Education
Master of Fine Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (2000)
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode
Island (1993)
Bio/Affiliation
Tao Urban investigates the space between art and design by creating objects and installations that directly engage the viewer with how they imbue products with meaning, cultural and personal, concrete and abstract. Some of his solo exhibitions include "Reading Room" at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland, C,alifornia and "The Pine Marten Installation", "Source, Resource" and "It's Not Me, ... It's You" at the Acuna-Hansen Gallery in Los Angeles, California. Urban’s work has been included in group shows across the United States, including; Midway Contemporary, Minneapolis Minnesota, Austin Design Center, Austin Texas, New Langton Arts, San Francisco California, High Desert Test Sites 2, Joshua Tree, Californa and the Torrance Museum of Art, Torrance California. Urban has lectured and been a visiting artist at a number of institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, Southern California Institute of Architecture and the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He currently teaches in the Creative Action Program at Otis College of Art and Design and lives and works in Los Angeles.
51” h. x 51” w. x 2” d.
Wood, Automotive finish and vinyl wall applique
51” h. x 51” w. x 2” d.
Wood, Automotive finish and vinyl wall applique
3.5” h. x 14” diameter
Hand cast polyurethane bowl
Secretary 48” h. x 25 3/8” w. x 13” d.
Upper shelving 14” h. x 36” w. x 10” d.
Lower shelving 14” h. x 36” w. x 12” d.
Oil finished birch plywood furniture, 3 pieces
21” h. x 34” w. x 2” d.
Wood and Automotive finish
20” h. x 26” w.
Silkscreen print on paper (Rives BFK)
Professional Accomplishments/Exhibitions:
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
- 2012, House Pet Panorama, University Art Gallery at University of Redlands, Redlands, California
- 2012, Bump, Spherical, Hexagonal, XVY Art, Los Angeles, California
- 2007, Reading Room, Swarm Gallery Project Space, Oakland, California
- 2006, It’s Not Me, ... It’s You, Acuna-Hansen Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Selected Group Exhibitions:
- 2015, Art About the Environment, LAX Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California
- 2012, Delta Waters, Delta Center for the Arts LH Horton Jr. Gallery, Stockton, California
- 2012, Bellwether reGeneration, City of Bellevue, City Hall, Bellevue, Washington
- 2011, energy, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, California
Publications:
Selected Publications:
- Murray, Margaret. Oakland Magazine. Define Your Space, March 2007, p. 81.
- Watts, Patricia & Lipton, Amy. Contemporary Quarterly. Waterworks, Summer 2006, p. 6, 16-20.
- Knight, Christopher. Los Angeles Times. Modules Help Get the Party Started, May 19, 2006, p. E14.
- Israel, Nico. Artforum. Under the Sun, Nico Israel On High Desert Test Sites, Sept. 2003, p. 47-50.