About the Artist

statement
Nancy Selvage

Nancy Selvage

Attentive to the cultural significance, spatial context, and unique nature of each project, I express social and environmental concerns by creating sculptures that engage myself and others in a discovery process. Whether making a wall object, a plaza sculpture, or a garden bench, there is a convergence of actual, implied, and symbolic content. Interactive layers of perforated metal alter experience by animating illusive surfaces, fracturing light, and enclosing ephemeral spaces with moiré patterns that vibrate with the viewer’s shifting perspective.

Selvage’s artwork has been recognized and supported by numerous exhibitions, public art commissions, reviews, residencies, and awards – including two Artist Fellowships and New Works Commissions from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a National Endowment for the Arts Projects grant, and a New England Foundation for the Arts Pubic Art grant. Membership in Boston Sculptors Gallery has provided her with many opportunities for expansion, growth and engagement.

Clients for public art commissions include Google, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, City of Lowell, MA, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Bristol Community College, Keene State College, City of Cambridge, MA, National Park Service’s Grand Canyon Visitor Center, and the North Carolina Zoo.

Selvage’s educational career includes giving presentations on sustainable art practices at a variety of art schools and conferences, the Directorship of Harvard University’s Ceramics Program, and guest teaching at Massachusetts College of Art, Ewha University in Seoul, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; and the Rhode Island School of Design. She has a BA in Art History from Wellesley College and an MFA in Sculpture from Tufts University.

Read her interview at ArtComplex. 

2022    Speeding Green Line. Medford/Tufts Station, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, Medford, MA

2022    Commuter Bees. Medford/Tufts Station, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, Medford, MA

2022    Landscape Lounger. Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA

2021    Googling. Google Lobby, Cambridge, MA

2019    Hydro.  City of Lowell, MA

2019    Condensation/Evaporation. GTI Properties, Boston, MA

2016    Wavelength. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA  

2013    Garden.  Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA

2007    Water Wall.  Cambridge Arts Council, Cambridge, MA

2004    Flow.  Keene State College, Keene, NH

2002    Medallions. Dexter Southfield School, Brookline, MA

2000    Canyon Rim and Canyon Camouflage. National Park Service. Grand Canyon, AZ       

1993    Sonoran Snake.  North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, NC

Solo Exhibitions

2021    Solstice. Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2019    Intemperate Zone. Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2017    Embodied Energy. Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2014    Forecast. Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2014    Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA

2012    Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2009    Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2007    Cambridge Arts Council Gallery, Cambridge, MA

2007    Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2005    Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2002    New England BioLab, Beverly, MA

1992    Brown University, Sarah Doyle Gallery, Providence, RI

1992    New Arts Center, Newton, MA

1990    Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, VT

1987    Chamber Music.  Installation for concert by German composer. Mobius, Boston, MA

1988    Reverse Revision. Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield, MA

1986    Revised Revision. Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, MA

1985    Set. Claire Mallardi’s dance, Gym Transit. Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA

1985    Set.  Concert Dance Company, Boston Shakespeare Theatre, Boston, MA

1984    Helen Shlien Gallery, Boston, MA

1983    Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

1982    Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA

1981    Helen Shlien Gallery, Boston, MA

1979    Helen Shlien Gallery, Boston, MA

Group Exhibitions (selected)

2023   What the Water Knows, Waterworks Museum, Boston, MA

2022    Highfield Hall, Falmouth, MA

2022   Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA

2021   Alight, Manship Artist Residency, Gloucester, MA

2019    Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA

2018    Breath and Matter, Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA

2018    Highfield Hall, Falmouth, MA

2016    DeeDee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA

2015    8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum, South Korea

2015    Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA

2014    Visones/Visions, Qorikancha Museum, Cusco, Peru

2013    2nd Kaolin Grand Prix International Ceramic Art, Jingdezhen, China

2011    Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA USA

2011    Samson Gallery, Boston, MA USA

2010    Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT USA

2010    Brandeis University, Women’s Study Research Center, Waltham, MA USA

2009    Jingdezhen Contemporary International Ceramics Exhibition, Jingdezhen, China

2008    Shanghai International Ceramics Invitation Exhibition. Shanghai, China

2007    Cambridge School of Weston Gallery, Weston, MA USA

2007    Gallery Anthony Curtis, Boston, MA USA

2007    Cambridge Arts Council Gallery, Cambridge, MA USA

2006    Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA USA

2004    Currier Museum of Art.  Manchester, NH USA

2004    University of Massachusetts, Harbor Gallery, Boston, MA USA

2003    World Trade Center Memorial Proposals, New York, NY USA

2003    Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA USA

2002    Foshan Ceramic Exposition 2002, Foshan, China

2002    Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT USA

2000    Wustum Museum, Racine, WI USA

1999    Cambridge Arts Council, Cambridge, MA USA

1998    Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA USA

1998    Yixing International Ceramics Invitational, (work censored), Yixing, China

1998    Gallery 128, New York, NY USA

1998    Gallery Korea, New York, NY USA

1997    Seoul Ceramic Art Biennial, Seoul Metropolitan Museum, Korea

1997    Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA USA

1996    Viridian Gallery, New York, NY USA

1996    University of Wisconsin, Foster Gallery, Eau Claire, WI USA

1995    Tho Art Space, Seoul Korea

1995    University of Massachusetts, Herter Gallery, Amherst, MA USA

1993    Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY USA

1993    The Newark Museum, Newark, NJ USA

1992    479 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA USA

1992    Reclamation Park, Boston, MA USA

1991    DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA USA

1991    Dzintari Institute, Riga, Latvia

1991    Shemer Gallery, Phoenix, AZ USA

1991    Northern Arizona University Art Gallery, Flagstaff, AZ USA

1990    Artist’ Table at The Loading Zone Restaurant, Boston, MA USA

1990    Reclamation Park, Boston, MA USA

1989    University Place Gallery, Cambridge, MA USA

1987    Starr Gallery, Newton MA USA

1985    International Ceramic Studio, Keckskemet, Hungary

1983    Massachusetts Sculpture Fellows. Grove Street Gallery, Worcester, MA            USA

1982    Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY USA

  • Laura Ferguson. Art Enlivens New Green Line Transit Station. Tufts Now, December 12, 2022
  • Christian MilNeil, New Green Line Stops Bring New Public Art to Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge, StreetsBLOG,  March 8, 2022
  • B. Amore, Nancy Selvage: Solstice.  Art New England, January 2022
  • Suzanne Volmer, Complementary Aesthetics: Truong and Selvage Explore Light at Boston Sculptors. 
  • Artscope, January 2022
  • Aaron Curtis, This sculpture is a testament of the city’s enduring commitment to the arts.
  • Lowell Sun, September 17, 2019
  • Marty Carlock, Sculpture Magazine, January/February 2013
  • Cate McQuaid. The Boston Globe. May 9, 2012
  • June Wulff. The Boston Globe. May 2, 2012
  • China Art Daily, Interview. Hangzhou, China October 2010
  • Cate McQuaid. The Boston Globe. October 28, 2009
  • Cate McQuaid. The Boston Globe. May 3, 2007
  • Scott Ruescher. Art and Perception. #63, Spring 2006
  • Kristin Pounds. Art New England, Boston. October/November 2005
  • Cate McQuaid. The Boston Globe. “Scaling the Grand Canyon”.  August 17, 2000
  • Jean Fain.  The Boston Globe.  Boston.  March 1, 1992
  • WGBH.  Boston.  Interview-Review-video of Installation at Starr Gallery.  December 1987
  • WGBH.  Boston.  Interview-Review-video of my working process.  December 1988
  • Nancy Stapen.  The Boston Herald.  Boston.  August 12, 1984   
  • David Bonetti.  Art New England.  Boston.  June 1983   
  • Gary Garrels.  Art New England.  Boston.  October 1982    
  • David Joselit.  New Art Examiner.  Washington D.C.  November 1981   
  • Kenneth Baker.  The Boston Phoenix.  Boston.  October 6, 1981   
  • Lois Tarlow.  Art New England.  Boston.  February 1981   
  • Kyra Montagu.  Art New England.  Boston.  January 1980    

2003   Santa Fe Art Institute Residency. “Terra Firma: Uncommon Ground”, Santa Fe, NM USA

1991     Soviet-American Ceramic Symposium, Dzintari Institute, Latvia.

1985    International Ceramics Symposium, Kecskemet, Hungary.

1978    Collaborative Residency with Alice Neel, Clayworks. New York, NY USA

2014    Public art for Lowell, MA, National Endowment for the Arts

2014    Public art for Lowell, MA, New England Foundation for the Arts

2013    Massachusetts Cultural Council. Fellowship

2009-12  Honorary Professor, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Japan              

2004   Blakemore Foundation and Reischauer Institute grants for the production of a symposium

on the impact of modernism on Japanese ceramics.      

2000   NEA grant for production of Peruvian Ceramics and China Trade Ceramics Symposia           

1987    Massachusetts Arts Council.  New Works Commission. Mobius, Boston, MA

1987    Massachusetts Artists Foundation.  Finalist in Sculpture             

1985    1st prize.  Bus Shelter Design for Union Square, Townscape Institute, Cambridge, MA    

1984    2nd Prize, Reflecting Pool Design for Riverbend Park, Townscape Institute          

1982    Massachusetts Artists Foundation.  Fellowship in Sculpture      

1982    Massachusetts Arts Council.  New Works Commission, Danforth Museum Framingham, MA      

1981     Massachusetts Artists Foundation.  Finalist in Crafts 

1980    Massachusetts Artists Foundation.  Finalist in Sculpture

1978    Massachusetts Artists Foundation.  Finalist in Sculpture

1978    1st Prize, Stairway Design, Mystic Housing Project, Somerville, MA 

Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA  USA

Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA USA

Cambridge Arts Council, City of Cambridge, Cambridge, MA USA

Consulate of the Republic of Korea, Boston, MA USA

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA USA

Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA      USA

Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

International Ceramics Studio Collection, Kecskemet, Hungary

Keene State College. Keene, NH USA      

Jingdezhen Museum, Jingdezhen, China

City of Lowell, Lowell, MA USA (in progress)

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, College Avenue Station, Medford, MA USA  (in progress)

Museum of Art, Riga, Latvia

National Park Service, Grand Canyon,    AZ       USA

North Carolina Zoo, Ashboro, NC  USA

Phoenix Village Art Center, Phoenixville, PA        USA

Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia

Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute, Jingdezhen, China

World Modern Ceramics Museum, Foshan, China