Randy Polumbo lives and works in New York City and Joshua Tree, California as a visual artist, master builder, and sometime designer. His artwork has been shown nationally and internationally across metropoles and natural landscapes such as deserts, ruins, and caves. Major exhibitions include Museum of Old and New Art (Hobart, Tasmania), Ohr-O’Keefe Museum (Biloxi, MS), Prospect 3 (New Orleans, LA), Kasmin Gallery (Miami/NYC), Bass Museum (Miami, FL), Bombay Beach Biennale (CA), Norton Museum (Palm Beach, FL), and The Bunker Artspace (West Palm Beach, FL). He is a graduate of The Cooper Union School of Art, as well as a LEED accredited master builder.
CV
EDUCATION
1986
The Cooper Union
BFA for the Advancement of Art & Science Lash Award for Excellence in Sculpture
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
Sporis Spectaculi, Julie Keyes Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY
Sing Me to Heaven: A Summer Celebration of Queer Spirit, LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, NY
2022
Bunker, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum, Biloxi, MS
Bunker, Arthur Roger Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Magna Miracula, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
2021
Antigenic Rift, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum, Biloxi, MS
2010
2020
Antigenic Rift, Arthur Roger Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2019
Plum Gut Grotto, Orient Point Lighthouse, NY (permanent installation)
Bombay Beach Biennale, Belltower (permanent installation)
2018
Coachella, Lodestar (permanent installation)
Bombay Beach Biennale, Angler Grove (permanent installation)
2017
MONA, Grotto for Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania (commission)
Bombay Beach Biennale, Angel Queen
2014
Through the Looking Glass, Michael Murphy Gallery, Tampa, FL
Tunnel of Love, Imago/FiveELEVEN, NYC
Lighthouse, Art Queen Joshua Tree, CA
Lighthouse, Imago Gallery Rancho Mirage, CA
2012
Love Stream, Steven Kasher Gallery, NYC
Satellite of Love, BoxOffice Projects, NYC
2007
2006
2005
Chicken Little, 29 Palms Creative Center, CA
Strange Fruit, 29 Palms Creative Center, CA
Food Chain II, Vanderbilt University, TN
Mirage, 29 Palms Creative Center, CA
2004
Fever, Illinois Central College, IL
Mirage, 29 Palms Creative Center, CA
2002
Early Bird Special, Duke University, NC
Food Chain, Dodo, NYC
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Material Nature, Aaron Poritz and Randy Polumbo, Cristina Grajales Gallery, NY, NY
GLOW, BravinLee Programs, New York, NY
Strange Attractors, A Chaotic Bloom (two-person show with Agathe Snow), Willoughby Gallery, Southold, NY
New York Live Arts Gala, Installation of Untitled Planet, Beckoning and Octopus Vulgaris, NY, NY
Dallas Art Fair with Cristina Grajales Gallery, Dallas, TX
2022
Miami Art Fair with Arthur Roger Gallery, Miami, FL
Design Miami, Miami, FL
Salon Art & Design Fair, Park Avenue Armory with Cristina Grajales, NYC
PAD London with Cristina Grajales, London, UK
Via Lactea (two-person show with Paula Hayes), Cristina Grajales, NYC
Radical Horizons, Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
2017
The Bunker: Beth Rudin DeWoody collection, Norton Museum, West Palm Beach, FL
2020
Anti Frieze, Curiousity, Petit Ermitage Hotel, LA, CA
Heading 1
2015
Triumph of Love: Beth Rudin DeWoody Collects, Norton Museum, West Palm Beach, FL
2014
Entheogenic Shift Installation at P3 “The Embassy”, curated/created by Kirsha Kaechele, New Orleans LA
7th Annual Governor’s Island Art Fair, NYC
Hotter Than July, NY Studio Gallery, NYC
Kasmin Gallery store & pop up exhibits in NYC & FL
2013
High Desert Test Sites, Joshua Tree, CA
Temporary Contemporary, Bass Museum, Miami
Grey Area Pop Up spaces, various locations
Kasmin Gallery Shop, NYC
Pulse with Steve Kasher, NYC
2012
Art Public Miami at Bass Museum with Paul Kasmin Gallery, Miami
Art Basel installation at Standard Hotel for Paul Kasmin, Miami
Art Walk NY, NYC
Bad For You, Shizaru Gallery, London
The Meek Shall Inherit, BoxOffice Projects, NYC
2011
The Garden, Allan Nederpelt, NYC
Beacons, Institute for Contemporary Art, MI
White Sale, Loretta Howard Gallery, NYC
Perhaps We Meet, BoxOffice Projects, NYC
A Strange Affinity to the Beautiful and the Dreadful, Hendershot Gallery, NYC
2010
Rubbers, The Museum of Sex, NYC
No Dead Artists, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, LA
Gawker Artists presents: NSFW, Fountain Art Fair, NYC
2009
Kingston Sculpture Biennial, NY
Unframed, Acria Foundation, NYC
Figment, Governor’s Island, NYC
Giving Face, Nicolas Robinson Gallery, NYC
2008
Paraphernalia, Bakehouse Art Complex, FL
Sexy Time: A Group Effort, Morgan Lehman, NYC
Many Mansions, Art Queen, CA
HIV Law Project, Moti Hasson Gallery, NYC
2007
Bridge Art Fair, Dam Stuhltrager Gallery, NYC
HIV Law Project, Moti Hasson Gallery, NYC
Rockstar, Art Queen, CA
2006
Free-form, Maude Kerns Art Center, OR
High.Desert.Test.Sites 5, CA
2005
Scope, Nancy Hoffman Gallery, London & Florida
Group Show, 31 Grand Gallery, NYC
2003
Wonderland, The Arts Center of the Capital Region, NY
Pop, Rock and Roll, Morehead State University, KY
Devices, Gallery Korean - Korean Cultural Service, NYC
2001
BUGS!, Anchorage Museum of History and Art, AK
1997
Warning Signs for Democracy, Hunter College, NYC
1996
Large Show of Small Works, The Cooper Union, NYC
Baseball Show, Curt Marcus Gallery, NYC
Billboards for Democracy, Hunter College, NYC
1995
Appetite, an American Pastime, H.E.R.E., NYC
1993
Cadavre Exquis, The Drawing Center, NYC
1991
Dogether, Shed im Eisenwerk, Switzerland
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Lorinda Ash, Beth DeWoody, Tim & Stephanie Ingrassia, Ann Magnuson, Rick Moody, John & Amy Phelan, Kenny Scharf, Jon Stryker & Slobodan Randjelovic, Uma Thurman, David Walsh & Kirsha Kaechele.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Old & New Art, Tasmania, Crocker Museum of Art, CA, The Museum of Sex, NYC
RESIDENCIES
2005
Fellowships at The Corporation of Yaddo Residency
Park Stewardship Through the Arts, Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua Tree, CA
2004
Fellowships at The Corporation of Yaddo Residency
Park Stewardship Through the Arts, Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua Tree, CA
1999
Fellowships at The Corporation of Yaddo Residency
1998
Fellowships at The Corporation of Yaddo Residency
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2021
Wendy Goodman, He Bought a Lighthouse, New York Magazine,
2019
Penelope Green, New York Times, How Much Hip Can the Dessert Absorb
KCRW Art Talk: Coachella Valley as Crucible of Creativity?
Cool Hunting: Highlights from the 2019 Bombay-beach-biennale
2018
We Spent 15 Minutes Inside Mona's New 'perpetual cell'
Palm Springs Life Bombay Beach Biennal
Palm Springs Life, Bombay Beach Biennale 2017
Bedford & Bowery, Bombay Beach Biennale 2017
The Monthly, Pharos at MONA a labyrinth of sensory delights.
2017
2016
2015
Sandra Schulman, “Trippy Airstreams and Landscape Legends”, wpbmagazine.com
2014
“Taste the Rainbow”, The Glamourai.com
2012
Jerry Portwood, “One to Watch: Randy Polumbo”, Out.com (September 28)
“Randy Polumbo Presents His Most Ambitious and Monumental Work to Date at Steven Kasher Gallery”, ArtDaily.org (September 13)
Georgina Wells, “An Airstream Trailer Becomes A Gender Bending Orgasmatron”, Artlog.com (August 22)
“Vintage Travel Trailer: Love Stream by Randy Polumbo”, Designboom.com, (August 12)
Michael H. Miller. “Randy Polumbo’s ‘Love Stream’ Comes to Steven Kasher Gallery”, Gallerist NY (July 31)
2011
2010
Wendy Goodman, "We're All Mad Here,” New York Magazine (February 27)
Elizabeth Foydel, “Sex, Spice and Everything Nice Hides in Midtown East,” Columbia Spectator (February 11)
2009
Robert Wright, “Is It Art or Their Shoes?,” New York Times (December 10)
Penelope Green, “The Master Builder Cuts Loose,” The New York Times (April 9)
Carlton DeWoody, HBOMB issue 4 (artist’s centerpiece)
Christopher Harding, “Sunny Side Up,” Vice Magazine, No.2.9
2008
Mike Giuliano, “On the ‘Road, Again,” Howard County Times (September 11)
Golden Handcuffs Review, Spring 2006: Vol 1, No. 9, (centerfold)
“Art of the Holiday Party”, Examiner.com (December 21)
“Sex in New York City”, Welt (June 28)
2007
Charlotte Druckman, “Trash to Treasure a Craftsman’s Rough-hewn Restoration on Peck Slip,” New York Magazine, (April 22)
2006
Catherine A.F.MacGillivray, “Negotiating Gender:The Boyish Bendings of Sculptor Randy Polumbo”, Golden Handcuffs Review, Summer/Fall 2006; Vol 1, No. 7
“Visual Art”, Eugene Weekly (May 06)
2005
“Art Scene”, Nashville Scene, (April 28)
2003
“Small Wonders”, The Metroland (November 9)
2002
“Downtown: Shaken But Bouncing Back”, The New York Times (May 3)
1998-2000
The Sciences 07/98, 05/99, 07/00, Frontier of Life, Space, & misc articles
1997
Peter Schjeldahl, Review of Baseball Show, (July 30)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2019
Penelope Green, New York Times, How Much Hip Can the Dessert Absorb
KCRW Art Talk: Coachella Valley as Crucible of Creativity?
Cool Hunting: Highlights from the 2019 Bombay-beach-biennale
2018
We Spent 15 Minutes Inside Mona's New 'perpetual cell'
Palm Springs Life Bombay Beach Biennal
Palm Springs Life, Bombay Beach Biennale 2017
Bedford & Bowery, Bombay Beach Biennale 2017
The Monthly, Pharos at MONA a labyrinth of sensory delights.
2017
2016
2015
Sandra Schulman, “Trippy Airstreams and Landscape Legends”, wpbmagazine.com
2014
“Taste the Rainbow”, The Glamourai.com
2012
Jerry Portwood, “One to Watch: Randy Polumbo”, Out.com (September 28)
“Randy Polumbo Presents His Most Ambitious and Monumental Work to Date at Steven Kasher Gallery”, ArtDaily.org (September 13)
Georgina Wells, “An Airstream Trailer Becomes A Gender Bending Orgasmatron”, Artlog.com (August 22)
“Vintage Travel Trailer: Love Stream by Randy Polumbo”, Designboom.com, (August 12)
Michael H. Miller. “Randy Polumbo’s ‘Love Stream’ Comes to Steven Kasher Gallery”, Gallerist NY (July 31)
2011
2010
Wendy Goodman, "We're All Mad Here,” New York Magazine (February 27)
Elizabeth Foydel, “Sex, Spice and Everything Nice Hides in Midtown East,” Columbia Spectator (February 11)
2009
Robert Wright, “Is It Art or Their Shoes?,” New York Times (December 10)
Penelope Green, “The Master Builder Cuts Loose,” The New York Times (April 9)
Carlton DeWoody, HBOMB issue 4 (artist’s centerpiece)
Christopher Harding, “Sunny Side Up,” Vice Magazine, No.2.9
2008
Mike Giuliano, “On the ‘Road, Again,” Howard County Times (September 11)
Golden Handcuffs Review, Spring 2006: Vol 1, No. 9, (centerfold)
“Art of the Holiday Party”, Examiner.com (December 21)
“Sex in New York City”, Welt (June 28)
2007
Charlotte Druckman, “Trash to Treasure a Craftsman’s Rough-hewn Restoration on Peck Slip,” New York Magazine, (April 22)
2006
Catherine A.F.MacGillivray, “Negotiating Gender:The Boyish Bendings of Sculptor Randy Polumbo”, Golden Handcuffs Review, Summer/Fall 2006; Vol 1, No. 7
“Visual Art”, Eugene Weekly (May 06)
2005
“Art Scene”, Nashville Scene, (April 28)
2003
“Small Wonders”, The Metroland (November 9)
2002
“Downtown: Shaken But Bouncing Back”, The New York Times (May 3)
1998-2000
The Sciences 07/98, 05/99, 07/00, Frontier of Life, Space, & misc articles
1997
Peter Schjeldahl, Review of Baseball Show, (July 30)