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Visual Arts Lecturer, Course Coordinator BVAD Melbourne, BCARTS nationwide.
Faculty of Arts, National School of Arts and Humanities
Areas of expertise: art history; art theory; video installation; painting; drawing; performance art
Phone: (03) 99533617
Location: ACU Melbourne Campus
HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Not accredited/Not applicable
Penelope Trotter is a Visual arts lecturer in Art History/Theory, Video Art, Drawing and Painting, a feature writer for fine art journals and a multi-disciplinary visual and performance artist. Key issues being explored in her most current exhibitions/performances are Surrealist fantasy fulfilment and its relation to notions of performativity. Recent artwork concerns itself with the concept of withheld knowledge created by historical phantoms, exploration of measures required to reclaim this knowledge, and an overriding desire to effectively become the "Other."
"Say What? Penelope Trotter, Danielle Freakley, Edward Colless," in Art & Australia: The Miracle, (ed.) Edward Colless, (A& A Publishing: Southbank, 2018.)
"Stuart Ringholt: Anxiety, laughter and stress reduction," in Artlink, "Anxiety", Issue 37.3, Eve Sullivan (ed.) September 2017.
"Chris Bond: I am Wes Thorne," in The National 2017: New Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia with Art Gallery of NSW and Carriageworks, Sydney. March 2017.
"Chris Bond: Fictional Play," in Artlink, "Parallel Universe," Issue 36.4, Eve Sullivan (ed.) December 2016.
"The writer versus the artist who speaks in quotes: An interview between Penelope Trotter and The Quote Generator," in un Anthology: Melbourne art and writing (2004-2014): a decade of art and ideas, Ulanda Blair, Rosemary Forde & Phip Murray (eds) un Projects, Melbourne, 2016.
"Abstruse Ideological Compositions: Applying Claude Cahun's model of 'indirect action' to contemporary activist performance art," in HISTART'14, Dakam conference proceedings book, Istanbul: Dakam, 2014.
"Psychic Counterpoints: Participatory realist documentary and printmaking as thwarted war romance, longing and desire," in Impact #7, edited by Luke Morgan, Melbourne: Monash University Press, 2013.
"Looking for Charlie," in Leggendaria, edited by Anna Maria Crispino, 2013.
"In Light of the Darkness: The art of Georgina Read," in Article: The Journal of Art and Education Victoria, Volume 10, No. 1, Autumn 2008.
"The writer versus the artist who speaks in quotes: An interview between Penelope Trotter and The Quote Generator," in Rosemary Forde (ed.), UnMagazine, Projekt, Melbourne, March 2008, p.52.
"Mirroring our Dialogue," in Stephanie Britton (ed.), Artlink, Volume 27, no #4, Artlink Australia Ltd. Henley Beach, 2007.
"Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces - A Short Ride in a Fast Machine", in Caroline Meagher (ed.), State of the Arts, iMedia Asia Pacific Pty Ltd, Kings Cross, July to September 2005.
"Chris Bond: Ungame," in Lily Hibberd (ed.), UnMagazine, Projekt, Melbourne, 2004.
"The Theatrics of Cloning: Juan Ford", in ", in Stephanie Britton (ed.), Artlink, Volume 22, no #1, Artlink Australia Ltd. Henley Beach, 2002.
"Monster Politics - theories of transformation for freaks, animals and superheroes. The art of Sharon Goodwin, Martine Corompt and Kate Beynon", in Robyn McKenzie (ed.), Like Magazine, No. #14, RMIT University, Melbourne, Autumn, 2001.
"James Lynch", in Julia Gorman, James Lynch, Andrew McQualter, Ricky Swallow, (eds.), Rubik #10, Rubik, Collingwood, 2000.
"One-Sculptural Furnitue, Annette Cock, Yvette Durmegue, Kathy Fox", in Stephanie Britton (ed.), Artlink, Volume 19, no #4, Artlink Australia Ltd. Henley Beach, 1999.
"Zoe Sweeney, Subsist - A Cosseted Environment", in Stephanie Britton (ed.), Artlink, Volume 17, no #4, Artlink Australia Ltd. Henley Beach, 1996.
"Jill Orr: Raising the Spirits", in Peter Timms ed., Art Monthly, May 1995.
"Clashing Fragments, Textiles, Ceramics and Other Fragmented Items", in Ken Lockwood (ed.), Craft Arts International, Issue #31, Craft Art Pty Ltd, Australia,1993.
"Bare Ordered Chaos - A One Night Installation by Kim Kerze", in Sean Kelly (ed.), Contemporary Art Tasmania, Summer Issue, Contemporary Art Services Tasmania, Hobart, 1993.
Victor Rubin: The Lost Domain, Catalogue essay, Mahoney's Galleries Melbourne, 2007.
"Wizard of the Thunderdome - Lisa Young". Catalogue essay for Wizard of the Thunderdome at Gertrude Street Contemporary Art Spaces, March 2005.
"Untitled." Catalogue essay for "The Found Project," curated by Kelly Boucher, Latrobe Regional Gallery, 2004.
"Performance Art in the Age of Technology", catalogue essay for Performance Art in the Age of Technology at Linden Gallery, St.Kilda, 1996.
Immigration Panorama, performance and installation as part of "Fixed Human Type," curated by Foolish Goats (Sophie Perillo and Malcolm Lloyd,) Top Shelf Gallery, Melbourne, 2013.
Looking for Charlie, solo exhibition at C3 Contemporary Art Space, Abbotsford Convent, 2013.
How to Dance like a 1950's Robot Teacher, Arte Padova international Art Fair, 2012.
Looking for Charlie,solo exhibition and performances at Artegiro gallery, Montefiascone, Italy and in the Tuscia region of Italy, November 2011.
Beautiful Volcanoes, group exhibition curated by Michael Vale, Monash Faculty Gallery, 2011.
Fantasy Fulfilment and the Invisible Provocateur, PhD exhibition, Monash Faculty Gallery, 2011.
Club Visit, Kings AV Gallery, video piece and performance installation, December, 2008.
Australie: Myth et Realitie and Australia Mito eRealta', two group shows curated by Renata Summo-O'Connell from AILAE, Foundation Maison des Sciences des l'Homme, Paris, and Rocca dei Papi Montefiascone, 2008.
Narcissus of Liberty, mixed media installation and video performance solo show, Linden Gallery, St.Kilda, 2006.
Ode to Bowie: The Male Jouissance Thing, in A Lot of Love Goin' Around, curated by Christian Thompson, RMIT Project Space/Spare Room, Melbourne, 2006.
How to Dance Like a 1950's Robot Teacher, solo video show, Kings Gallery, Melbourne, 2004.
Automaton: The Scientific Management of Clean Logic, video, Westspace, Melbourne. 2003.
Egg Faced Girl, photograph of performance, Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney. 2002.
Untitled,Up in Smoke, performance based photograph, group exhibition, Citylights, Hosier Lane. 2001.
Andy and the Planet Factory, performance art piece, Melbourne International Biennial opening party, Melbourne, 1999.
Etiquette vs Depravity - The School of Elegance 1953, live performance art piece, The Bridge - Construction in Process, International art exhibition, Melbourne, 1998.
Cold Romeo, The Subterranea Banquet, live performance art piece, Platform Art Project, Spencer Street Station, 1997.
Steward/Stewardess, (Collaboration with Douglas Brook), Display group show, Platform Art Project, Flinders Street Station. 1996.
The Headless Spaceman Hits Planet Earth, Display group show Platform Art Project, Flinders Street Station. 1996.
Person/Dog,"The Puppy Parade", staged as part of the Jeff Koons Exhibition, Museum of Modern Art at Heide, Buleen, 1996.
The Movement, Hi God People Collaboration, written by Penelope Trotter as part of the Make it Up Club 21st birthday celebrations, Bar Open, 2019
Running, Bathing, Singing, Hi God People Collaboration, written by Penelope Trotter, as part of Polyphonic Social, Liquid Architecture, curated by Joel Stern, Abbotsford Convent, 2017.
Poly-geographic = library + school of elegance + birth home + roads Victoria, Hi God People Collaboration, Strange Neighbour Gallery, 2016.
The Winner Takes It All: An Epiphany, at The Castlemaine Festival "Hi God People and Action Unit" event, The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, 2015.
Library Dreams, Hi God People performance and collaboration with Clinton Green, Chun Liang Liu, and Danielle Freakley, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, November 2014.
Time Has Stopped, Hi God People sound piece as part of "60 x 60" at "ACMA (Australian Computer Music Conference,)" Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, July 2014.
Untitled, Hi God People performance at Conduit Arts, Fitzroy, curated by Clinton Green, March 2014.
Split Self, Hi God People performance in "Experimental Universe: Re-enactments and Imaginings," as part of "War is Over: (If you want it.)," Yoko Ono Retrospective, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, curated by Joel Stern, 2014.
Clak Clak! Julian Williams and Hi God People collaboration, Slopes Gallery, Fitzroy, December 2013.
Untitled, Hi God People Musical performance collaboration, in "Now Hear this," as part of "Melbourne Now," curated by Emily Siddons, November 2013.
Abstract Election, collaboration with Hi God People, originally performed on election night 2013, now curated as part of "Melbourne Now," by Tony Ellwood at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 2013.
Performer/Facilitator, Please Say project, Seychelles Pavilion, Artist Danielle Freakley, Arsenale, Venice Biennale "Foreigners Everywhere," 2024.
Panel talk, Laptops, Costumes, Pedals and Projections: Issues for live performance of experimental, drone and noise music, at "More Talk Less Action," curated by Greg Wadley and Clinton Green, Westspace Gallery, 2013.
Three artist talks in the Tuscia region of Italy to accompany the Looking for Charlie solo exhibition and performance at Artegiro gallery, Montefiascone, Italy, 2011.
A Club of One's Own: Aristocracy and the Path to Bohemia, talk as part of International Womens Day debate, "It is 100 years since she got the vote and she still folds the socks and jocks," for Australia Post, and Food for Thought - Greek Australian Women's Network, 2008.
In Light of the Darkness, Gallery talk, Anita Traverso Gallery, 2007.
2007 - Postgraduate Research Travel Grant to attend PSI#13 conference in New York and to execute current art piece in Times Square, Monash Graduate Research School.
2006 - 2009. MGRS scholarship award for Phd Scholarship at Monash University.
2011-2024: Visual Arts Lecturer and Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Visual Art and Design, ACU, Fitzroy. (Full time - Lecturing in Art History, Drawing, Painting, Video Installation, Drama and Cultural Practice.)
2004-11: Art Theory Lecturer and Tutor, Monash University Centre for Art and Design Gippsland, Monash University Department of Art and Design, Caulfield, 2004 - 11. (Sessional, Full and Part Time. First, second and third year subjects.)
2009: Art Theory Lecturer, ACU (Sessional - First and second-year subjects); Art Theory Lecturer, Catalyst Clemente through Mission Australia and ACU (Part time).
2003-4: Art Theory Lecturer, Latrobe Street School of Art, Melbourne, 2003-4 (Part time).
2001: Drama and English Teacher, Traralgon Secondary College, Traralgon (Full time).
1998: Curator, "A vs K on Air." First Site Gallery, RMIT (Freelance).
1997: Curator, "Subterranea Banquet." Platform Art Project, Flinders Street Station (Freelance).
1996: Coordinator, Platform Art Project, Flinders Street Station (Freelance); Curator, "Performance Art in the Age of Technology." Linden Gallery, St.Kilda (Freelance).
1996 - current: Freelance feature writer, various art magazines including Artlink, Art Monthly, Leggendaria (Italy), Art and Australia, CAST, Like Magazine and Craft Arts International.