Mark Ponder creates playful, self-reflexive drawings and installations that critically address the potential empowerment and perils that come from perfectionism. His subversive, brutally honest take on his quest for happiness and success reminds one of self help posters gone extremely wrong. Often gaudy and sometimes slightly icky, his visuals seek to tease out the duality embedded in our deepest feelings and emotions. The works are cute, sarcastic, but perhaps most oddly, highly austere.
Exhibitions
2014
Artist's Picks, Alliance Gallery, Houston TX, Curator: Michael Bise
Contracts and Actions Items, 3 person show with Matt Kubo and Justin Parr, Mariago Collective, Houston TX, Curator: Tommy Gregory
Church of Man Love, BOX13 ArtSpace, Houston TX, Curator: Mark Ponder
Wythe Hotel Pride Celebration, Wythe Hotel, Queens NY, Curator: Jonathan Caouette
2013
TX Biennial, Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, San Antonio TX
CHAOS!, R02 Gallery, Dallas TX
Mortal Men, three-person exhibition with Seth Mittag and Mark Ponder, Gaddis Geeslin
Gallery, Sam Houston State University, Curator: Michael Henderson UNIT, Sonja Roesch Gallery, Houston TX
Sweeney Convention Center, Santa Fe AZ
Do It: Houston, Alabama Song Art Space, Houston TX
Box of Trojans, Art League Houston, Houston TX
Help Yourself, two person exhibition with Ariane Roesch, EMERGEncy Room, Houston TX, Curator: Rachel Hooper
2012
Houston Fine Art Fair VIP Room, Reliant Center, Houston TX
Shipped, Peel Gallery, Houston TX
The Unit Store, Sonja Roesch Gallery, Houston TX
The Right to Assemble, Texas State University, Gallery I, San Marcus, TX
2011
A Time To Celebrate, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX
BOX of Curiosities, Displayed at Discovery Green, Houston TX
2010
What We're Up To, Box13 ArtSpace, Houston, TX
Relativity, Dishman Gallery, Beaumont, TX
2009
Relativity, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Relativity, Paducah Arts Center, Paducah, KY
2008
A Life Full of Introspection is a Life Full of Impotence, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
The God Drawings, Thai Taste Gallery. Carbondale, IL
Spaceship Earth - Juror: Andy Messerschmidt. CW Post Hutchins Gallery, Long Island University, Brookeville, NY
2007
2nd Annual Critical Forum Exhibition, Juror: Riley Robinson. Art Factory. Murphysboro, IL
Process, Performance, and Projection, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2005
Theosis and Dependency, Dishman Art Gallery, Beaumont, TX
Bibliography
2012
Meredith Deliso, "Unit" at Gallery Sonja Roesch
2011
Troy Schulze, "A Time to Celebrate" at Lawndale Art Center
Jesse Cantu, "A Time to Celebrate" at Lawndale Art Center
Houston NPR interview with Bob Stevenson
Robert Boyd, The Best of 2011
Lectures / Talks
2013
CAMH Slide Jam, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Artists Lecture, Houston, TX
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville TX
Community
2011-Present: Exhibition Coordinator, Box13 ArtSpace, Houston, TX
2010 Selected Juror for Protege Scholastic Competition, Beaumont TX
2008-09 Exhibition Coordinator, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale IL
2007-09 Board Member, Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award, Carbondale IL
Education
2009 Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, IL . M.F.A
2005 Lamar University of Beaumont, TX. B.F.A.
Collection
Bill Arning, Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Personal Collection
John Barrera
2014
Artist's Picks, Alliance Gallery, Houston TX, Curator: Michael Bise
Contracts and Actions Items, 3 person show with Matt Kubo and Justin Parr, Mariago Collective, Houston TX, Curator: Tommy Gregory
Church of Man Love, BOX13 ArtSpace, Houston TX, Curator: Mark Ponder
Wythe Hotel Pride Celebration, Wythe Hotel, Queens NY, Curator: Jonathan Caouette
2013
TX Biennial, Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, San Antonio TX
CHAOS!, R02 Gallery, Dallas TX
Mortal Men, three-person exhibition with Seth Mittag and Mark Ponder, Gaddis Geeslin
Gallery, Sam Houston State University, Curator: Michael Henderson UNIT, Sonja Roesch Gallery, Houston TX
Sweeney Convention Center, Santa Fe AZ
Do It: Houston, Alabama Song Art Space, Houston TX
Box of Trojans, Art League Houston, Houston TX
Help Yourself, two person exhibition with Ariane Roesch, EMERGEncy Room, Houston TX, Curator: Rachel Hooper
2012
Houston Fine Art Fair VIP Room, Reliant Center, Houston TX
Shipped, Peel Gallery, Houston TX
The Unit Store, Sonja Roesch Gallery, Houston TX
The Right to Assemble, Texas State University, Gallery I, San Marcus, TX
2011
A Time To Celebrate, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX
BOX of Curiosities, Displayed at Discovery Green, Houston TX
2010
What We're Up To, Box13 ArtSpace, Houston, TX
Relativity, Dishman Gallery, Beaumont, TX
2009
Relativity, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Relativity, Paducah Arts Center, Paducah, KY
2008
A Life Full of Introspection is a Life Full of Impotence, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
The God Drawings, Thai Taste Gallery. Carbondale, IL
Spaceship Earth - Juror: Andy Messerschmidt. CW Post Hutchins Gallery, Long Island University, Brookeville, NY
2007
2nd Annual Critical Forum Exhibition, Juror: Riley Robinson. Art Factory. Murphysboro, IL
Process, Performance, and Projection, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2005
Theosis and Dependency, Dishman Art Gallery, Beaumont, TX
Bibliography
2012
Meredith Deliso, "Unit" at Gallery Sonja Roesch
2011
Troy Schulze, "A Time to Celebrate" at Lawndale Art Center
Jesse Cantu, "A Time to Celebrate" at Lawndale Art Center
Houston NPR interview with Bob Stevenson
Robert Boyd, The Best of 2011
Lectures / Talks
2013
CAMH Slide Jam, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Artists Lecture, Houston, TX
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville TX
Community
2011-Present: Exhibition Coordinator, Box13 ArtSpace, Houston, TX
2010 Selected Juror for Protege Scholastic Competition, Beaumont TX
2008-09 Exhibition Coordinator, The Surplus Gallery, Carbondale IL
2007-09 Board Member, Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award, Carbondale IL
Education
2009 Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, IL . M.F.A
2005 Lamar University of Beaumont, TX. B.F.A.
Collection
Bill Arning, Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Personal Collection
John Barrera