Andy Messerschmidt received a BFA from Millikin University and MFA from the University of Minnesota. He has exhibited extensively in New York and Minnesota, as well as Missouri, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Hawaii, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. International exhibitions include Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, with future exhibits scheduled in England and Brazil. He was selected to exhibit in the 2005 and 2007 Minnesota Biennial at the Minnesota Museum of American Art. He is a frequent lecturer at numerous institutions.

Messerschmidt’s work, as product, defies convention, yet in concept, composition, and articulation celebrates it. As product, its irregular shape, curvilinear forms, unorthodox coloring, and non-uniformly scaled elements create a sense of curiosity, mystery, and intrigue. In concept, composition, and articulation its formality, symmetry, ornamental quality, and use of familiar yet disparate building blocks create a sense of reverence, serenity, and connection.

“Objectifying painting by transforming it into a shrine or altar is my focus. My goal is to stop the viewing at confounding confrontation, just sheer, unfamiliar, reverent confrontation – a grizzly on two legs in the middle of the trail.”

Messerschmidt views any particular space that houses his work as a temple and his work an altar. The altar, with its intoxicating color and sumptuous forms draws the worshipper in. The worshipper quickly becomes entranced by the intensity of detail, the complexity of form and pattern, and the morphosis of the familiar into the enigmatic. Messerschmidt’s work is truly transcendent!

commissioned & site specific works are available from each artist; please call the gallery for details.

education

University of Minnesota, MFA, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Millikin University, BFA, Decatur, Illinois

solo exhibitions

2013     Friend Me/Follow Me (Graze Anatomy),  Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2012     Aggrocult, Vine Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2011     Psycho-Babel,  Rochester Art Center, Rochester, Minnesota
2009     Batten Down the Blood, Franklin Artworks, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2008     Crackpot Crystallomancy, Plane-Space, New York, New York
2008     Merry Krishnas, Fox Tax Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2005     Hoodwinkers, Fauxs, Impostors and Snakeoilers, Plane-Space, New York, New York
2004     Selected Paintings, SOO Visual Arts Center – SOO TOO Exhibition Space, Minneapolis,  Minnesota

group exhibitions

2012     Afternoon Delight, Tuckunder Projects, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2012     Arrowhead Biennial, Duluth, Minnesota
2011     Paul Nudd and Andy Messerschmidt, Galerie Andreas Bruning, Dusseldorf, Germany
2011     Be Like Water. Telephoneboothgallery, Kansas City, Missouri
2011     Galerie Andreas Bruening, Dusseldorf, Germany
2010     Painting Zombies Attack Ebisu, Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2010     GM10: A Theory of Values, Soap Factory, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2008     Gangbusters, Plane-Space, New York, New York
2008     Indelible, Hoffman LaChance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
2007     Ohne Titel, Galerie Andreas Bruening, Dusseldorf, Germany
2007     Aqua Art Miami, Plane-Space, Miami, Florida
2007     P-Factory: De-Centering the Center, York College, York, Pennsylvania
2007     Minnesota Biennial 3D II, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2006     Claw Your Face Off, Plane-Space, New York, New York
2006     P-Factory, Sub Octo Space, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2006     Painter As Mentor. McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington, Illinois
2005     Urban Culture Project: Decentralizing The Center, Bank Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri
2005     Minnesota Biennial: 2D II, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2005     Decentralizing the Center, 39hotel Gallery, Honolulu, Hawaii
2005     LouDiamondPhillips – New Batch,  Plane-Space, New York, New York
2005     Art LA, Telephoneboothgallery, Los Angeles, California
2005     Art Chicago, Plane-Space, Chicago, Illinois
2004     Thought Patterns, Kent Place Gallery, Summit, New Jersey
2004     Alternative Materials, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2004     The Stray Show, Telephoneboothgallery, Chicago, Illinois
2004     Summer Salon: Panlocal-GeofunkopolisRising, Telephoneboothgallery, Kansas City, Missouri
2004     Winter Invitational, Telephoneboothgallery, Kansas City, Missouri
2004     Drawings, Plane-Space, New York, New York
2004     P-Factory, Art Space Tetra, Fukuoka, Japan
2004     Interplay, Regis Center for Art, curated by Douglas Fogle, Walker Art Museum, Minneapolis and Sylvia Chivaratanond, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2004     Draw, SOO Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2003     Mute, Cade Center for the Arts, Arnold, Maryland
2003     Multisensory: Visual Responses to Memory & Synesthesia, Hera Gallery, Wakefield, Rhode Island
2003     Painting Beyond Conventions, Penelac Gallery, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania
2002     Recent Grads-Recent Work, Kleinpell Fine Arts Center, River Falls, Wisconsin

visiting artist/ lecturer/ awards

2012     Grand Prize – Arrowhead Biennial, Duluth, Minnesota
2011     Minnesota State Arts Board – Individual Artist Grant
2010     Visiting Artist: University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota
2010     Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Individual Artist Grant
2008     Juror: Astroarchaeology at SIU, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York
2008     Visiting Lecturer: Vermilion Community College, Ely, Minnesota
2004     Lecturer and Panelist: Real Sick Puppies: Illness and the Contagion of Pattern, Mid-America College Art Association Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2004     Visiting Lecturer: Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota
2000     Visiting Lecturer: Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio

selected bibliography

The Playlist, PBS Television Program (Airs in April)
KUMD Radio, Radio Gallery Program, January 30, 2013
Duluth News Tribune, Faces & Names: Arrowhead Biennial, December 11, 2012
Methods of Being, Issue #1, April 2011
New American Paintings, The Open Studios Press, Boston, Vol. 95 August/September 2011
Sheila Regan, It’s Alive! ‘Painting Zombies’ Challenges The Death of Painting, City Pages, November 19, 2010
Camille Lefevre, Painting Zombies: Permanence/Impermanence, City Pages, December 1, 2010
Christina Schmid, On the Value of Anywhere, Art Pulse, Winter 2010
Susannah Schouweiler, A Theory of Values, Catalog, The Soap Factory, Modern Press, Minneapolis, 2010
Mary Abbe, Low-Value Biennial, Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune, September 2, 2010
Susannah Shouweiler, Field Day, Access + Engage, Issue 44.2:, August 29, 2009
Featured Banner Artist, mnartists.org
Mary Abbe, Homegrown Surrealism, Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune, April 30, 2009
Christina Schmid, Cut & Paste  Notes on the Touchy Subject of Cultural, ARP!: Art Review & Preview: Appropriation, Spring 2009: Vol. 1 #8
Houses of the Holy: Andy Messerschmidt & Max Schollet, C.A.S., Cakein 15, December 30, 2008
Vita.mn, Merry Krishnas, Jahna Peloquin, November 26, 2008
Kate Iverson, Krishna Gets Christmasy, Secrets of the City, November 28, 2008
New American Paintings, The Open Studios Press, Boston, Vol. 71 August/September 2007
Mary Abbe, Out of the playpen, into the gallery, Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune, November 21, 2007
Mary Abbe, Minnesota Mavericks, Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune, October 28, 2005
New American Paintings, The Open Studios Press, Boston – Vol. 59 August/September 2005
Roberta Smith, Andy Messerschmidt: Hoodwinkers, Fauxs, Impostors and Snakeoilers, New York Times, March 18, 2005
Tim Peterson, Interplay Exhibition Catalog, Minneapolis: Regis Center for Art, 2004
N.F. Karlins, Drawing Notebook, Artnet Magazine, July 20, 2004 www.artnet.com/Magazine/reviews/karlins2/karlins7-20-04.asp
New American Paintings, The Open Studios Press, Boston, Vol. 47 August/September 2003