Emergency Nature Supply Kit (E.N. Supply, No. 271-OJ)
1971
Sculpture: polyester resin, water, green patch of grass, electronic bird sounds generated from speaker and battery
Film: 16mm transferred to digital (digital transfer 2015)
Sculpture: 12 x 12 x 12 inches; 30.48 x 30.48 x 30.48 centimeters

Erosion Machine No.2
1969
Plexiglas, metal racks and fittings, plastic, water pump, LED lights, black light, pebbles, 4 “human rocks,” wood base
15 x 25 x 9 inches, 38.1 x 63.5 x 22.86 centimeters

Erosion Series 1
1975
Compacted sediment (”human rock”), cardboard, wooden box
6 x 13 x 11 inches, 15.24 x 33.02 x 27.94 centimeters

Supply & Demand
1972
Venus flytrap, insects, plastic case, humidifier, wiring, grass, wood pedestal, grow lamps
47 x 24 x 18.6 inches, 119.38 x 60.96 x 47.24 centimeters

Liquid/Solid Series: Solid - liquid No. C1
1980
Glue, paint, framed
9 x 12 x 1.75 inches, 22.86 x 30.48 x 4.45 centimeters

Born: 1942 San Francisco
Lives and works in Santa Monica, CA


EDUCATION

1967        MFA, Dickson Art Center, University of California, Los Angeles,
1964-5    Graduate Study: Folkwang School of Art, Essen, Germany
1963        BFA, Dickson Art Center, University of California, Los Angeles
1962        University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITITIONS

2016   
Nature is Everything – Everything is Nature, Cherry and Martin, Los Angeles, CA

2006
Human Rock, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA       

2000
Nature Observed/Technical Assist, Sculpture Center, New York, NY
1+1+1=1, Leal Selado Art Gallery, Macao, China

1997
Quality of Light, Cornwall, England

1991
25 Year of John Doe Co, Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
Solid Rain, Rancho Santiago College, Santa Ana, CA

1989
66 % Water, Capp Street Projects, San Francisco, CA

1988
Water Project, ASG Gallery, Nagoya, Japan
Impressions, Invisible Sculpture, MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, MA

1985
Sound Drop, Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA   

1984
Moving Appearance, Polaris Gallery, Los Angeles, CA        
Shifting Sand, Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
Recent Work, St. Polaris Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

1983
Black Lake & Water Mind Play, Arco Center for Visual Art, Los Angeles, CA            
1982
Alternative TV, Berkeley, CA

1980
12 to 5, ASG Foundation Gallery, Nagoya, Japan    
Natural Museum of Modern Art, Santa Monica, CA

1977
Water Projects, Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

1976
Black Lake, Santa Monica, CA

1971
Emergency Nature Supply, Osaka, Japan

1970
Esther Robles Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2018 
Paradise, curated by Todd von Ammon, Westport Arts Center, Westport, CT
Specters of Disruption, De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
3D: Double Vision, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Emerald City, K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong

2017    
Soil Erosion, curated by Shannon Ebner, Altman Siegel, San Francisco, CA 

2014    
The Photographic Object, 1970, Hauser & Wirth, New York, NY

2013   
The Photographic Object, 1970, Le Consortium, Dijon, France

2011    
Photography into Sculpture/Evolving the Photographic Object, Cherry and Martin, Los Angeles, CA

2009    
Installations: Armory Center for the Arts 20th Ann. Exhibition, Pasadena, CA

2001    
Infinity, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA

2000   
Millennium Show, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA

1998   
Organic Laboratory Museum, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA

1997   
COLA: Individual Artist Grant Exhibition, Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Turbulent Landscapes, Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

1996   
Investigations, Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, CA

1994   
5th Biennale, Curated by L. Llanes-Godoy, Havana, Cuba.

1993   
3rd International Biennale in Nagoya - ARTEC'93, Nagoya Art Museum, Japan
The Nature of the Machine, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL

1992   
Chinese Artists from California, Leal Selado Art Museum, Macao  
Proof: Los Angeles Art Photograph 1960–1980, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA

1990   
Art from the Exploratorium, World Financial Center, New York, NY (traveling exhibition)

1989   
Forty Years of Assemblage, curated by Ann Ayers, Frederick Wight Gallery,University of California, Los  Angeles, CA; traveling exhibition to San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA; Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE (catalog)

1988   
Studio Artist Exhibition, The CLOCKTOWER, New York, NY

1989   
Art in Motion, Wake Forest Fine Art Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC

1984   
Celebrating Two Decades in Photography, Grunwald Center, F. Wight Gallery,University of California, Los Angeles, CA, (catalog)
Traditions Transformed, Oakland Art Museum, Oakland, CA (catalog)

1981   
Photo-fusion, Pratt Manhattan Center Gallery, New York, NY (catalog)

1976   
Photo/Synthesis, Herbert Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

1975   
Sounds, Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach, CA

1975   
Erosions & Environmental Changes, Baxter Art Gallery, Caltech, Pasadena, CA

1970   
Photography into Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

1969   
Vision and Expression, George Eastman House of Photography, Rochester, NY

1968   
Technology Giveaway by John Doe Co., Art & Technology Festival, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

1966   
Photography, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN

PUBLIC COMMISSIONS

2011   
Ghost Fish 107, Port of Los Angles, San Pedro, CA

2010  
Aerial Plaza, The Promenade, Long Beach, CA

2005  
Underwater Cafe, Santa Monica Library, Santa Moncia, CA

2004   
20 year Master Art Plan, Port of Los Angeles, CA

2002   
Centennial Square, Pasadena, CA
 
2001   
Community Island Pond, Pier 11, New York, NY

2000   
Everglades Trespass, Pembroke Pines Library Project, Broward County, FL

2000   
Friendship Acrobatic Troupe, Sony Exploration Museum, Beijing, China in conjunction with Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

1996   
Museum of Space Information, Metro Rail Station, MTA, Los Angeles, CA
     
1996  
Tilted Landscape, located at Tempe Library and Arts Center. Tempe, AZ

1994  
Sheriff's Facility; San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA

1991  
Water Lens Tower, Kaiser-Permanente Hospital, Los Angeles, CA

1988  
Santa Monica Art Tool, Santa Monica, CA

1980   
Seattle Underwater, Seattle, WA

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Salvesen, Britt. “3D: Double Vision,” Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art/Delmonico Books-Prestel, 2018. 
Vogel, Wendy. “Carl Cheng,” Art in America, October 6, 2016.
Shang, Danielle. “Critics’ Picks: Los Angeles,” Artforum, June 2016
Wagley, Catherine. “5 Art Shows to See in L.A. this Week: Carl Cheng,” LA Weekly, June 8, 2016.
Statzer, Mary, “The Photographic Object 1970,” Oakland: University of California Press, 2016.
Harmon, K. The Map as Art, Princeton Architecture Press, pgs. 244-245, 2009.
Heiferman, M. ed. City Art, New York % for Art Program, 2005.
Charlotte Area Transit System, Catalog of Artists Proposals, pg. 18-19, 2004.
Public Art Review, Spring, Summer, Vol.15, No.2, pg.18-19, 2004.
Whittaker, Richard, ed. Works + Conversations Magazine, No. 7, 2003.
Roots, Garrison. Designing World’s Best Public Art, p. 126, 2002.
Cheng, Carl. “Public Art: More than a Pretty Distraction, Counterpunch,” Los Angeles Times, July 31, 2003.
Cotter, H. “Nature Observed”, Weekend, New York Times, Nov.10, 2000.
1+1+1=1 , Macao, China, 2000.
Johnstone, Mark. Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1999.
Wilson, W. “Public Works Exhibition,” Los Angeles Times, Nov.18, 1998.
Wilson, W. “Investigations,” Los Angeles Times, June 4, 1996.
Frank, Peter. “Investigations Show,” L.A. Weekly, June 7, 1996.
Cassim, J. ARTEC, Japan Times Sunday, June 6, 1993.
“Water Projects”, Esquire Magazine, Asian edition, September 1991.       
Clothier, Peter. "25 Year Survey," Art News, November 1991.
Ahlgren, Calvin. "66% Water", Art in America, June 1990.
List, Andrea. 40 years of California Assemblage, 1989.
Santa Monica Art Tool, Los Angeles Times,1988.                              
Pincus, R. "Moving Appearance”, Los Angeles Times, December 8, 1983.
"Recent Work," Los Angeles Times, 1984.   
Cheng, Carl. "Dream and Art," DreamWorks, Spring, Vol.2, No.3, 1982.
O’Neill, B. "Carl Cheng's Museum,” Artweek. October 28, 1978.
Wortz, M. “Review of Sounds," Artnews, February 1976.
Bunnell, P. “Photography as Sculpture and Print,” Art in America, September-October 1969.
Danieli, F. "Some New Los Angeles Artists," Artforum 1966.

Nature is Everything - Everything is Nature
May 21 - July 30, 2016

Carl Cheng, Robert Heinecken and Pat O’Neill: Works 1964-1984
Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL

December 1-4, 2016

Expanded Photographic/Material Practice at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) 1963 - 1973
FIAC, Paris, France
October 22-25, 2015

The Evolving Photographic Object in the US and Canada 1964-1970
Paris Photo, Paris, France
November 15-18, 2012

Photography into Sculpture/Evolving the Photographic Object
September 10 - October 22, 2011