Education | Courses Taught | Biography | Publications | Exhibitions | Commissions | Collaborations | Reviews and Documentation | Awards | Anna Murch Website

• MA, Sculpture, Environmental Media, Royal College of Art, London, England
• BA, Leicester College of Art, England
• Graduate Diploma (Responsive Environment) Architectural Association, London, England

• ARTS 7/107: Three Dimensional Concepts
• ARTS 8/108: Visual Arts-Foundation
• ARTS 142: Intermediate Sculpture
• ARTS 173: Advanced Sculpture
• ARTS 202B: Studio Art: Sculpture
• ARTS 204A: Studio Art: Sculpture
• ARTS 291: Graduate Seminar
• ARTS 294: MFA Thesis & Exhibition

Biography

Anna Valentina Murch is an artist who works primarily with the medium of light and whose work focuses on creating places that lead the viewer on a sensory and psychological journey that measures time and provokes memory. She received an MA in Environmental Media, Sculpture from the Royal College of Art and a Graduate Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, England in 1974. In the late 1970's, she developed many works in galleries and museums. Since 1980, her work has been involved with designing and building large public art projects that use ambient elements such as light, water, sound, and plant material to create sequences of spaces that change with the seasons and heighten awareness of the natural cycles of time. The physical elements in these installations transmit, reflect or absorb light while becoming tangible layers to enrich these places. This large scale public work has allowed her to take her personal creative investigations to another level by widening the focus to explore the definition of place and venues for community interaction.

Recent commissions include, "Arroyo Suite," a 40' x 200' a passageway incorporating sequential sculptural interventions in Constellation Place Century City, Los Angeles. "Cycles," a courtyard installation for the New Queens Civic Court House, "Sky Tones", a time based volume lighting work located in five 25' x 20' niches along the upper level of the third Avenue Arcade at Benaroya Hall, the Seattle Symphony.

She has worked as an artist on many collaborative design teams including St. Louis Metro System, North Courtyard at the University of California Davis, the Rockridge Public Library, and the Muni Metro Extension Shelters and windscreens located along the South Embarcadero and King Street, Francisco.

In addition to her personal work as an artist, she has been involved with the creation and further development of community arts legislation that increase opportunities for artists to participate as thinkers as well as object makers. She has taught at University of California at Berkeley, the San Francisco Art Institute, Harvard University, and is currently an Associate Professor of Art at Mills College in Oakland, California.

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2008, Public Art / A World’s Eye View Integrating Art Into the Environment throughout the World Page 180-195 page 200-201 published by ICO ISBN 978-4-931154-32-2

2008, Catherine Mason: A Computer in the Art Room: The Origins of British Computer Arts 1950-1980 Published by JJG Publishing, p.125-126 ISBN 978-1-899163-89-2

2006, The Culture of the Structure, directed by Konstantia Kontaxis, Film commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places

2005, Kelly Flaherty Curley: “Groundbreakers” p.39: Silicon Valley

2002, Mark Johnstone and Leslie Aboud Holzman, Epicenter: San Francisco Bay Area Art Now Chronicle Books, San Francisco, ISBN 0-8118-3541-3 “Anna Valentina Murch,” pp.166–169

2002, Garrison Roots, ed., Designing The World’s Best Public Art, Images Publishing, Australia. ISBN 1-8647008-2-3 “Anna Valentina Murch,” pp. 82–91

1999, “The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California” Land Forum 01, pp. 60–63

1998, James Corner, “Light Passageway,” pp. 61, 156; and “The Landscape Project,” p. 35, Designed Landscape Forum 1, Pacemaker Press. ISBN 1-888931-12-4

1998, Anna Valentina Murch, Cycles 1997, Queens, New York” Sculpture Vol. 17, No.6

1990, Louise Steinman, “The Underworld Perspective of an Environmental Artist,” Contemporary Architecture Volume II; Lausanne, Switzerland

1986, David S. Rubin, “Anna Valentina Murch at Khiva,” Art in America

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2008, Dissolving” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA“

2006, “A private look at the Public Art at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts”, Miami Herald, Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL

2002, “Parallels & Intersections,” San Jose Museum of Art, CA

1990, “All for One Earth: Artists & Ecologists in Collaboration” San Francisco–Leningrad Ecological Arts Project SOMAR Gallery Space, San Francisco, CA

1989, “Chaotic Chains” The Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

1988, “Memory Station”, Art Park, Lewiston, New York

1987, SECA Award: “Voyages” San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA

1986, Khiva Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1986, “Staged Garden,” San Francisco Arts Commission Annex, San Francisco, CA

1985, “Folded Light” Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, New Mexico

1981, “The Crack”, 80 Langton Street, San Francisco, CA

1981, Three Sculptors: “Edges” Kaiser Center Sculpture Gallery, Oakland, CA

1980, “Runaways ” Works Gallery, San Jose, CA

1982, “Floating Mirrors” Sculpture Sites, Mills College, Oakland, CA

Artist in Residence

2003, Sacatar Foundation, Bahia, Brazil

1999, The American Academy in Rome

1989, The Hirsch Farm Project, Hillsboro, Wisconsin

1986, Djerassi Foundation, Woodside, California

1989, The Exploratorium, San Francisco

Works Appearing in Collections

2006, “Stupa”, Joan Eckart Residence, San Francisco, CA

1995, “Ways In Ways Out”Hargreaves Associates, San Francisco, CA

1992, “Frozen Water Window”, Sidney & Nancy Unobsky Residence, San Francisco, CA

1989, “Falling” The Fashion Institute, San Franciscco, CA

1987, “Shadow Maker”, Roselyne C. Swig, Art Source, San Francisco, CA

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2009 “Rotations”, Lobby Wall Installation, Chinook Building, Seattle, Washington

2007 “Confluences”, Lobby Ceiling Installation King County Office Building, Seattle, Washington

2006, “Water Scores” Wave Ramps and Benches for Carnival Center for Performing Arts Center Plaza, Miami, Florida, Commission by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places

2005, “Waterscape”, for San Jose Civic Center Plaza, In Collaboration with Douglas Hollis, Artist Through the Public Art, Cultural Affairs Division, City of San Jose, California

2005, “Once Upon a Time in Fresno” Water elments inside and outside the lobby, In collaboration with Douglas Hollis Artist, US Federal Courthouse, Fresno, California, General Services Administration Architects: Moore Ruble Yudell

2003, “Arroyo Suite”, a series of elements creating a passageway, MGM Tower, Constellation Place, Century City, Los Angeles, Developers: Urban Retail Properties, Cultural Affairs department, City of Los Angeles

1998, "Skytones," A time-based light-volume sculpture, Third Avenue Arcade and Recital Hall Lobby for Benaroya Hall, Commissioned by Seattle Arts Commission, and Seattle Symphony, with support from Seattle City Light

1997, "Cycles" The Courtyard, Queens Civic Court, Percent for Art Program, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Department of Design and Construction

1998, Design for Embarcadero Metro Stations, In collaboration with Sasaki Ass, S.F.

1996, "Edenvale Garden Park", Hayes Renaissance Conference Center, San Jose

1996, Design for Rockridge Branch Library through City of Oakland Cultural Arts Division with Community Group and Marquis Associates, Architects

1995, "Sky Dance" Grand Hall, New Denver Airport, CO

1993, “Light Passageway” Metro Link, Washington University Medical Center Tunnel, St Louis with Austin Tao Ass, Landscape Architects & Robert Banashek, Electrical Engineer

1993, Design for Memorial Union North Courtyard, University of California at Davis with Hargreaves Associates & Douglas Hollis

1993, One of 6 Artists for Design Team with Engineers & Architects for 18 Mile long St. Louis Metro System. which included bridge piers, tunnel stations and station canopy. Design team funded by The National Endowment for the Arts

1992 "Everett Arbor" Everett Community College, Washington, Washington State Arts Commission

1988, "Railway Suite" Cal Train, Santa Clara Station, Commissioned by California Arts Council

1987, "If Wishes Were Fishes We Would All Cast Nets" Suspended Light Sculpture for Ferrucci Junior High School, Puyallup, Washington, Commissioned by Washington State Arts Commission

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2004, Artists Design Team for Guide Way Design SMP Mono Rail. Seattle, Washington.

1998, Design for Embarcadero Metro Stations in collaboration with Sasaki Associates Landscape Architects, San Francisco.

1997, Design for Taylor Ranch Homestead Circle Park City of Albuquerque, New Mexico with Douglas Hollis, artist. Incorporated into Petroglyph National Monument Master Plan.

1996, Design for Rockridge Branch Library through City of Oakland Cultural Arts Division with Community Group and Marquis Associates, Architects.

1995, Master Plan for Art In Public Places Program, Broward County, Florida for Port Everglades and Ft. Lauderdale / Hollywood International Airport.

1993, "Light Passageway" Metro Link, Washington University Medical Center Tunnel, St Louis with Austin Tao Associates, Landscape Architects & Robert Banashek, Electrical Engineer.

1993, Design for Memorial Union North Courtyard University of California, Davis with Hargreaves Associates Landscape Architects and Douglas Hollis Artist.

1993, One of 6 artists for design team with engineers and architects for 18-mile-long St. Louis Metro System, which included bridge piers, tunnel stations, and station canopy. Design team funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

1992, Design for Carnegie Cultural Block Landscape/Hardscape and Outdoor Performing Arts Area in Tucson Arts District with Hargreaves Assoc. Landscape Artists & Douglas Hollis, artist. Design team funded by The National Endowment for the Arts.

1991, Master Plan for "Right of Way," St. Louis Metro with Austin Tao Associates Landscape Architects and Leila Daw, artist.

1989, Berkeley Aquatic Park Master Plan, Artist Consultant with MPA Design, Landscape Architects, S.F.

1989, Design for Taylor Ranch Homestead Circle Park, City of Albuquerque, New Mexico with Douglas Hollis, artist. Incorporated into Petroglyph National Monument Master Plan.

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2008, Public Art / A World’s Eye View, Integrating Art Into the Environment throughout the World, pages 180-195, pages 200-201, published by ICO ISBN 978-4-931154-32-2

2008, Catherine Mason: A Computer in the Art Room: The Origins of British Computer Arts 1950-1980, Published by JJG Publishing, p.125-126 ISBN 978-1-899163-89-2

2007, Design Awards, U.S. General Services Administration, US Federal Courthouse Fresno CA, P. 06 -09

2006, UC General Services Administration, Federal Courthouse Fresno, California

2006, From Vision to Reality: Public Art at Carnival Center for the Performing Arts. Miami Dade County, P. 24 - 29

2006, The Culture of the Structure, directed by Konstantia Kontaxis, film commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places

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2008, Miami Performing Arts Center, Water Scores, Pinnacle Award of Excellence, Stone Expo

2008, Confluences, Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Award

2008, Water Scores, Americans for the Arts public Art Network Award

2007, Honor Award, US General Services Administration, United States Courthouse, Fresno California

2006, Waterscape, Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Awards

2005, Danforth Chair, Mills College Oakland

1996, Design for Transportation National Award, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington DC, The Metrolink Design Collaboration

1995, Presidential Design Awards, Federal Design Achievement Award, Bi-State Development Agency / Arts in Transit

1994, Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture, St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

1992, Artists Fellowship, California Arts Council

1987, Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art (SECA Award), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

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