Ilana Halperin’s work explores the relationship between geology and daily life. By connecting personal events and human histories to deep geological time, she allows for a space to think about our place within a vast continuum from a more intimate perspective. To articulate a corporeal sense of geological time, Halperin forms sculptures using natural geological processes – from geothermal pools to high velocity calcifying springs. Her work deals with geological intimacy and vivacity, and the uncanny knowledge that something as inert and certain as stone was once liquid, airborne, alive. Her recent work moves between performance, sculpture, print, drawing, film and narrative. She has celebrated her birthday with a volcano born the same year, boiled milk in a sulphur spring, and held the Allende Meteorite, the oldest known object in the solar system, in her hands.

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

1 Sep - 1 Oct 2023 NADA House, Governors Island, New York (solo presentation)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022 Chaos Terrain, University of St Andrews Museum, commission for the Boswell Collection

2022 My Conglomerate Family, Cairn Art Centre, Digne-les-bains

2021 There is a Volcano Behind My House, Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute

2020 Excerpts from the Library, Online Exhibition, Patricia Fleming, Glasgow

2019 Minerals of New York. Leeds Arts University, touring to The Hunterian, Glasgow

The Rock Cycle (Yamaguchi). Interlinked solo exhibitions curated by Naoko Mabon/Wagon. Akiyoshidai Natural History Museum/Akiyoshidai International Artist Village/Karstar Geopark Centre, Yamaguchi, Japan

2017 The Library of Earth Anatomy. Permanent Installation. The Exploratorium, San Francisco

Geologic Intimacy (Yu no Hana). Curated by Naoko Mabon/Wagon. Fujiya Gallery Hanayamomo, Beppu, Japan; Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen; Patricia Fleming Projects, Glasgow

2014 Learning to Read Rocks. Part of Generation. An Tobar/Comar, Isle of Mull

The Hall of Rocks and Minerals. Permanent Installation, new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery

Autobiographical Trace Fossils. Patricia Fleming Projects, Glasgow

2013 The Library. National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh

Geologic Intimacy. Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Space, Dundee

2012 Steine. Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité, Berlin

Hand Held Lava. Schering Stiftung Project Space, Berlin

We Form Geology. Travelling Gallery, Scotland

2009 Physical Geology (slow time). Artists Space, New York

2008 Physical Geology (part one). Manchester Museum, Manchester

2007 Towards Heilprin Land. doggerfisher, Edinburgh

Infinite Orogeny with Adam Putnam. Studio Visconti, Milan

2005 Nomadic Landmass. doggerfisher, Edinburgh

2004 Dromocroma. Autori Cambi, Rome

2001 The Difficulty of Falling in Love During an Earthquake. Tramway, Glasgow

1999 Geologic Intimacy. Switchspace, Glasgow

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS AND COMMISSIONS

2023 Hollow Earth: Art, Caves & The Subterranean Imaginary, Hayward Gallery, London

2022 The New Materialism in Current Art, Museum unter Tage, Bochum 

2022 The Rock Cycle, Pier Arts Centre, Orkney

2021 Crystal Clear, Curated by Elena Sorokina, Pera Museum, Istanbul

2018 Cosmogonies. Group show curated by Hélène Guenin. MAMAC, Museum of Contemporary Art, Nice

2017/18 4.543 billion:The Matter of Matter. Group Show curated by Latitudes. CAPC Museum, Bordeaux

Flint Magazine. Group exhibition and book launch. Art Metropole, Toronto and touring

Être pierre. Group Show curated by Jessica Castex and Noëlle Chabert. Musée Zadkine, Paris

This Rare Earth. Group Show curated by Karen Verschooren & Ils Huygens. STUK, Leuven

Between Tides and Poles: New Acquisitions from the Uni. of Edinburgh Art Collection. Talbot Rice Gallery

Summa. Group Show curated by Colin Greenslade. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

The World Made New. Group Show curated by Oliver Sumner. Pi Artworks, London

2016 The Forces Behind the Forms. Group Show. Curated by Magdalena Holzhey. Galerie im Taxispalais, Austria; Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Germany and Kunstmuseum Thun, Switzerland

Ripples on the Pond. Group Show. Curated by Katie Bruce. Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow

2015 Cristallisations. Group Show. Curated by Centre Pompidou Metz. Musée du Cristal Saint-Louis

2014 Allegory of the Cave Painting. Group Show. Curated by Mihnea Mircan. Extra City, Antwerp

2013 Piroerotomachia. 8. Biennale Fotografii. Curated by Krzysztof Gutfrański, Galeria Miejska Arsenal, Poznan

Objective / Subjective. Group Show. Curated by Peter Olson. NIU Art Museum, Dekalb

2012 Etendue Muette. Group Show. Maison des Arts de Grand Quevilly, France

2011   Experimental Station. Group show. Curated by Virginia Torrente & Andrés Mengs. CA2M, Madrid

We Make Versions. Group Show. Westfälischer Kunstverein, Münster

Industrial Aesthetics:Recent Art from Scotland. Group Show. Hunter Gallery, New York

Just Photography. Group Show. Curated by Bruce Haines. Martos Gallery, New York

2010 Volcano. Group show. Curated by James Hamilton. Compton Verney, Warwickshire

Experimental Geography. Group show. Curated by Nato Thompson. The James Gallery, Graduate Center CUNY, New York (touring exhibition from 2008 - 2011)

Artist Commission. New Barts Cancer Centre. Vital Arts. Barts Hospital, London.

This Matter. Group Show. The Royal Standard, Liverpool

2009 Running Time:Artist Films in Scotland. Group Show. Dean Gallery, Edinburgh

An Entangled Bank. Group Show. Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh

Portscapes. Public Art Commission. Curated by Latitudes. SKOR, Rotterdam

Timecode, Group show inaugurating 10th anniversary of DCA. Curated by Judith Winter and Graham Domke. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee

Polar Dispatches. Group show. Portland Museum of Art, ME.

The Audio Show. Group Show. Curated by Seth Kelly. Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York

2008 Estratos, PAC Murcia 2008. Curated by Nicolas Bourriaud. Murcia, Spain

Conspire. Curated by Natasa Petresin-Bachalez. House of World Cultures, Berlin

The Fleeting. Taigh Chearsabhagh Art Centre, North Uist

Art Forms From The Ocean. Group Show. National Glass Centre, Sunderland

New Scots. Group Show. Curated by Sandy Moffat. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

2007 Still Life: Art, Ecology and the Politics of Change. Sharjah Biennial 8. Sharjah, U.A.E.

Enlightenment; Collecting for the Future. Group Show. Hunterian Art Museum, Glasgow

It Starts From Here. Group Show. De la Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea

2006 Drawing Links. Group show. The Drawing Room, London and touring

How I Finally Accepted Fate. Group Show. Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York

Where the Wild Things Are. Group show. Curated by Anne Marie Watson. Dundee Contemporary Arts

Annotations (bronnen), Public Holiday Projects. Group Show. Expodium, Utrecht

Our House is a House that Moves. Curated by Natasa Petresin. Living Art Museum, Reykjavik

2005 Art/Sci Research Residency. New performances commissioned. Camden Art Centre, London

Contemporary Collection. Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow

2003 Re-Launch. Market, Glasgow

2002 Art and Mountains. Curated by Bruce Haines and Paul Claydon. Alpine Club, London

Into the Abyss. Two person show with Adam Putnam, The Kettilhouse, Akureyri, Iceland

2001 Two person show with Sally Osborn. doggerfisher, Edinburgh

2000 New Contemporaries 2000. Group show. Inverleith House and touring

A Day Like Any Other. Curated by Francis Mckee. Stavanger Kulturhus, Norway

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

2019 Project Funding for The Rock Cycle (Yamaguchi), Yamaguchi University, Japan

2018 Creative Scotland Open Project Funding

Hope Scott Trust Artist Grant

AIAV International Fellowship. Yamaguchi, Japan

2015/17 Artist-in-Residence. The Exploratorium, San Francisco

2016 Shortlisted to represent Scotland in Venice Biennale. Curated by Atlas Arts, Isle of Skye

Elephant Trust Grant for Geologic Intimacy (Yu no Hana) curated by Naoko Mabon. Aberdeen

2015 Royal Scottish Academy Artist Residency 2015. Cromarty

2014 Platform05 Research Residency. Beppu Projects. Beppu, Japan

Creative Scotland International Research Grant

Atlas Arts Micro-Residency. The Bothy Project. Isle of Eigg

2012/13 Glenfiddich 2013 Spirit of Scotland Award Finalist in Art

Inaugural Artist Fellow. National Museum Scotland, Edinburgh

Cove Park One-to-One Residency. Cove Park, Scotland

Nominated for an Arts Foundation Fellowship in Printmaking

2011/12 Schering Stiftung. Major foundation support for Physical Geology Project. Berlin

Creative Scotland Visual Artist Project Support

2010 New York Council for the Humanities Grant with Triple Canopy

Creative Scotland Visual Artist Development Bursary

2008/09 British Council Darwin Now Award

Scottish Arts Council Visual Artist Award

Research Commission. Storey Gallery. Lancaster

2007 Esmee Fairbairn Residency. Cove Park. Scotland

2006/08 Alchemy Fellowship. Manchester Museum. Manchester

2006/07 Scottish Arts Council Artist Grant

Hope Scott Trust Artist Grant

Artist-in-Residence. Oceanwide Expeditions/Tiffin Projects. Greenland

2005  Art/Science Research Residency. Camden Arts Centre. London

2004 Artist-in-Residence. Skaftfell Cultural Center. Seydisfjorder, Iceland

2002 Network North Residency. NIFCA. Lapland and the Barents Region

2001 Cell Culture Science/Art Residency. Arteleku, San Sebastian

Darklights Commission Award. Tramway. Glasgow

2000 Finalist. Archibald-Campbell and Harley WS Photography Award. Stills. Edinburgh

1999 Artist in Residence. The Gilsociety. Akureyri, Iceland

Postgraduate Scholarship Award. Glasgow School of Art

PERFORMATIVE LECTURES

2018 Minerals of New York. Glasgow Film Theatre/Lux Scotland as part of C.T.L. Programme

Geologic Intimacy/Physical Geology. Geologics Symposium. Brown University, Rhode Island

2016/17 Felt Events. Performance with Raymond MacDonald, The Necks & BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Tectonics Festival, Glasgow; Glasgow International and An Tobar/Isle of Staffa as part of Generation

2015  Felt Events. Performative Lecture. Leeds Museum/Pavilion, Leeds; Kunstmuseum Thun, Switzerland

Conversations about Landscape with Jason Groves. The Exploratorium, San Francisco

2014  Physical Geology (a Field Guide). Regarding Dynamic Processes. Hull School of Art

Learning to Read Rocks. Feeling the Anthropocene Symposium. University of Edinburgh

2012  Autobiographical Trace Fossils. The Cultural Life of Caves Symposium. Pera Museum, Istanbul

2011 Hand Held Lava. Commissioned performance with Andrew Patrizio & Karen Holmberg. Triple Canopy. Turner Contemporary, Cell Project Space, Schering Stiftung, Atlas Arts and CCA Glasgow

2010 At What Moment Does Limestone Become Marble. Performance at frozen waterfall. Bard CCS, NY

2009 Physical Geology. Terra Mobilis: Fire and Ice Colloquium. Brown University, Providence

Physical Geology (Part One). Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee

A Brief History of Mobile Landmass. Future Land. Port of Rotterdam/SKOR

2007/8 Towards Heilprin Land. Commissioned by Tiffin Projects. The Hunterian Museum; Cendeac Murcia

Geologic Intimacy. Species of Origin Roundtable. Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh

2005/6 Ruins in Reverse (Nomadic Landmass). Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria; Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art; Manchester Museum; Camden Arts Centre and touring.

Emergent Landmass. Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts; Camden Arts Centre

2003/4 Integrating Catastrophe. Southern Yangtze University, Wuxi; China Academy of Art. Hangzhou,

Geologic Intimacy. Wednesday Open Series, Glasgow School of Art

2000/2 The Pursuit of Flora & Other Environmental Anecdotes. ISFLS, Aarhus; Arteleku, Donostia; Tramway, Glasgow

2001 Nomadic Landmass. CCA/Hunterian Museum, Glasgow

1999 Intimate Three Part Fractions. Performance with AJ McCaffrey. CCA, Glasgow

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Minerals of New York. Limited edition Artist Publication. Flint Magazine. Detroit 2018

Cosmogonies. Edited by Hélène Guenin. MAMAC. Nice 2018

Être Pierre. Musée Zadkine. Paris 2018

Geologic Intimacy Yu no Hana. Artist Publication. Graphical House. Glasgow 2017

Geology & Literature. Edited by Jason Groves. Literatur für Leser 16/1, Frankfurt 2017

Salon : No. 4. Edited by Gerhard Theewen. SALON VERLAG & EDITION. Cologne. April 2017

The Forces Behind the Forms. Kunstmuseen Krefeld and partner venues. Krefeld 2016

Drawing Ambiguity: Beside the Lines of Contemporary Art. I.B.Tauris. London 2015

Art in the Anthropocene. Edited by Heather Davis&Etienne Turpin. Open Humanities Press. Ann Arbor 2015

Generation: 25 Years of Contemporary Art in Scotland. National Galleries of Scotland. Edinburgh 2014

Earth Works! Format P #7. Edited by Sebastian Cichocki and Krzysztof Gutfrański. Warsaw 2013

Making the Geologic Now. Edited by Elizabeth Ellsworth & Jamie Kruse. Punctum Books. NY 2012

New Landmass. Edited by Sara Barnes & Andrew Patrizio. With texts by Dame Gillian Beer, Horst Bredekamp, Thomas Schnalke and Hugh Tuffen. Schering Stiftung. Berlin 2012

Volcano. Edited by James Hamilton. Reaktion Books. London 2011

Experimental Station. Edited by Virginia Torrente and Andre Mengs. CA2M Madrid 2011

Physical Geology. Edited by Barnes & Patrizio. Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité. 2010

In Conversation, Spring Exhibitions. Artists Space. New York 2009

Portscapes. Edited by Latitudes. SKOR. Rotterdam 2009

Experimental Geography. Edited by Nato Thompson. ICI. New York 2008

Estratos. Edited by Nicolas Bourriaud. Pac Murcia. Spain 2008

Sharjah Biennial 8 Catalogue. U.A.E. 2007

Drawing Links. Text by Andrew Patrizio. Drawing Room. London 2006

Nomadic Landmass. Text by Mungo Campbell. File Note. Camden Arts Centre 2005

Ruins in Reverse. Edited by Adam Putnam. Whitney Museum at Altria. New York 2005

Ruins in Reverse (Nomadic Landmass). doggerfisher. Edinburgh 2005