I’ve had an unusual career arc. In 1983, on NYC Channel 7 News, I was scientifically proven to be NYC’s Number 1 Male Stripper. Being a stripper afforded me the opportunity to work full time in my studio and focus on my career. From stripping I went straight to teaching Welded Steel Sculpture at Columbia University for 10 years. (The job at Columbia came to an end when my 4 year old son was kidnapped and disappeared, leaving me unable to focus on my art for several years).
I built sets for Michael Jackson, Madonna, Maria Carey, and developed real estate.
I was the Director of Installations at MOMA/PS1 for 3 1/2 years.
Over the last 9 + years I’ve independently curated 36 exhibitions, in the NYC area and Japan and have been in over 60.
During the Pandemic I was the director of PeepShow Space, (-the gallery LTD-), in Greenpoint for 15 months, giving multiple artists visibility and exposure when it was needed most.
By giving over 150 artists a platform I have also able to rekindle my career along with their’s.
Instagram: @norton_william
@nortoncuratorialprojects
Twitter: @nortonmythos
William Norton is a Visual Artist, Independent Curator and former Gallery Director at
-PeepShow Space, -the gallery LTD-
37 North 15th Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222
website for the gallery and my other curatorial projects: www.nortonartists.com
EXHIBITION HISTORY: (curated exhibitions follow at the end)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
March 25 through April 15, 2023
“Styx and Stones: It’s Raining Fascists”
Solo Show : The Boiler/ELM Foundation, Williamsburg Brooklyn Curated by Wade Bonds
2021
“Bootlegs and Bootstraps”, Solo Show, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2018
“Myth of Manhood”, Solo Show, Project Room, M. David & Co., Brooklyn NY, curated by Michael David
2016
“Ghosts in the Machine 2 (SPRING)”, Solo Show, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2002
“Creation Theories and the Myth of Natural Selection”, Solo Show, FishTank Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
1982
“Painting in 3-Dimensions, Solo Show, Harm Bouckaert Gallery, NYC, NY
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2024:
“Shapeshifters”, Group Show, Birdhouse Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2023:
The Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, “Metal and Plastic”, Group Show, curated by Yuko Nii
Kyoto Sato Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan. Group Show. Curated by Kei Kihara
WestSide Exposure:Whitney Museum of American Art Staff Show, Westbeth Gallery, 55 Bethune Street, NYC
The Boiler/ELM Foundation, Brooklyn NY. “Styx and Stones: It’s Raining Fascists. Solo Show curated by Wade Bonds
2022:
Kyoto Municipal Arts Museum, Kyoto Arts Festival. Group Show. Kyoto, Japan curated by Cake Hara
“Material Witness”, Group Show, Kameyama Triennial, Kameyama, Japan, curated by William Norton
“War is Peace”, Group Show, SFA Projects, 131 Chrystie Street, NYC, NY. Featuring Jason Phillips, Tom Burckhardt William Norton, Dirty Churches.
Kyoto Arts Festival, Kyoto Japan, curated by Cake Hara
“Bootlegs and Bootstraps”, Solo Show, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Fellow Travelers”, 3 Person Show Featuring Joshua Rosenblatt, Jason Phillips, William Norton, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY. curated by William Norton
2020
“Cat Calculus,” Group Show, Incubator Studio Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Sharilyn Niedhardt
2019
Group Show, Implexus Art Gallery, Morioka City, Japan, curated by Kazuya Shimodate
Kyoto Arts Festival, Group Show, Kyoto, Japan, curated by Cake Hara
“Mirage Imperfect”, 3 Person Show, Implexus Art Gallery, Morioka City, Japan, curated by Ai Ohkawarai
“Westside Exposure”, Whitney Staff Show, Westbeth Gallery, NYC, NY
“Material Witness”, Group Show, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2018
“Pairings”, Group Show, Plaxall Gallery, LIC, NY, curated by Nancy Gesimondo
Benefit for Planned Parenthood, Group Show, M. David & Co. Brooklyn, NY
“Myth of Manhood”, Solo Show, Project Room, M. David & Co., Brooklyn, NY
“Permanent Collection”, Group Show, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn NY. Curated by Yuko Nii
Group Show, Odetta Gallery, curated by Ellen Hackl Fagan, Brooklyn NY
“My Favorite Piece”, Tokyo Art Collectors Club, Tokyo Japan, curated by Ai Ohkawarai
“Leaving a Mark”, Bushwick Open Studios, Michael David Studios, 56 Bogart Street, Brooklyn NY, curated by Martin Dull
Kyoto Art Festival, Heian Jingu Shrine, Kyoto Japan, Group Show, curated by Cake Hara
“Material Matters”, Group Show, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, curated by Melissa Stern
“Size Matters”, Group Show, 100 Bogart Street Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by Norton
“BorderWalls”, Group Show, The Border Project Space, curated by Jamie Martinez
“Hawthorne Edition”, Group Show, Cross Contemporary Gallery, Woodstock NY, curated by Jen Dragon
“Art for Anya”, Group Show, Charity Event, Paddle8, NYC, NY
“Black and White and R(ead) All Over”, Group Show, Gallery Critical Kunst, Berlin Germany, curated by Peter Hopkins
2017
Yellow Chair Holiday Extravaganza, David and Schweitzer Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
“Making Their Mark”, curated by Norton, Group Show, 100 Bogart Street Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
3 Woman Exhibition, featuring Yukari Edamitsu, Xiaowei Chen, Debra Ramsay, curated by Joshua Rosenblatt, Henry Klimowicz, Chris Ketchie and Norton, the Re Institute, Millerton, NY
“True Believers”, curated by Daniel John Gadd, Group Show, M. David Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Kameyama Triennial (The Boy Who Drew Cats), curated by Cake Hara, Kameyama, Japan
“Life on Other Planets”, 2 Person Exhibition with Chris Ketchie, curated by Henry Klimowicz, the Re Institute, Millerton, New York
“Building Bridges Not Walls”, Group Show, curated by Norton, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, New York
PULSE ART FAIR. NYC, NY, ArtHelix Gallery,curated by Peter Hopkins
2016
The Art Fair + Plus Ultra, Tokyo, Japan, with Project Artrates
“Exchange Rates”, 2 Person Exhibition, Art Helix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
“Where's Eleven O'Clock”, curated by Kay Reese, Newark Open Doors, Newark, New Jersey
“Accumulating Experience”, curated by Betty Jarvis, Newark Open Doors, Newark, New Jersey
“Seeking Space:Making the Future Exhibition”, David and Schweitzer Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY
“Ghosts in the Machine 2 (SPRING)”, Solo Show, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
Bushwick Open Studios: my studio, Brooklyn, NY
“A Decalogue of Tenebrous Luminaries”, 10 Person Show, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn , NY curated by William Norton
“Permission Slip”, performance 3 days art making in gallery, SHIM, ArtHelix Gallery, curated by Jackie Cantwell & Wilson Duggan
Salon Show [Group Show] GreenPoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
“Light, Form and Symbol” [Group Show] Williamsburg Art Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Jonathan Judd
“Landscapes, Seascapes, Skyscapes, Escapes”, [Group Show] Brooklyn Fireproof, BrooklynNY, curated by Burr Dodd andHazel Lee Santino
SHIM Invitational [Group Show] ArtHelix Gallery, Bushwick NY
Sly Visitations to the Extraordinary, Parts 1 & 2, SHIM Invitational, curated by William Norton
Greenpoint Gallery, [Group Show 1]
Greenpoint Gallery, [Group Show 2]
Greenpoint Gallery, [Group Show 3]
2015
Lorimoto Gallery [Group Show], Ridgewood Queens, NY
Brooklyn Arts Council [Group Show}, Brooklyn, NY
SHIM Awards Exhibition [Group Show] ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn NY
Small Works: Jeffrey Leder Gallery, LIC, NY, curated by Jeffrey Leder
ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY SHIM Benefit Auction Exhibition
Bushwick Open Studios:
“Audacious, Auspicious, Anfractuous, Anomalous, Asynchronous, Autonomous Artists”, 23 Meadow Street Pop Up, Brooklyn New York, curated by William Norton and Carmen Herrero (Guggenheim Museum)
4 Person Exhibition, 49 Bogart Street Pop Up, curated by Chris Rucker
“Behind the White Walls”, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], Brooklyn FireProof, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton, Carmen Herrero (Guggenheim Museum), Elisabeth Sherman (Whitney Museum of America Art}, Hazel Santino
“Tonal Vision”, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], WhiteBox Gallery, NYC, NY, curated by William Norton , Elisabeth Sherman (Whitney Museum of American Art
“Can You Move It All Up One Inch”, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
2014
Whitney Museum of American Art, Whitney Staff Art Show, Braurer Building
Portland City Drift, an outdoor interactive art event, organized by Peter Hopkins, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Appalachwick, outdoor interactive art exhibition, organized by Peter Hopkins, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014
Bushwick Open Studios
interregnum due to finding of kidnapped son, battle with “church”, loss back to “church", more financial disruption, drama now over
2002
Fishtank Gallery, “Creation Theories and the Myth of Natural Selection”, Solo Show, Brooklyn, NY
Fishtank Gallery, Group Show, Brooklyn, NY
UCU Gallery, Inaugural Group Show, NYC, NY
Ace Gallery, One Night Show, Group Show, NYC, NY
Tabak Museum, Group Show, Austria
2001
Fishtank Gallery, Group Show, Brooklyn, NY
Fishtank Gallery, Performance, Brooklyn, NY
interregnum due to disappearance and loss of kidnapped son
1987
Soho Center for Visual Arts, Group Show, NYC, NY
1985
St. Marks Gallery, “Salon D’Hiver”, Group Show, NYC, NY
Nico Smith Gallery, Group Show, NYC, NY
1983
Harm Bouckaert Gallery, “Saints”, Group Show, NYC, NY
Harm Bouckaert Gallery, “2nd Anniversary Show”, Group Show, NYC, NY
Harm Bouckaert Gallery, “Showcase of 4”, NYC, NY
1982
Harm Bouckaert Gallery, Painting in 3-Dimensions, Solo Show, NYC, NY
Pyramid Club, Performance, NYC, NY
Just Above Midtown, Downtown Gallery, “What I Do For Art”, Group Show, NYC, NY
Ben Shahn Galleries, “Color on Structure”, Group Show
William Patterson College, Wayne, New Jersey
Ian Birksted Gallery, 2 Man Show, NYC, NY
Ian Birksted Galleries, “3 Painters, Process Exposed”, NYC, NY
1981
K&K Galleries, “Chambers Street Artists”, NYC, NY
United Nations Plaza, United Nations
Women’s League Exhibition, NYC, NY
Alternative Museum, “Emerging Artists”, NYC, NY
80 Washington Square East Galleries, “Small Works”, Juror Ivan Karp
Ian Birksted Galleries, Group Show, NYC, NY
1980
United Arts Gallery, “On the Surface”, Philadelphia, Pa.
Motivation V Gallery, “New York – Montreal, Montreal, Canada
1979
Frank Marino Gallery, “Paper Plus”, NYC, NY
Institute for Art and Urban Resources, PS1, Queens, NY
1978
Arte Fiers, Bologna, Italy
1976
Fort Worth Art Museum, Annual Exhibition, Fort Worth, Texas
CURATED EXHIBITIONS:
2022:
“War is Peace”, Group Show, SFA Projects, 131 Chrystie Street, NYC, NY. Featuring Jason Phillips, Tom Burckhardt William Norton, Dirty Churches.
2021
“Material Witness”, Group Show, Kameyama Triennial, Kameyama, Japan, featuring Etty Yaniv, Sonomi Kobayashi, Natsuki Takauji, Chris Ketchie, Yukari Edamitsu, Xiaowei Chen, Daniel John Gadd, William Norton, curated by William Norton (scheduled for October)
“Melville’s Existential Diner”, 2 Person Show featuring Marcela Silva and Lizbeth Mitty, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“In Cold Blood”, 2 Person Show featuring Chris Ketchie and Daniel John Gadd, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Alchemical Reactives”, 2 Person Show featuring Sonomi Kobayashi and David Miller, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Bootlegs and Bootstraps”, William Norton, Solo Show, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Fellow Travelers”, 3 Person Show featuring Joshua Rosenblatt, Jason Phillips, William Norton, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2020
“The Sun Also Rises”, 5 Artists From Japan, featuring Cake Hara, Ai Ohkawara, Yuki Okamoto, Koto Takei, Noriko Nakano, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“[Rebecoming]”, Solo Show featuring Xiaowei Chen, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Two Strong”, 2 Person Show featuring Zhen Guo and Natsuki Takauji, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Red to Blues', 3 Person Show featuring Etty Yaniv, Yukari Edamitsu, JiJi Ryoo, PeepShow Space, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2019
‘Material Witness’, Group Show, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
‘Fountains’, Natsuki Takauji, Solo Show, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, curated by William Norton
2018
“Size Matters’”, Group Show, 100 Bogart Street Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
“Pop Goes the Weasel”, Williamsburg Art and Center, Brooklyn, NY. Group Show curated by William Norton
“Out on a Limb”, Group Show, Brooklyn CiderHouse, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“3 Woman Show”, with Yukari Edamitsu, Xiaowei Chen, Debra Ramsay, the Re Institute, Millerton, NY, co- curated by Joshua Rosenblatt, Chris Ketchie, William Norton
2017
‘Life on Other Planets’, 2 Person Exhibition with Chris Ketchie, curated by Henry Klimowicz, William Norton, the Re Institute, Millerton, New York
‘Building Bridges Not Walls’, Group Show, curated by William Norton, Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, New York
‘Making Their Mark’, curated by William Norton, Group Show, 100 Bogart Street Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
2016
“Size Matters,” Group Show, 100 Bogart Street Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
“A Decalogue of Tenebrous Luminaries,” 10 Person Show, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY curated by William Norton
“Sly Visitations to the Extraordinary, Part1”, SHIM Invitational, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
“Sly Visitations to the Extraordinary, Part 2”, SHIM Invitational, ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton
2015
‘Audacious, Auspicious, Anfractuous, Anomalous, Asynchronous, Autonomous Artists’, 23 Meadow Street Pop Up, Brooklyn New York, curated by William Norton and Carmen Herrero (Guggenheim Museum)
‘Behind the White Walls’, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], Brooklyn FireProof, Brooklyn, NY, curated by William Norton, Carmen Herrero (Guggenheim Museum), Elisabeth Sherman (Whitney Museum of America Art}, Hazel Santino
‘Tonal Vision’, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], WhiteBox Gallery, NYC, NY, curated byWilliam Norton, Elisabeth Sherman (Whitney Museum of American Art)
‘Can You Move It All Up One Inch(Part 1)’, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
‘Can You Move It All Up One Inch(Part 2)’, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
‘Can You Move It All Up One Inch(Part 3)’, [select art handlers of NYC's top art museums], ArtHelix Gallery, Brooklyn NY, curated by William Norton
recent notices and reviews:
TikTok Review by Hrag Vartanian
Interview with Galleria Balmain
https://galleriabalmain.com/news/15?lang=en
ArtSpiel, Fellow Travelers
https://artspiel.org/fellow-travelers-at-peepshow-space/
ArteFuse: Reds to Blues, Jamie Martinez
https://artefuse.com/tag/reds-to-blues-at-peepshow-space/
Structure and Imagery, Confronting Dark Forces, Paul Behnke
http://structureandimagery.blogspot.com/2020/06/william-norton-confronting-dark-forces.html
D/Railed Art Magazine: Deianira Tolema.
http://www.drailedmag.com/2017/11/13/william-norton-on-battling-depression-through-art/
NEO2Magazine, Synchroma:
BTR Today:Art Uncovered, Podcast Interview, Kimberly Ruth
ArtCritical, “The Myth Of Manhood”, Featured Listing by David Cohen on my Solo Show at M. David & Co
Hyperallergic, “A View From The Easel “
DRailed Art Magazine: http://www.drailedmag.com/2017/11/13/william-norton-on-battling-depression-through-art/
Vasari21, Monuments Contest,
https://vasari21.com/the-monuments-contest-and-the-winners-are-part-one/ ,
Vasari21, http://vasari21.com/william-norton/ , Ann Landi
Vasari21, What is Drawing, https://vasari21.com/what-is-a-drawing-part-six/ , Ann Landi
Vasari21, Death of the Gallery, Part 2,
https://vasari21.com/the-death-of-the-gallery-part-two/Ann Landi
Vasari21, How To Talk To A Reporter, https://vasari21.com/how-to-talk-to-a-reporter/
Becky Rodriguez, www.aandbnyc.com, About Working Like a Madman
Kendall Levison, bedfordandbowery.com http://bedfordandbowery.com/2015/06/56100/
Becky Rodriguez, www.aandbnyc.com http:www.aandbnyc.com/blog/come- explore-bushwick-open-studios-2015