John Everett Daquino

Resume

Born:
1980 Cranford, NJ, United States
Previously resided in New York City, Philadelphia, and Dublin, Ireland
Currently living in New Jersey

Profile:
Dedicated individual with an extensive background in modern and contemporary art and with excellent analytic skills who excels in challenging environments. Strong history of exhibition planning and organizing art-related events. Well versed in curatorial and gallery administrative responsibilities and procedures. Proficient in computer programs including MS Office, Adobe CS, Dreamweaver, and File Maker Pro, in addition to digital imaging, video editing, and database entry.

Curatorial Philosophy:
In my curatorial practice, I try to match the plurality of artistic production and explore all facets of contemporary art, culture, and life. That is to say, I aim to produce quality exhibitions that present a range of ideas and aesthetics to a wide audience. I look to contemporary trends in international art to inform my practice, while at the same time, stay rooted in local and regional communities. The role of a curator is that of an exhibition maker, researcher, intellect, and cultural anthropologist, whose job is to act as a catalyst for discussion and contemplation on visual culture, politics, and the humanities.

Education:
2006-2008 Purchase College, Purchase, NY
Master of Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism, and Theory, with Honors
(GPA 4.02)

  • Dr. Noel S. and Richard B. Frackman Award for Graduate Thesis Paper, which focused on the relationship between Bruce Nauman and Samuel Beckett in terms of tragicomedy and existentialism.
  • Dr. Noel S. and Richard B. Frackman Institutional Scholarship.
  • Coursework included 19th Century Art, German Art: 1900-Present, History and Theory of Modern Art, Pop Art and Mass Culture, Critical Issues in Contemporary Art, and History of Experimental Theater.
  • Extensive research conducted for a number of graduate-level papers on contemporary art using online databases, library catalogs, microfilms, and periodicals.

1999-2003 School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Related Media, with Honors
(GPA 3.61)

  • School of Visual Arts Mentor Series, paired with Stephano Basilico, former gallerist and curator of New School University art collection, New York, NY.
  • Coursework included History of Photography, Contemporary Photography: 1960-Present, History of Video Art, History of Avant-Garde Film, and technical courses on traditional and digital photography.

Curatorial Projects:
2008 Appropriate(d) Vision Stimulation, Purchase College, Purchase, NY

2008 Komar and Melamid: Super Objects - Super Comfort for Super People, Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY

2005 The True Mirror, City Without Walls, Newark, NJ

2004 Hybrid, The Dancing Goat, South Orange, NJ

2004 Underexposed 6, Tyler School of Art, Elkins Park, PA

2002 John Knows Best, The Annex (owned by Whitebox) New York, NY

2002 Underexposed 18, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY

Community Arts Projects:
2008 Eco-Fun: Kites are for Peace and Love (A Social Engagement with SUNY Purchase) Purchase College, Purchase, NY

2006 Kites are for Peace and Love: A Social Engagement with the Town of Peekskill, Peekskill Project, Peekskill, NY

Press of Curatorial Projects:
2008 The New York Times, "Skewering Soviet Dogma and Consumerism, Too"
Benjamin Genocchio

2005 The New York Times, "Searching for an Identity in Newark"
Benjamin Genocchio

2004 www.fallonandrosof.com/artblog, "Genre Cross Dressing" Roberta Fallon

2004 The Philadelphia Weekly, "Brushes with Greatness" Roberta Fallon

2004 The Star Ledger, "A Blend of Media" Mitchell Seidel

Lectures:
2008 "Komar and Melamid's Super Objects - Super Comfort for Super People" gallery talk based on the exhibition I curated under the same title, Neuberger Museum of Art,
Purchase, NY

2007 "Common Ground" a moderated discussion between three artists in regards to contemporary public art and politics, Fine Art Gallery of Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY

2006 "The Animal Within" a curated slide night, Jersey City Museum,
Jersey City, NJ

Related Work Experience:
2002-Present Independent Curator, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey

  • Organized thematic curatorial projects and art-related events focusing on contemporary art that took place in prominent nonprofit and university art galleries.
  • Responsible for the execution, researching, promotion, exhibition design, and archiving of exhibitions and events online at www.johndaquino.com.
  • Reviewed by The New York Times, The Star Ledger, and The Philadelphia Weekly.

2007-2008 Graduate Student Curatorial Fellow, Neuberger Museum of Art,
Purchase, NY

  • Worked with each department in the development and execution of a curatorial project drawn from the museum’s permanent collection.
  • Conducted extensive research on a number of artists and objects, wrote exhibition didactics, and led gallery talks pertinent to the exhibition.
  • Gained a familiarity with registrar database software.

2007-2008 Visual Assistant, Purchase College Visual Resource Center,
Purchase, NY

  • Assisted in the founding of a digital slide collection, using the image-based software program EmBark.
  • Responsible for a high volume of digital imaging, scanning, archiving, and database cataloging.

2006 Office Assistant, Bilkays Distribution Warehouse, Elizabeth, NJ

  • Processed shipping orders in a timely fashion, which required precise database entry skills.
  • Assisted in arranging pick up and transportation of goods.

2004-2005 Museum Store Associate / Front Desk Assistant / Freelance Art Handler, Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ

  • Managed inventory of products in museum store and tracked sales records.
  • Greeted visitors and answered customer inquiries.
  • Assisted in the installation of several exhibitions.

2003 Art Handler / Gallery Assistant, Katharina Rich Perlow Gallery,
New York, NY

  • Created storage for artwork and pertinent materials, in addition to packaging art using professional conservation techniques.

2003 Production Associate, Anderson Hopkins Photo Agency, New York, NY

  • Responsible for the maintenance of photography portfolios and promotional mailings.
  • Categorized and archived incoming photographs.
  • Transferred phone calls on a multi-line system.

2001-2002 Gallery Assistant, School of Visual Art Galleries, New York, NY

  • Greeted visitors, managed receptions, and was responsible for opening and closing the gallery.
  • Assisted in the installation of rotating student exhibitions.

Related Internships and Freelance Positions:
2008 Research Associate for the Los Angeles based interdisciplinary artist, Daniel Joseph Martinez, where I was responsible for producing a definitive bibliography on the artist.

2008 Video Editor for New Art TV, a media and production company with a focus on producing premium video content on contemporary art, based in New York, NY.

2007 Exhibition Assistant to Thom Collins, Director of the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY, where I was in charge of the production of over 90 scale reproductions used to determine the layout of Tobias Putrih's solo exhibition.

2007 Assistant to new media artist, Jenny Marketou, Brooklyn, NY, where I was primarily responsible for creating numerous multimedia presentations to be used in bids for public commissions.

2007 Teacher’s Assistant to a college-level History of Modern Art class at Purchase College, NY, where I was responsible for grading papers and exams.

2003 Teacher’s Assistant to an upper-level college Photography Critique Seminar at the School Of Visual Arts, NY, where I led group critiques and talks around topics relating to contemporary photography.

2002 Assistant to photo-based artists, Doug and Mike Starn, Brooklyn, NY, where I aided in the fabrication of series editions.

Selected Published Writings:
2008 Exhibition review of Nathalie Djurberg @ Zach Feur Gallery, New York, NY, December 11, 2008 - January 24, 2009, published on-line at Art Slant.

2008 "Towards a New Societal Paradigm" essay published in the book Decentre: Concerning Artist-Run Culture/à propos de centres d’artistes, published by YYZBOOKS.

2007 "Public Art in the Expanded Field" introductory essay for the exhibition Common Ground, October 22 - Nov 24, 2007, at the Fine Art Gallery of Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY.

2007 Eight introductory didactics printed in the exhibition pamphlet for Miniaturizing Modernism: Richard Pettibone Paints the Neuberger’s Rickey Collection, September 02, 2007 - January 06, 2008 , Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY.

2007 "Transcending Tourism: The Transcontinental Art of Steven P. Perkins" published in conjunction with the exhibition Thai Lifestyle Art Project: Steven P Perkins: A Visual Alchemist, June 28 2007 to July 15 2007, Teo+Namfah Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand