CV
SARA STERN
Born in New York, NY | Lives and works in New York, NY
EDUCATION
2017 MFA Columbia University, Visual Arts Program, New York, NY
2012 BA Harvard University, Visual and Environmental Studies, Cambridge, MA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
sand plays itself, Essex Flowers, New York, NY (upcoming September 2024)
Study for a Scene, curated by Adam Liam Rose, Ortega y Gasset Projects, Brooklyn, NY
2019
hold your horses, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
2018
Foundation Vent, Reynolds Gallery, Richmond, VA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Channel, curated by Patrick Harkin, Andrews Gallery, Williamsburg, VA
2023
Perennials: 10 Years of Essex Flowers, Essex Flowers, New York, NY
2022
Confetti falls from the ceiling, Essex Flowers, New York, NY
2021
Of Several Depths, curated by Miles Rufelds, the plumb, Toronto, Canada
2020
Open House, curated by Julia Rooney, Elegran, New York, NY
2019
In Practice: Other Objects, curated by Gee Wesley, SculptureCenter, Long Island City, NY
Fine Arts Work Center Fellows Group Exhibition, Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), Provincetown, MA
Fine Arts Work Center Fellows Group Exhibition, Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
2018
Visual Fellows and Visual Committee Exhibition, Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
Daddy’s Books, curated by Lauren Faigeles and Caitlin MacBride, Far Rockaway, NY
Cheeky: Summer Butts, curated by Anthony Iacono and Peter LaBier, Marinaro Gallery, New York, NY
2017
Tropical Lab 11: Citation: Déjà Vu, curated by Caterina Riva, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singapore
Place of Heaven, curated by Karen Flatow, CRUSH Curatorial and The Art Barge: The Victor D'Amico Institute of Art, Amagansett, NY
In Response/The Arcades Project, curated by Chris Gartrell and Jenna Weiss, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
And and end, curated by Cheeyeon Park, Guastavino Room, St. Paul’s Chapel, New York, NY
Columbia Thesis Exhibition, curated by Deborah Cullen, Lenfest Center for the Arts, New York, NY
THE TYRANNY OF COMMON SENSE HAS REACHED ITS FINAL STAGE, curated by Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tomas Vu-Daniel, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, New York, NY
Retreat, curated by Peter LaBier and Maggie Goldstone, Moms Gallery, New York, NY
2016
Finished Goods Warehouse, curated by Natalie Bell, Pfizer Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY
First Year MFA Exhibition, curated by Amanda Parmer, Wallach Gallery, Columbia University, New York, NY
LOVE 2016, curated by Rachel Stern, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, New York, NY
2012
Attached, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Cambridge, MA
PERFORMANCES
2024
Study for the Glass Curtain Call, Puppet Blok, Curated by Emma Wiseman and Josh Rice, Dixon Place, New York, NY
2023
Marble Man Makes an Appearance, Essex Flowers, New York, NY
2022
Mirror Ball (A Rehearsal in the Dunes), Fine Arts Work Center (off-site at Herring Cove Beach), Provincetown, MA
SET IN STONE (a workshop), Object Movement Puppetry Festival, The Center at West Park, New York, NY
2017
Hi. Wow. Lenfest Center for the Arts, New York, NY (with the Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corps Marching Band)
SCREENINGS
2023
Mirror Ball, Presented by Samantha Nye, “In Conversation with Maria Lassnig’s Films,” Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2019
SOFT FILM, curated by Serra Victoria Bothwell Fels and John Orth, Catinca Tabacaru Gallery, New York, NY
2017
Satan plays his favorite trick, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
2016
Studio Studio, Frame[o]ut-Festival, MuseumsQuartier, Vienna
Studio Studio, Museum of the Moving Image, Queens, NY
Studio Studio, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
Studio Studio, AASFF Austrian American Short Film Festival, Austrian Cultural Forum, New York, NY
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2023
Harvestworks Artist Scholarship
2018
Rema Hort Mann Emerging Artist Grant
2016
Best Film in the category of Experimental and Conceptual, AASFF Austrian American Short Film Festival
2012
Harvard Office for the Arts Council Prize in Visual Arts
David McCord Prize (Harvard University)
2011
Whitehill Prize for the Humane Letters and Arts (Harvard University)
RESIDENCIES AND FELLOWSHIPS
2024
The Watermill Center Artist Residency, Water Mill, NY
2023
Fire Island Artist Residency, Cherry Grove, NY
2022
Stephen and Palmina Pace Residency, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
LGBTQ+ Residency, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
Object Movement Residency, The Center at West Park, New York, NY (2021-2022, nine month puppetry residency, which culminated in a showcase in April ‘22)
2021
Artist-in-Residence, The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, West Rutland, VT
Oberhausen Seminar, Oberhausen, Germany (remote)
The Art & Law Program (remote)
2018
Visual Artist Fellowship, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA (2018-2019)
2017
Fountainhead Fellowship, Sculpture + Extended Media, Virginia Commonwealth University (2017-2018)
Tropical Lab 11, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
2012
Henry Russell Shaw Fellowship (2012-2013 purposeful travel in Berlin)
2010
Harvard Artist Development Fellowship
TEACHING
Critic, Senior Sculpture Studio; Senior Seminar: Pro Practices, Fall 2023
Sculpture Department, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Advanced Video, Spring 2020
Visual Arts Program, Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, NY
Adjunct Professor, Digital Video; Digital Imaging, Fall 2019
Visual Art Department, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey
Co-Director & Core Faculty, Summer Studio Program, Summer 2019; Core Faculty, Summer 2018
Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Richmond, VA
Fountainhead Fellow/Adjunct Professor, Intermediate/Advanced Sculpture; Basic Sculpture, Fall 2017, Spring 2018
Department of Sculpture + Extended Media, VCU School of the Arts, Richmond, VA
Teaching Assistant, Beginning Video, Professor Shelly Silver, Fall 2016
Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, NY
Teaching Assistant, Advanced Video, Professor Matthew Buckingham, Fall 2015
Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, NY
Teaching Assistant, Studio Thesis Seminar, Fall 2014, Spring 2015
Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Teaching Assistant, The Live Film, Professor Amie Siegel, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015
Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Teaching Assistant, A Soap Opera Within Itself; Music, Melodrama, and Performance Art
Visiting Professor Kalup Linzy, Fall 2013
Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS & GUEST FACULTY
2023
Guest Faculty, MFA Retreat, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME
Mentor, MFA Program, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (remote)
2022
Mentor, MFA Program, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (remote)
July NYC Intensive, MFA Program, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (taught in NYC)
April NYC Intensive, MFA Program, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (taught in NYC)
2021
Mentor, MFA Program, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (remote)
Guest Faculty, MFA Retreat, Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (remote)
2020
Remote Puppetry: Stop Motion, Animation, Montage, First-Year Arts Program Workshop, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (remote)
TALKS AND CLASS VISITS
2023
Guest Critic, Drawing Foundation, Prof. Julia Rooney, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2022
“Architecture as Puppet,” Maine Media Workshops + College, Rockport, ME (remote)
2021
Artist Talk, The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, West Rutland, VT
“Julia Rooney and Sara Stern in Conversation @SomeHighTide,” Arts & Leisure Gallery, New York, NY (remote)
Class Visit Talk, Data & Society and The Internet and Society, Prof. Maryam Monalisa Gharavi, Northeastern University, Boston, MA (remote)
2020
Class Visit Talk, Intro to Newer Genres, Prof. Abigail Lucien, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD (remote)
2019
Class Visit Talk, Visual Thinking, Prof. Alex Strada, Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Alumni Panel, Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Co-Director Artist Talk, Summer Studio Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2018
Core Faculty Artist Talk, Summer Studio Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2017
Visiting Artist Talk, Sculpture + Extended Media, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2016
“Speaking of Listening,” Panel Discussion, Art History Program and Visual Arts Program, Columbia University, New York, NY
2014
“Brad Jones Panel Discussion,” Sargent’s Daughters, New York, NY
2013
Alumni Artist Talk, Visual and Environmental Studies Thesis Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA