, 10 - 19 March 2017.


Trans-Art Triennial [curators]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Bracey, A (2016) Trans-Art Triennial [curators]. Uferstudios, Berlin, Germany, 5 - 7 August 2016.


Midpointness [curators]
exhibition

Bracey, A and Dutton, S (2015) Midpointness [curators]. Lock Up Gallery, Newcastle, Australia, 23 – 27 September 2015.


Care + Attend [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2015) Care + Attend [group exhibition]. Chelsea College of Arts, London, UK, 30 April - 1 May 2015.


Art/Text [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2015) Art/Text [group exhibition]. NCST Gallery, Tangshan, China, 2015.


(detail) [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2014) (detail) [group exhibition]. H-Project Space, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 June -24 August 2014. ISBN 9780956881434


Possession (2) [curators]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Curtin, B (2014) Possession (2) [curators]. Lanchester Gallery, Coventry, UK, 14 March - 13 April 2014.


Possession (1) [curators]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Curtin, B (2013) Possession (1) [curators]. Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand, 4 March - 26 May 2013. ISBN 9783033037809


End of ends
exhibition

Dutton, S and Webb, N (2012) End of ends. In: Bend In The River, x-church, Gainsborough, UK, 19 -26 May 2012.


One minute hare chase (2006)
exhibition

Dutton, S (2012) One minute hare chase (2006). In: Modern Times – Episode 2: Faster-Slower, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands (and others), 2012.


Blind Python with Jewelled Eyes [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2011) Blind Python with Jewelled Eyes [group exhibition]. Greestone Gallery, Lincoln, UK, 7 - 22 December 2011.


The Stag and Hound
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2011) The Stag and Hound. Project Space, Leeds, UK, 20 January - 14 April 2011. ISBN 9781899926138


Death to the fascist insect (2009)
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2010) Death to the fascist insect (2009). In: Surface Depth, H Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand, 2 - 30 September 2010.


Unspeaking Engagements [curators]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Curtin, B (2009) Unspeaking Engagements [curators]. Art Center of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 27 August – 3 October 2009.


The Institute of Beasts
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2009) The Institute of Beasts. Kuando Museum of Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan, 20 June - 8 August 2009.


Institute of Beasts
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2009) Institute of Beasts. In: Curating Knowledge, Alsager Art Centre Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager, UK, 2 - 6 February 2009.


Death to the fascist insect (2009)
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2008) Death to the fascist insect (2009). In: Drawing Breath = Respirar Arte, Lugar do Desenho, Valbom, Portugal, 13 September - 15 October 2008.


Recent Work for Ssamzie Space: International Residency Programme
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2008) Recent Work for Ssamzie Space: International Residency Programme. Ssamzie Space, Seoul, South Korea, January - April 2008.


A Little Bit Goes a Long Way [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2007) A Little Bit Goes a Long Way [group exhibition]. Consortium, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 8 - 29 December 2007.


Un Jour de Beauté
exhibition

Shepley, A and Dutton, S (2007) Un Jour de Beauté. The Nunnery, London, UK, 14 September - 30 October 2007.


Faith [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2007) Faith [group exhibition]. Crossley Gallery, Halifax, UK, 22 September 2007 – 21st January 2008.


Autobiobliophiles: Artists Who Make or Use Books [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2007) Autobiobliophiles: Artists Who Make or Use Books [group exhibition]. Studio Bibliothèque, Hong Kong, China, 27 May - 3 June 2007.


The Dog and Duck
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2006) The Dog and Duck. Kookmin Art Gallery, Seoul, South Korea, 2006.


Text + Work = "Work"
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2006) Text + Work = "Work". Arts Institute, Bournemouth, UK, February 2006. ISBN 9780901196118


Similar to nothing
exhibition

Hawley, S and Dutton, S (2005) Similar to nothing. In: VAD Festival Internacional de Vídeo i Arts Digitals = The Annual Girona Film Festival, Girona City, Catalonia, Spain, 2005.


Similar to nothing
exhibition

Hawley, S and Dutton, S (2005) Similar to nothing. In: Lausanne Underground Film Festival, Lausanne, Switzerland, 12 - 16 October 2005.


Txtrapolis
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2005) Txtrapolis. NAFA Gallery 2, Singapore, 3 -11 September 2005.


Sex, Death and Flat Pack Furniture [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2005) Sex, Death and Flat Pack Furniture [group exhibition]. MMU, Manchester, UK, 2005.


Folklore
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2005) Folklore. APT Gallery, London, UK, 2005.


Emergency 2
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2005) Emergency 2. Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, UK, 2005.


The green text
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2004) The green text. In: Alternative Action Plan, S1 Artspace, Sheffield, UK, 20 November - 18 December 2004.


Host 4
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2004) Host 4. In: Cornwall Film Festival, Falmouth Arts Centre, Falmouth, UK, 12 - 14 November 2004.


Shift
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2004) Shift. In: [shift] - EmergeD, Merrion Centre, Leeds, UK, 15 March - 3 April 2004.


Site for Unbuilding [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S (2004) Site for Unbuilding [group exhibition]. Wrexham Arts Centre, Wrexham, Wales, 2004.


ArtStar
exhibition

Dutton, S and Peacock, P (2003) ArtStar. In: Look To This Day, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, UK, 3 October - 23 November 2003.


Brown-field site
exhibition

Dutton, S and Swindells, S (2003) Brown-field site. In: Art Sheffield '03, Sheffield, UK, 24 March – 4 April 2003.


Entropic Gym Variation
exhibition

Dutton, S, Peacock, P and Swindells, S (2003) Entropic Gym Variation. Sheppard Contemporary Gallery, Reno, NV, USA, 2003.


Power to the People : Contemporary Art Forum [group exhibition]
exhibition

Dutton, S, Peacock, P and Swindells, S (2002) Power to the People : Contemporary Art Forum [group exhibition]. Kitchener City Hall, Kitchener, Canada, 21 - 29 September 2002. ISBN 0973038411


Entropic Gym
exhibition

Dutton, S, Peacock, P and Swindells, S (2002) Entropic Gym. Mercer Union, Toronto, Canada, 14 March - 20 April 2002.


Kayakoy
exhibition

Dutton, S, Peacock, P and Swindells, S (2001) Kayakoy. Catalyst Arts, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 8 March - 1 April 2001.


Aphantasia – an 8 Hour Shift
performance

Dutton, S, Morrad, A and Bracey, A (2017) Aphantasia – an 8 Hour Shift. GallerySpace, London, UK, 10 August 2017.


The Gwangju Biennale 2012 [exhibition review]
other

Dutton, S (2013) The Gwangju Biennale 2012 [exhibition review]. Axisweb.


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