Marni Kotak
Born Norwood, MA
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
Education
Brooklyn College/City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, MFA, Sculpture, 2006
& Performance and Interactive Media Arts Program (PIMA) 2005-2006
School of Visual Arts, New York, NY (BFA program), 2001-2003
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, BA 1996
Solo Exhibitions
Seriously Kidding Around (w/ Ajax Kotak Bell), Microscope Gallery, New York, NY 2022
Dancing in the Oval Office, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2019
Treehouse, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2017
Mad Meds, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2014
Raising Baby X: The First Year, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2012
The Birth of Baby X, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
I Have To Get On With My Life: Marni Kotak’s Found Performances From Birth To Present, Alice Chilton Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Double Face Fantasy, Thomas Robertello Gallery, Chicago, IL (Collaboration with Jason Robert Bell), 2010
Pleasure War!, Naked Duck Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2005
Selected Group Exhibitions
Drugs & Art, WhiteBox Annex, New York, NY 2021/2022
Frieze x Ray Johnson Project, Frieze New York, New York, NY, 2019
Scrapbook (or, Why Can’t We Live Together?), Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2019
As Far as the Heart Can See, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Project Space, New York, NY 2018
NADA New York, Microscope Gallery Booth, NADA Art Fair, New York, NY 2015
New Maternalisms, Museum of Contremporary Art (MAC), Santiago, Chile, 2014
Post Partum Party, Rhombus Space, Brooklyn, NY, December 2014
Brooklyn International Performance Art Festival, Glasshouse Art/Life Space, Brooklyn, NY, July 2013
Exhibition Game, Small Black Door, Brooklyn, NY, 2013
Broken Homes, Curated by Eric Heist, Momenta Art, Brooklyn, NY, 2012
Williamsburg 2000, curated by Larry Walzcak, Art 101, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Pandemonium, curated by HP Garcia, New York Center of Photography and The Moving Image, curated by HP Garcia, 2011
Documentation of 10th Annual Open Art Performance Art Festival: Week 5, Alice Chilton Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2010
You Can’t Do That On Television, curated by Joe Nanashe, Brooklyn Fireproof Gallery, in conjunction with SITE Festival and Armory Arts Week, Brooklyn, NY, 2010
Women in the 21st Century: Margaret Fuller and the Sacred Marriage, curated by Lisa Paul Streitfeld, Pierre Menard Gallery, Cambridge, MA, and HP Garcia Gallery, New York, NY, 2010
Escape From New York (with Jason Robert Bell as Caveman Robot), Patterson Arts Council, Patterson, NJ, 2010
No Customs, Samu Tower, Abu Dhabi, curated by Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, 2010
Double Face Fantasy, Thomas Robertello Gallery, Chicago, IL, July 2010
Icons of the 21st Century, curated by Lisa Paul Streitfeld, The Lab Gallery, New York, NY, 2006
Exit Art: Reactions, Library of Congress Prints & Papers Collection, Washington, DC, 2005
Empty Space with Exciting Events, in conjunction with PERFORMA ’05, Artists Space, New York, NY, 2005
The Peekskill Project, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY, 2006
Reactions, Exit Art, New York, NY, 2002
Business Art Business 2000, ANE OFFICE Gallery, New York, NY, 2000
Fluid,16 Beaver Gallery, New York, NY, 2000
VideoSoapbox, Soapbox Gallery, in conjunction with Elsewhere: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, 2000
Parsing Outside In, CAVE Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 1999
Moving Into Outside, Holland Tunnel Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 1999
Selected Performances and Screenings
2022
Midnight Swim, Grace Exhibition Space at Rosekill Art, Kingston, New York
Chocolate Chip Kooky: A Recipe for Caretaking, w/ Sasha Sumner, WhiteBox, New York, NY
Blob Castle, Festival International D’Art Performance Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique
2021
Artist-Parent Pandemic, screening curated by Niku Kashel & Myrel Chernick, College Art Association (CAA), Annual Conference (online)
Happy 10th Birthday, Peacock Racer, presented by Microscope Gallery, Artist’s front yard, Brooklyn, NY
2020
Love Mask, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, online performance
Marni Kotak: Samhain, The Spirit of Halloween (Ajax’s 9th Birthday Party), presented by Microscope Gallery, Artist’s front yard, Brooklyn, NY
2019
Ajax’s Disco Dinosaur Halloween 8th Birthday Party, presented by Microscope Gallery, Artist’s Home, Brooklyn, NY
Sewing My Herstory American Dream Flag, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Presents for Jonas (group screening), Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Ajax’s Little Piece of Heaven Goblin Busters 7th Birthday Party, Artist’s Backyard, Brooklyn, NY
2017
Ms Understanding featuring Marni Kotak, performance interview, Glasshouse, Brooklyn, NY
Ajax’s Spooktacular 6th Birthday Party, Artist’s Home, Brooklyn, NY
2016
Marni Kotak: My Halloween Birthday Party – Ajax Turns 5, presented by Microscope at 4 Charles Place, Brooklyn, NY
2015
Baby X’s Silly Spooky House of Mirrors, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY
DIS: video and performance art Abilities, curated by Christen Clifford, Dixon Place, New York, NY
2014
Self-MedicationUntitled Art Fair, Miami Beach, FL
Femmy, Marxy, Mommy, Commy, curated by Christen Clifford, Dixon Place, New York, NY
CoolCarCut: Ajax’s Third Birthday Party, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Mad in America International Film Festival: New Perspectives on Mental Health, Regent Theater, Arlington, MA
The Motherlode, curated by Crystal Brown, Kansas City, MO
What goes on in my mind when I’m taking less drugs for Unhinged: A Night of Performance, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2013
Ajax’s Second Birthday Party, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Calorie Countdown, Cutlog Art Fair, NY, NY
Family Jam Session, w/Baby Ajax and Jason Robert Bell, in conjunction with Brooklyn International Performance
Art Festival, Glasshouse Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
PlayTime, w/Baby Ajax, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY
2012
Ajax’s First Birthday Party, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
The Marni Show, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY
Postpartum Depression, Fountain Art Fair NY, curated by Jill McDermid (Grace Exhibition Space)
The Storyteller, in “Don’t Worry What Happens Mostly Without You”, Radiator Gallery, LIC, NY
World’s Greatest Mom, Diverse New York Performance Festival, organized by Non-Grata Group, Dino Eli Gallery, New York, NY
X-Mas Fix, as part of Broken Homes, Momenta Art, Brooklyn, NY
2011
Raising Baby X: Project Launch, Fountain Miami Art Fair, Microscope Gallery Booth, Miami, FL
Motherworks (group screening) Microscope Gallery,Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Before Baby X (solo screening), Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Texas Soil Christening, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
The Birth of Baby X, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
The Wedding, J.Young Windmill, Orleans Waterfront Inn, Orleans, MA (Collaboration with Jason Robert Bell)
Honeymoon Walk (Walk to San Pedro), Amerbergis Caye, Belize (Collaboration with Jason Robert Bell)
You Are My Baby, in LUMEN Video and Performance Art Festival, with Grace Exhibition Space, Staten Island, NY
Advice for the Mom-to-be, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY
Baby Shower, Troy Night Out (for Contemporary Artists Center summer residency), Troy, NY, and MyHouse Art Space, in conjunction with BOS ’11, Brooklyn, NY.
Forgiving I don’t even want to say his name, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY
My Birth, in conjunction with I have to Get On With My Life…, Alice Chilton Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Introducting In2it: A New Product from Livesystems, with Jason Robert Bell, Fountain Art Fair, NY
Jason Robert Bell is the Greatest Lover in The World, Site-specific Installation/Performance, MyHouse Art Space, in conjunction with Bushwick SiteFest
2010
Hot Water Bags, curated by Paul Lamarre and Melissa Wolf, Plato’s Cave, Brooklyn, NY
Welcome to MyHouse, MyHouse Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
Sunny Blue Plymouth (Losing My Virginity), at Fountain Art Fair, Miami, with Jason Robert Bell, curated by Jill McDermid
Destroying The Sunny Blue Plymouth, at Fountain Art Fair, Miami with Non Grata Group, Caveman Robot, and everyone else, curated by Jill McDermid, Grace Exhibition Space
True Lug (Ongoing collaborative performance with Jason Robert Bell), various locations throughout the world
Dinners for You III, MyHouse Art Space, Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2009
My Grandfather’s Funeral, English Kills Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
How to French Kiss IV, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY, in conjunction with Bushwick Biennial
How to French Kiss III, in Article Projects exhibit at Pool Art Fair, NYC, curated by David Gibson
The Black Madonna, curated by Lisa Paul Streitfeld and HP Garcia, HP Garcia Gallery, New York, NY
Dinners for You II, MyHouse Art Space, Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Behind the Shed with Shad, in Raising the Red Lantern, Jajo Gallery, Newark, NJ
S’mores, 10th Annual Open Art International Performance Art Festival, Open Realization Contemporary Art Center, Beijing, China
Catholic School, in Maximum Perception Performance Festival, English Kills Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2008
Slumber Party, English Kills Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
How to French Kiss, English Kills Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Nightmare, English Kills Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Cape Cod Hospital, Emergency Room of Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, MA
Marnitov Cocktail, Lieutenant Island, Wellfleet, MA
2007
Life Re-do’s, The Blackbox Theater, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
Marni Kotak: Incidental Performances, MyHouse Art Space, Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Kissing Booth, Asterisk Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
2006
Third Grade, in Plan B Prevails, Brooklyn College MFA Exhibition, 70 Washington Street and Brooklyn War Memorial, Brooklyn, NY (Exhibition censored and shut down by NYC Parks Dept.)
Marni Kotak: Found Performances, in Significant Other: Collaboration and Collusion, organized by David Gibson, at the Makor Steinhardt Center of the 92nd Street Y, New York, NY
2005
Marni Kotak: Found Performances, Artists Space, New York, NY, in conjunction with PERFORMA05
Empty Space with Exciting Events, Artists Space, curated by Christian Rattemeyer, with PERFORMA05, New York, NY
Pleasure War!: Operation Enlistment, U.S. Army Recruitment Station, in conjunction with Naked Duck Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Pleasure War! Recruitment Drive, Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with Naked Duck Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Karaoke Smashup, curated by Jennifer McCoy, organized by Madeleine Gallagher and Susan Landau, and produced collaboratively by PIMA, Performance and Interactive Arts at Brooklyn College, and the MFA Fine Arts Students at Brooklyn College, Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
One Night Stand: The Sex Show, curated by Dominick Lombardi, Viscaya Gallery, New York, NY
Selected Panels and Presentations
Cafe Philo, Marni Kotak & Jean-hughes Miredin, interviewed by Paula Lavra, Festival International D’Art Performance Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique, 2022
Balancing Actions: Revisiting the Myth of Balance in Art, Family and Other Distractions, College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference, New York, NY 2019
Artist Talk with Marni Kotak: in connection w/ her solo exhibition Treehouse, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2017
Mamafesto: A Child Is A Work of Art, presented in The M Word, The Feminist Art Project Day of Panels at the College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, 2014
Lecture Series: Meet the Artists & Discussions on Performance Art, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NY, 2012
Motherworks, Microscope Gallery,Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Before Baby X, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Selected Awards, Grants & Residencies
Performance Art Residency, Art/Life Institute, Kingston, NY 2019
Franklin Furnace Fund Award, 2012-2013
ArtInfo’s “…Women Who Shook Up The Art World in 2011”
New York State Council on the Arts/ Brooklyn Arts Council Grant