Born

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

1956


Education

Yale University, BA Art, 1978.


Places

Lancaster, 1978-1981


New York City, 1981-1989


Los Angeles, 1989-2008


Austin, 2008 – present


Exhibitions

2023


Shape Form Structure / Site Brooklyn, curated by Elizabeth Rooklidge, Brooklyn, NY.


John Swanger, New Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.


Group Show / Washington Carver Museum, Austin, TX.


2022


John Swanger, 2022 Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.


Group Show / Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin, TX. 


2021


John Swanger, Silver Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.


Group Show / Big Medium Gallery, Austin, TX.


2020


Studio Life, Current Paintings / Dove Springs, Austin, TX


2019


New Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX.


John Swanger, 14 Paintings / StartUp Art Fair, Houston, TX.


In Spring / Studio, 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.


2018


Untitled (house), The Browne Goodwin Collection / Illinois State Museum, Lockport Gallery, Lockport, IL.


Group Show / Springdale General, Austin, TX.


John Swanger New Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX


2017


Elizabeth Chiles | John Swanger, Lumens and Currents / Grayduck Gallery, Austin, TX


New Work, Public and Private Spaces / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX


Due East / Big Medium, Austin, TX


John Swanger / 797 Springdale, Austin, TX


2016


Due East / Big Medium, Austin, TX


Selected Paintings / 701 Tillery St, Austin, TX


Hunting Prize / Finalists exhibition / Houston, TX


2015


John Swanger / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


Selected Finalist, David Bown Projects, Curated by Claire Carter, Scottsdale MoCA, Carmen Hermo, Guggenheim Museum, and Anna Stothart, San Antonio Museum of .Art


Group Show / Big Medium, Austin, TX


John Swanger Paintings 2009-2014 / Hellmann Stribling, Austin, TX


Due West / Big Medium, Austin, TX


5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2014


John Swanger, Recent Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


New American Painting 114 (publication), Curated by Nora Burnett Abrams, Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, CO


Distilled Essence: Selected Work from the Kiyo Higashi Gallery / Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA


Group Show / Big Medium, Austin, TX


Selected Small Works / French & Michigan Gallery, San Antonio, TX


5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2013


First Show : Gallery Artists / French & Michigan Gallery, San Antonio, TX


John Swanger, Paintings + Constructions / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


Due East / Big Medium at Canopy, Austin, TX


5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2012


John Swanger, Paintings / 2305 Newfield, Austin, TX


John Swanger, Arrangements / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


Charles Demuth Museum / Benefit exhibition and auction, Lancaster, PA


5 × 7 / Arthouse / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2011


Group Show / Big Medium at Springdale, Austin, TX


John Swanger, Black Lacquer & Other Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


5 × 7 / Arthouse / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2010


John Swanger, Large Circles / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


Wish / Dallas Contemporary / Benefit exhibition and auction, Dallas, TX


5 × 7 / Arthouse, Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX


2009


Texas Biennial / Multiple exhibition spaces, curated by Michael Duncan, Austin, TX


John Swanger, Reliefs & Tracings + Silver Flowers & Landscapes / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


Group Show / Austin City Hall, curated by Michael Ray Charles, Candace Briceno, Sydney Yeager, Austin, TX


Summer Show / Craighead Green Gallery, curated by Charissa Terranova, Dallas, TX


2008


John Swanger, New Work / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX


2000 – 2007


Studio Exhibitions and Installations / South Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA


1999


Larry Bell, Michael Rouillard, John Swanger, Carolee Toon / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


1998


John Swanger, Lead Paintings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA


1997


John Swanger, Epiphyllum Paintings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


Drawings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


LACE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA


1996


Group Show / Catherine Lee, Donald Lipski, Elizabeth Newman, John Swanger, Mitja Tusek, Dario Urzay / Galerie Lelong, New York, NY


John Swanger, Drawing Project / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA


MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA


1995


Color and Structure / Robert Mangold, Walter DeMaria, Sean Scully, John Swanger, Fredric Matys Thursz, Mitja Tusek, Richard Tuttle / Galerie Lelong, New York, NY


John Swanger, Siteworks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA


Material Dreams / Han Feng, Ava Gerber, Jim Hodges, Beverly Semmes, John Swanger / The Gallery at Takashimaya, curated by Lynn Gumpert. Catalogue. New York, NY


LACE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA


1994


John Swanger, Project Room / John Weber Gallery, New York, NY


A Perhaps Hand / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA


LA Mail / Jose Freire Fine Arts, New York, NY


1993


Salad Days / Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


Richard Lodwig, Joe Mancuso, John Swanger / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


The White Show / Susan Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


One Nail / Susan Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


1992


Mark Lere, Robert Levine, John Swanger / Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


Boomerang / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA


1991


Five Days / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA


Group Show / Richard Green Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


1990


Six Painters / Matthew Scott Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA


1989


Sculpture / Vaughan & Vaughan, Minneapolis, MN


14 Solo Exhibitions / Dennis Anderson Gallery, Los Angeles, CA


1988


John Swanger, Annunciation / One Main, Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY


Group Show / Vaughan & Vaughan Gallery, Minneapolis, MN


Vital Signs / 10 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY


1987


Jumbo Dumbo / 10 Jay Street, curated by Bill Arning, Brooklyn, NY


Art, Bridges, Space / Ammo Gallery, New York, NY


1986


Endangered Species / Puck Building, curated by Lori Ledis, New York, NY


On the Edge / 10 Jay Street, curated by Valerie Smith, Brooklyn, NY


Decisions, Divisions / Federal Courthouses, curated by Deborah Masters, Brooklyn & New York, NY


1985


Selected Artists / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA


Drawings / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA


1984


John Swanger (with Scott Stenhouse) / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA


1983


Selected Artists / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA


1981


John Swanger (with Gregory Costello) / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA


Ellen Groff, Jerome Hershey, John Swanger / Community Gallery (now Lancaster Museum of Art), Lancaster, PA


Paint on Paper / Art Gallery, Millersville University, Millersville, PA


Annual Invitational / Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA


1980


Small Works / Grey Art Gallery, New York University, curated by Patterson Sims, New York, NY


Annual Exhibition / Art Gallery, University of Delaware, Dover, DE


Echo Valley Invitational / Community Gallery (now Lancaster Museum of Art), Lancaster, PA


1978


John Swanger, Senior Project Exhibition / Ezra Stiles College, Yale University, New Haven, CT


1977


John Swanger, Independent Project Exhibition / Gallery, Art and Architecture Building, Yale University, New Haven, CT


Other Projects

2017


Artist talk for exhibition, Grayduck Gallery, Austin, Texas.


2016


“Spaces” (set design, projected paintings) / Jennifer Hart & Performa Dance, Ballet Austin Theatre, Austin, Texas.


2014


Blanton Museum Group / curators Veronica Roberts and Evan Garza / Studio visit and talk, Austin, Texas.


2009


Flatbed Press Collectors Forum / Studio visit and artist talk, Austin, Texas.


2000 – 1994


Collaboration, design, fabrication of artwork elements with numerous artists / including Barbara Bloom, Joseph Kosuth, Sol LeWitt, Maria Nordman, Stephen Prina / New York and Los Angeles.


1998


Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Collectors Group, curator Howard Fox / Gallery exhibition visit and artist talk, Los Angeles, California.


1996


Artist in Residence / Production of work, exhibition and artist talks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California.


1995


Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Acquisition Committee, curator Howard Fox / Studio vist and artist talk, Los Angeles, California.


Artist in Residence / Site specific installations (in landscape and buildings) and artist talks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California.


1984


“Anatomy of a Triangle” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks and Company, Dance Theatre Workshop, New York.


1983


“Small Revolutions” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks and Company, Ethnic Folk Arts Center, New York.


1982


“Detail” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks, Alma Project, Ethnic Folk Arts Center, New York.


1980


“Light Plot” (site specific light sculpture), Mount Hope, Pennsylvania.