John Vella (Art Forum)

Abstract

John Vella was born in Sydney in 1969 and since 1996 has lived in Hobart. Since dropping out of architecture in 1988, he has he has travelled the world, served as a waiter, labourer and telemarketer, loaded trucks, worked in a phone book factory, completed a DipFA with Distinction at the National Art School Sydney, a BFA (Hons) first class and an MFA, at the Tasmanian School of Art, Hobart where he is the Head of Sculpture. John has developed independent and collaborative projects that have been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally over the last 20 years. In addition to having completed 5 major public art commissions, Vella has been the recipient of Arts Tasmania and Australia Council grants. John has been a guest lecturer at a number of national and international tertiary institutions. His work is held in public and private collections. John Vella’s art forum will examine the trajectory of his practice mediated through an investigation of public art's vexed position in the contemporary civic context.