Brendan Coyle is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in performance art, digital art, drawing, installations and sculptural works. He is the author and illustrator of a self-published comic detailing the landscapes of an interior mythology, and is co-founder of Second Saturday Staten Island Art Walk—a fountainhead for the revitalization of the arts in the Staten Island community.

Brendan completed his BFA in Sculpture and Extended Media, minoring in Painting at Virginia Commonwealth University, and came to New York in 2002, where he became a core member of a trans-generational performance group: The Assembly. He then went on to co-found the salon-styled exhibition space, The Assembly Room, which remained at the center of Staten Island's burgeoning art scene for 3 years, providing a local venue for collaborative and experimental works of practically every medium.

The bulk of Brendan Coyle's work develops the characters and motifs of a personal mythology that he has been investigating since he was 15 years of age. His performances and installations have been featured in the US and internationally (most notably, in Poland and Japan), and the New York Times recently ran a feature article on his life and work at The Assembly Room.

He is presently finishing assemblage sculptures and working on a novel that develops key aspects of his ongoing mythology.

Brendan Patrick Coyle

Curriculum Vitae

Exhibitions

2011

"Inflorescence of Sparkling Evil", "TRASH SHAMAN" Performance with Sculpture Exhibition, A Gathering of Tribes Gallery, Manhattan NY.

"RatARTouille", Sculpture Exhibition, Deep Tanks, Staten Island NY.

"Lumen", Video, Projection and Performance Art Festival, "CLOWNTRODDEN", Animation/Performance with Steven Lapcevic; "Screen Test Ad Infinitum", Video Experiment, Lighthouse Plaza, Staten Island NY.

"First Taste" 2D Group Show, Bound for Glory Tattoo, Staten Island NY.

2010

"CLOWNTRODDEN", Animation/Performance with Steven Lapcevic, Staten Island Museum, Staten Island NY.

"Art is a Gift", "Candy Corpse" Print, Spattered Columns, Manhattan, NY.

"Flux Factory Benefit Auction" "Mustard Seed" Sculpture, Old Dia Building, Manhattan, NY.

"Self Destruct Art Show", "SOAP PYRAMID" Ephemeral Sculpture, Flux Factory, Queens, NY.

"What Passes Between: Three Performances" Performance with Amanda Curtis, M-Lab, the Mobile Literacy Arts Bus at Stephan Stoyanov Gallery, Manhattan, NY.

"Wilhelm & Wilhelmina", Performance with Amanda Curtis, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn NY.

"Dowsing for The Fat", Mustard Man Performance, The Frying Pan, Manhattan NY.

"Lumen", Video, Projection and Performance Art Festival, "CLOWNTRODDEN", Animation/Performance with Steven Lapcevic, Atlantic Salt, Staten Island NY.

"Screaming Nutcracker", Drawing and Painting Exhibition with Amanda Curtis, Fevelo and Benussi Gallery, Staten Island, NY.

2009

"Mustard Forest: Ola and Boscoe", Performance with Amanda Curtis, Eternal Christmas, Brooklyn NY.

"Hell's Kitchen Open Studios and Galleries", 2D Artist Showcase, Art For Healing Gallery, Manhattan NY.

"Mapping Staten Island" COAHSI Gala, A/V Installation with Steven Lapcevic and Joel Guilbert, New York Container Terminal Staten Island NY.

"Verfall: Decadence and Decay", "Candy Corpse" Sculpture Exhibition, The Studio 150, Staten Island NY.

"Hidden Drone Down the Drain", Mustard Gardener Cameo with Amanda Curtis in Krzysztof Zarebski Performance, Gallery OneTwentyEight, Manhattan NY.

"The Boy with the Long Nose", Amanda Curtis Directed Performance, South Beach, Staten Island NY.

"Meanwhile", Musterd Man Comic Pages Exhibition, Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, Manhattan NY.

Drawing Exhibition, Everything Goes Café, Staten Island NY.

"WETG", Comedy and Performance, Everything Goes Café, Staten Island NY.

"Bottleheads", Sculpture Exhibition, SHOW Gallery, Staten Island NY.

"Mustard Forest", Dance Performance, Public Acts of Decency, Bowery Poetry Club, Manhattan NY.

"Martini Red Tavern Territorial", Drawings and Sculpture Exhibition with Amanda Curtis, Martini Red, Staten Island NY.

2008

"Hope + Create USA!!!", Performance with Amanda Curtis, Hope Lounge, Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY.

"Dubyaville", Homeless Art Gallery, "The Troll of Dubyaville" Performance with Amanda Curtis, St. George Parking Lot, Staten Island NY.

"Art Show and Tell", "Supernovas" with Assembly Room Trailer Video Screening, Everything Goes CafÈ, Staten Island NY.

"Bridge the Gap Festival", "222 is 8", Performance with Vivian Vassar and Amanda Curtis, Alice Austen House, Staten Island NY.

Film Night Featured Filmmaker, "Supernovas", Video Screening, Martini Red, Staten Island NY.

"Supernovas", Video Screening, Gallery 6, Staten Island NY.

The Assembly Room Gallery is founded with Amanda Curtis, Staten Island NY.

"08/08/08: Adaptation of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", Performance, Rivington School Underground, Manhattan NY.

"Supernovas: A Modern Survey", Performance with The Assembly, Kymara Gallery, North Dam Mill, Biddeford ME.

"Mustard Man", Performance, Diesel Gallery, Redhook, Brooklyn NY.

"The Hobo King", Directed Performance starring David Rodgers and Victoria Lee, Unitarian Church of Staten Island, Day De Dada, Staten Island NY.

Appearance in "Clown in a Bathtub", Krzysztof Zarebski Performance, Rivington School Underground, Manhattan NY.

"The Vet", "Politics of Nature Series", Performance with Thomas Gleisner, Union Square, Manhattan NY.

2007

"The Tale of Moor'i", Performance, Jordan Saia Comic Book Release, Dead Herring, Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY.

"The Woe of Mr. Canard", Three Performances, Art for Healing Gallery, Manhattan NY.

2006

"Clone of William S. Burroughs", Monologue, Bowery Poetry Club, Manhattan NY.

2005

"Sugar Power", Performance, La Madame, Warsaw, Poland.

"Sugar Power", Performance, Piekny Pies, Krakow, Poland.

"Booge, Boscoe and Selk", Performance, Galeria Bielsko, Bielsko Biala, Poland.

"Booge, Boscoe and Selk", Three Performances, Interakcje Performance Art Festival, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland.

Appearance in "Frankenfood", Krzysztof Zarebski Performance, Lab Gallery, Manhattan NY.

2004

"Mustard Tree", Performance, Mixed Media Art Communications Festival: Session Suginami Gallery, ParaGLOBE Gallery, Tokyo Japan.

"Vampire Shaving", Video Installation, Aizu Art College Performance Festival: Yamabiko Museum, Mishima, Japan.

"Booge Boscoe and Selk", Performance, Howl Festival: Fusion Arts Museum, Manhattan, NY.

"Booge, Boscoe and Selk: We Three Thieves", Performance, Filosofy Yard Sale, Brooklyn, NY.

"Fidusiewicz I Przyjaciele", Olympic Drawing and Photography Exhibition, Warsaw Olympic Center, Warsaw, Poland.

"Mustard Spring", Performance, Kont Gallery Performance Art Festival, Lublin, Poland.

"Mustard Spring", Performance, Interakcje Performance Art Festival, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland.

"The Assembly", Performance, Fusion Arts Museum, Manhattan, NY.

Appearance in "DJ Cool Swamp", Krzysztof Zarebski Performance, Roshkowska Galleries, Windham, NY.

"Mustard Man", Monologue, Remote Lounge, Manhattan, NY.

"The Imposter", Mustard Man Monologue and Performance with David Rodgers, Bowery Poetry Club, Manhattan, NY.

2003

"Inside the Cooler," Video Screening, Ujazdowski Castle Kino Lab, Warsaw, Poland.

"The Killer News", Mustard Man Monologue and Claymation Screening, Abingdon Theatre, 42nd St., Manhattan, NY.

"Inside the Cooler", Mustard Vampire Performance with Krzysztof Zarebski, Cooler Gallery, White River Junction, VT.

Mustard Man Improv Comedy, Show World, 42nd St., Manhattan, NY.

Flute Accompaniment in "DJ Cool Swamp", Krzysztof Zarebski Performance, Chelsea Arts Museum, Manhattan, NY.

Mustard Man Cameo in "The Earth People Vs. The Carcass Eaters", Walker Stage, Tribeca, Manhattan, NY.

"Mustard Man", Performance, Diesel Gallery, Redhook, Brooklyn, NY.

2002

"Antagonist", Painting and Performance, Visual Arts Studio, Richmond, VA.

Juried Show, "Cicada", Sculpture Exhibition, Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA.

Senior Show, "Mustard Bartender", Performance, Bradford Gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University's Fine Arts Department, Richmond, VA.

Awards & Accomplishments

COAHSI 2011 "Excellence in the Arts Award"

Borough President 2011 Creative Communities Grant funding Second Saturday Staten Island Art Walk, Staten Island NY.

"Emerging Young Artist Award" Honoree of 2010 COAHSI Gala, Congressional Recognition, Staten Island NY.

Founded "Second Saturdays Staten Island", Art Walk in the North Shore of Staten Island NY, 2010.

COAHSI 2010 Department of Cultural Affairs Encore Grant, funding "CLOWNTRODDEN", Staten Island, NY.

Founded "The Assembly Room" Gallery, Staten Island NY, 2008.

COAHSI 2008 Premier Grant, funding "Hobo King" Staten Island NY.

Founded The Assembly Performance Art Collective, NYC, 2004.

Education

1998-2002

Graduated with Bachelor's of Fine Arts Degree in Sculpture and Extended Media with a Minor in Painting and Printmaking, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Galleries

The Assembly Room - 15 Corson Ave. Staten Island, NY

Directed and Curated by Brendan Coyle and Amanda Curtis

2011

"Youther, Delirium, Whatever", Curated by Lys Riganti and Nicie Boris, Mixed Media Exhibition featuring Nicie Boris, Lys Riganti, Dean Brown, Conor Boyle, Lauren Chun, Emily Martinez, Dovilas Bukauskas, Chris Warner and Angelica Riganti.

• Musical guest SOFA CLUB

• Collaborative performance by Brendan Coyle, Amanda Curtis, Lys Riganti and Nicie Boris.

2010

"The Ivory Hour", Paintings by Sheryl Humphrey, Dioramas by Edward Coppola, and Moth Display by Taylor Jones.

"The Armless Show", Sculpture by Steve Foust and John Foxell, with Robert Deniro Sr. Painting from Foxell's private collection.

• Poetry Readings by John Foxell.

• Seedball Workshop with Jay Weichun.

• Interpretive Dance by Melissa West.

"Fecund", Paintings by Katie Torn, Mixed Media Assemblage by Tomas Ronse.

"Invoice", Performance by Brendan Coyle and Demetrius Felder.

• Noise Performance by Family.

• The Assembly Room Reality R&R Restaurant, Interactive Theater with Martin Munoz, Katie Torn, David Rodgers, Brendan Coyle, and Amanda Curtis.

• Spoken Word and Noise by Billy Cancel.

COAHSI Newsletter Insert: Print Project, "The Assembly Room Reality R&R Restaurant".

2009

Screening of "Wizard People, Dear Reader", Underground film from the private collection of Anne Marie Selzer, WorldWizardNetworkWorldWideWebBloggerReport Performance.

"Shit Corner: No Excuses", Small Works Summer Exhibition. A Year in Review. 27 Artists.

• Musical guest Proud Parents

• Musical guests Pheobe Blue and Tom Bones

• "Anomalyville" Screening, "Infinidreine" Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Performance.

• Musical guest Kilgore Trout is Dead

"Banishment of Retrograde", Performance Procession by David Rodgers, Brendan Coyle and Amanda Curtis terminating at Selzrez Film Forum, Maps on display by Robert McMurray.

"MIASMA", Paintings by Scott Lewis, Video and Digital Collage by Steven Lapcevic, "The Three Kings" Performance Art by Amanda Curtis, Group Poetry Readings, Musical Performance by Blurple.

2008

"DUELS", 2D art by Chris Riggs and Tom Gleisner, Musical performances by Jeffrey Marsh of The Venn Diagrams and Andrew Philip Tipton, Performance art and comedy by Mancrush and Brendan Coyle.

"Screening II: Screen Test Ad Infinitum", Simultaneous video recording and projection screening of various members of the community and friends of The Assembly.

"Screening I: Quilt of Projections", Inaugural exhibition with works by various members of the community and friends of The Assembly projected and collaged, Musical performances by Captain Ronzo, Mike Boner and Jordan Saia.

 

DOORWAY - 62 Van Duzer St. Staten Island, NY

Directed and Curated by Brendan Coyle and Amanda Curtis

2010

"Harry Home" Curated by Alex Smith a.k.a. Harry Krishna, Door #1: Paintings by Bobby Lucy, Door #2: "Harry Home" Installation, Collection and Collage.

• Performance by David Rodgers.

• Musical Performances by The Velcro Lewis Group and Flaming Fire.

"The Astral Fountain" Curated by Amanda Curtis, Door #1: Photographs and Video by Scott Kiernan, Door #2: Sculptures by Arthur Vallario, Mural by Demetrius Felder.

• Musical Performances by Old Soul, Flaming Fire, Bucolic Night Light Fungus' Fugus The{e}, and Alexcalibur.

• Musical Performances by The Artankers Convoy, Ron Wax, and The Aerosols.

 In terms of a highly stylized mythology, my work seeks to engender a mythic time within a correspondingly new realm of experience. It seeks to reflect the organization of the contemporary world in terms of an alternative symbology. While it's not a private language, strictly speaking, my work can be viewed as a creative restatement, or inverse reflection of what a large number of people experience in industrialized societies.

My work generally attempts to give material form to an attitude of social criticism. I often like to fashion works from industrial waste, for example—the expressive character of "garbage art" being adequate to convey elements of Hobo City, the focal point of my developing mythological world: a place where an enclosed concentration of people are forced to sustain life amidst unbridled waste. It is my belief that Hobo City is patterned on existing realities, and that in many respects we are immersed in decay, surrounded by a self imposed inhibitor identified in my pantheon as "The Fat."

All art has the function of simplifying reality or offering a worldview that can be understood and felt by the imagination. To enact this necessary simplification, I use recurring characters and motifs as tools towards the rediscovery of the world we daily inhabit. In Hobo City, masses of people daily undergo a process of degradation and devolution at the same time as they partake in an ongoing evolution. This reflects our world, where people's interests too often reflect the bias of a certain social class, and whose narrowing outlook works against the richness of human experience, enveloping us like a fat that renders us immobile, reducing us to static categories.

My art is informed as much by emergent technologies as by a kind of neo-primitivism. A mythic character is essential to my work, which recreates the features of the modern world in terms of imagined realms. In performance, in sculptures, in video art, and in drawings I give expression to mythic sagas and other symbolic structures that correlate with our discordant society. Ultimately, my work seeks to confront the dispossession of our lives and personalities head on, guided by the belief that art is essentially communicative, exhibitory. Interactivity, then, and the fostering of community are intrinsic to my art; and I'm always searching to establish deeper connections with a wider audience.

Brendan Coyle and friends have have recieved numerous honorable mentions and been interviewed in many publications, blogs, and documentaries about their artistic endeavors, samples include:

What the Ravens Wrought - New York Times

Brendan Coyle... on Lumen! - COAHSI

#39. BRENDAN COYLE & AMANDA CURTIS - "Museum curators." - 100 Interviews

Destroy! - Queens Chronicle

Verfall: Decadence and Decay- at 150 Bay Street in Staten Island, NY - Art Comments

Why I love… St. George, Staten Island - Time Out New York

Best blind-date spots - Time Out New York

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