Ursula Biemann is an artist, theorist and curator working on the gendered dimension of geopolitical displacement and migrant labour. She has recently published Mission Reports - artistic practice in the field (Arnolfini, 2008), a monograph of her video works, and is a researcher at the Institute for Theory at the University of the Arts Zurich, Switzerland. www.geobodies.org
Nathalie de Briey. Since graduating in 1996 from the Master of Fine Art at The Glasgow School of Art, she has exhibited nationally and internationally. Recent projects include: Research residency in Hiroshima funded by the Scottish Arts Council (2008),Ground Temperature: 3000 degrees celsius, Emerged, Berlin (2008), New Scots, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (2008), The Fleeting, Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist (2008), Posthumous Humus, A.Vermin project (2009). Nathalie has lectured in various art schools across the UK and abroad. She is a studio holder of Glasgow Sculpture Studios. www.nathaliedebriey.com
Amy Charlesworth is a PhD Candidate in the school of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds. Amy’s research is concerned with the politics of form of the video essay and its role in attempting to discuss social relations under capitalism. Her thesis title is: The Video Essay in Contemporary Art: Aesthetics, Geographies, Politics. She has organized screenings and exhibitions of the works of Ursula Biemann, Jesper Nordahl, Hito Steyerl, Walid Ra’ad and Chantel Akerman.
Jonathan Lahey Dronsfield is Reader in Theory and Philosophy of Art, University of Reading, UK, and sits on the Executive Committee of the Forum for European Philosophy, European Institute, London School of Economics. He has published widely on the questions shared by continental philosophy, contemporary art, and ethics.
Thomas Hirschhorn was born in 1957 in Bern, Switzerland and studied at the Schule für Gestaltung, Zürich 1978-1983. His most recent solo exhibitions include It’s burning everywhere, DCA, The Subjecters, Casa Encendida, Madrid, Ur-Collage, Susanna Kulli, Zurich, Universal Gym, Gladstone Gallery, New York (all 2009) and Stand-alone, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico and Das Auge, Secession, Vienne (both 2008). He particpated in 27ème Fundação Bienal de São Paulo (2006), Documenta 11, Kassel (2000), 48th Venice Biennal (1999) and Skulptur Projekte in Münster (1997). He was the recipient of the Aica Prize (2006), Art Awards Prize (2005), Joseph Beuys-Preis, Basel (2004) and the Prix Marcel Duchamp, Paris (2000). Thomas Hirschhorn lives and works in Paris.
Michael Mersinis was born in 1978 in Athens, Greece. Whilst studying Philosophy and Political Sciences in Germany he worked as a professional graphic designer and print publishing assistant in Studio One. He is a graduate of Fine Are Photography at The Glasgow School of Art where he now teaches part time whilst undertaking a Masters in Research in Creative Practices. He lives and works in Glasgow.
Gustav Metzger was born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1926 to Polish-Jewish parents. In the late 1950 and early 1960s he developed the theory and practice of Auto-Destructive Art, epitomized in his Acid Nylon Action Painting. He was co-organiser of the Destruction in Art Symposium (1966) and called for an Art Strike (1977-1980). Metzger’s solo exhibitions include shows at workfortheeyetodo, London; Generali Foundation, Vienna; Zacheta Gallery, Warsaw; Cubitt, London; Lund Konsthall, Sweden; and Modern Art Oxford and the recent retrospective Gustav Metzger: Decades 1959–2009 at the Serpentine Gallery, London.
Matt Rodda is an artist and a current PhD candidate at The Glasgow School of Art in the department of Historical & Critical Studies. He has a BA (Hons) in sculpture from Winchester School of Art (2002) and an MA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art & Design, London (2007). As an artist he has exhibited widely throughout the U.K. as well as in Minnesota and Lisbon. His work is held in various private collections and in numerous sculpture parks.
Marcus Steinweg, Philosopher, born in 1971, lives in Berlin. His recent & forthcoming books are: Bataille Maschine (2 Vols, with Thomas Hirschhorn, Berlin: Merve 2003), Subjektsingularitäten (Berlin: Merve 2004), Behauptungsphilosophie (Berlin: Merve 2006), Mutter (with Rosemarie Trockel, Köln: Salon 2006), Duras (with R. Trockel, Berlin: Merve 2008), Politik des Subjekts (Zurich/Berlin: Diaphanes 2009), MAPS (with T. Hirschhorn, Berlin: Merve 2010), Aporien der Liebe (Berlin: Merve 2010), ABC der Schönheit (Berlin: Matthes & Seitz 2010).