I am available to write a range of art-related texts including exhibition catalogue essays, reviews, interviews, and artist statements. Contact me at mfizell AT gmail DOT com to discuss commissioning a writing project.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

FULL LIST / EXHIBITION TEXTS / ARTICLES


Firstdraft, 23 January 2024
“Feeling images and sensing words” (web)

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Writing outcome from the Firstdraft Writers Program (2022-23).


Care is a relationship, UNSW Library, 2023
“Crafting Stories of Care” (p.8-11)
Co-authored with Emily Morandini
ISBN: 9780733440786.

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Catalogue essay for the exhibition Care is a relationship (2023).


Sonus Maris, UNSW Library, 2023
“Sensing Data” (p.20-24)
ISBN: 9780733441158.

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Catalogue essay for the exhibition Sonus Maris (2023).


Aftertaste, Fairfield City Museum & Gallery, 2023
“Remembrance of Tastes Past” (p.6-9)
ISBN: 9780645785104.

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Catalogue essay for the exhibition Aftertaste (2023).


Museums & Galleries of NSW, January 2022
Suspended Moment Mediation Handbook,
(p.3-12) (PDF)

Prepared the cultural mediation text for the touring exhibition Suspended Moment: The Katthy Cavaliere Fellowship. Artworks by Katthy Cavaliere, Frances Barrett, Giselle Stanborough, and Sally Rees.


Museums & Galleries of NSW, January 2022
Glossary for Zanny Begg | These Stories Will be Different (PDF)

Mediation Handbook, (p.6-7, 9, 13, 16)
Education Kit, (p.4-5)


Art Monthly Australasia, 23 January 2022
“Satiating artists and audiences: ‘SIMMER’ at MAMA” (web)

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A review of the exhibition SIMMER at Murray Art Museum Albury. “SIMMER offers audiences a global survey of food-based customs and presents a veritable feast to a travel-starved population.”


reminiSCENT, MAY SPACE, 2018
“Scentual Encounters” (n.p.)

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Catalogue essay for the exhibition reminiSCENT (2018).


Art Collector, Issue 85, July-September 2018
Inset comment in Jo Higgins, “Good Taste” (p.172)

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I was invited to contribute a comment on Elizabeth Willing’s practice to accompany the artist profile “Good Taste” by Jo Higgins.


IMPRINT, vol. 51, no. 4, Summer 2016
“Books Unbound” (p.18-21)

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Elizabeth Willing, Lezlie Tilley, Emma Rönnholm, Dusadee Huntrakul.


Runway Australian Experimental Art, Issue 29: Porn, 25 November 2015
“Gastroporn, or the Sexualised Eater” (web)

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In this essay, I apply the term ‘gastroporn’ to describe sensual and somewhat devious imagery relating to food. Three contemporary female artists—Kawita Vatanajyankur, Elizabeth Willing, and Jodie Whalen—subvert prescribed food etiquette in their performative endurance films, which can be read as a form of gastroporn.  


IMPRINT, vol. 50, no. 3, Spring 2015
“Who Will Seek to Serve with Conscious Clear” (p.6-7)

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Megan Fizell goes underground to talk prints, poetry and politics with visiting artist and curator Marshall Weber from the Booklyn Artists Alliance.


RealTime, Issue 127, June/July 2015
“Dance & Drawing: Ways of Seeing Trace” (p.21)

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Flatline is a Sydney-based interdisciplinary performative collaboration between Australian visual artist Todd Fuller and dancer-choreographer Carl Sciberras. Their work melds drawing and mark making with the choreographed movements and gestures of professional dancers.


imprint_magazine_2015_thumb

IMPRINT, vol. 50, no. 1, Autumn 2015
“Squashings, pressings, and stains: food as a medium in printmaking and works on paper” (p.26)

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In the 1960s, artists began experimenting with food as a medium; from the performative meals at Daniel Spoerri’s Eat Art Gallery to the chocolate sculptures by Dieter Roth, the applications of this material were exploratory and wide-ranging. Examining the work of Martynka Wawrzyniak and  Elizabeth Willing alongside the early practitioners demonstrates a new handling of this medium by contemporary artists.


art21 Magazine, “Failure” Issue, Dec 2013/Jan 2014
“Eating Robert Gober’s Bag of Donuts” (web)
[Invited]

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What happens when an art critic mistakes a sculpture for a free snack? An essay about Robert Gober’s sculpture Bag of Donuts.


appetite2013

Appetite, November 2013
“Sugary Masterpieces” (p.44-47)

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An article + recipes about Elizabeth Willing’s performative meal ‘Dessert (II)’ as part of Sugar, Sugar.


sugarcatessay

Sugar, Sugar, Brenda May Gallery, 2013
“Performative and Interactive Aspects of Sugar in Art”
(p.2-3) ISBN 9780646904030.

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Catalogue essay for the exhibition Sugar, Sugar (2013). Artists discussed: Janine Antoni, Karen Finley, Félix González-Torres, Jennifer Rubell, Ed Ruscha, and Elizabeth Willing.


artlinkguppy

Artlink, vol. 32, no.4, 2012
“Evidence of a Catastrophe” (p.74-75)

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The Weather Reports series of paintings by James Guppy exhibited at Brenda May Gallery, Sydney in 2007.


feastcloaca

FEAST Journal, Issue 2: Digestion, October 2012
“Cloaca” (p.6, 9-11)
[Invited]

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An essay about Wim Delvoye’s Cloaca series.


appetite2012

Appetite, April 2012
“From palette to plate” (p.62-69)

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Four recipes and essays originally published on the blog Feasting on Art; Copper Cauldron with Three Eggs, Still-Life with Cherries and Strawberries, Still Life with Plate of Cherries, Corn Cobs.


acquiredtastecat

Acquired Taste: Food and the Art of Consumption
California State University, 2011
“Glazed Images” (p.19-20) [Invited]
ISBN: 978-0-935314-82-3

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Artists discussed: Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, MyersBerg Studios, Claes Oldenburg, Jennifer Rubell and Wayne Thiebaud.


ausceramics2011

The Journal of Australian Ceramics, vol. 50, no. 3, November 2011
“Love, Loss, Masculinity and the Absurdity of the Human Condition” (p.48)

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A brief overview of the personal narratives of Todd Fuller from his solo exhibition Tense at Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.


lastsupper2011

Ceramics Monthly, vol. 59, no. 7, September 2011
“Last Supper” (p.42-45)

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Julie Green’s ongoing project against capital punishment relies heavily on historical and cultural ceramic conventions, from blue-and-white brush decoration to clay’s relationship to food.


artlink2011

Artlink, vol. 31, no. 2, 2011
“Ken and Julia Yonetani / Janet Tavener” (p.156)

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Review of Ken + Julia Yonetani’s exhibition Still Life: The Food Bowl at Artereal Gallery and Melting Moments by Janet Tavener at Incinerator Art Space.


dassuperpaper2011

Das Superpaper, Issue 17, 2011
“Melinda Le Guay and Anna Eggert: Wire Mesh Steel Dresses” (p.32-33)

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This essay addresses the feminist concerns within the sculptural work of Melinda Le Guay and Anna Eggert who construct dresses out of industrial materials.


sloweburncover

Slow Burn – A century of Australian women artists from a private collection, National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, 2010.
ISBN 9780646536835.

Exhibition catalogue bios: Jean Bellette, Stella Bowen, Olive Cotton, Julie Dowling, Anna Eggert, Adrienne Gaha, Fiona Hall, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Nora Heysen, Margel Hinder, Gertie Huddleston, Narputta Jugadai Nangala, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Inge King, Yvonne Koolmatrie, Maria Kozic, Elisabeth Kruger, Margo Lewers, Rosemary Madigan, Tempe Manning, Lily Mindidil Karadada, Tracey Moffatt, Eubena Nampitjin, Eileen Napaltjarri, Makinti Napanangka, Walangkura Napanangka, Jan Nelson, Naata Nungurrayi, Bronwyn Oliver, Deborah Paauwe, Rosslynd Piggott, Anna Platten, Hilda Rix Nicholas, Jenny Sages, Lisa Solomon, Wendy Stavrianos, Constance Stokes, Thanakupi, Aida Tomescu, Rosemary Valadon, Vicki Varvaressos, and Anne Zahalka.


ceramicsmonthly2009

Ceramics Monthly, vol. 57, no.10, December 2009
“Perfection, Repair and Use” (p.54-57).

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In attempt to deepen the communication between maker and user, four artists take a sideways glance at what accepted definitions of function and use can mean.


 Dissertation/Theses:

Fizell, Megan R. “Gastronomic Body: Sensory and sociocultural dimensions of food art.” PhD thesis, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2021.

Fizell, Megan. “Ceramic restoration: issues and effects upon the market sectors.” Master’s dissertation, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, UK, 2007.SaveSaveSaveSaveSave

 Other web articles:

[co-author] Gastro-Vision: The Best in Food-Art 2012, art21, 21 December 2012. [Invited].
[co-author] Gastro-Vision: The Best in Food-Art 2010, art21, 17 December 2010. [Invited].
Fast Food through the Lens of Still Life Photographers, Curator Magazine, 12 November 2010.
Review: Street Art Exhibition @ Tate Modern, MyVillage: South Bank, 29 May 2008.

 Contributing Writer [Invited], STIR IT UP! Section, Christian Science Monitor; 2010-2013

Stuffed eggplant, inspired by Henri MatisseChristian Science Monitor, 11 November 2013.
Feasting on Art: smoked trout smørrebrød and Gustave CourbetChristian Science Monitor, 21 March 2013.
Humble food meets high art, Christian Science Monitor, 13 October 2012.
Orange honey madeleinesChristian Science Monitor, 27 September 2012.
Retro prawn cocktailChristian Science Monitor, 20 September 2012.
Feasting on Art: Grilled cornChristian Science Monitor, 28 June 2012.
Feasting on Art: Frittata with kale, tomato, and chorizoChristian Science Monitor, 12 June 2012.
Feasting on Art: Slow-roasted beetsChristian Science Monitor, 29 May 2012.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon and ParmesanChristian Science Monitor, 15 May 2012.
Cinco de Mayo: Shrimp tacos with spring onion salsaChristian Science Monitor, 1 May 2012.
Cucumber finger sandwichesChristian Science Monitor, 7 March 2012.
Old-fashioned molasses cookiesChristian Science Monitor, 14 December 2011.
Ravioli capreseChristian Science Monitor, 11 November 2011.
What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2011.
Pork and chipotle slidersChristian Science Monitor, 28 May 2011.
French toast with garlic and herbsChristian Science Monitor, 6 May 2011.
Meatless Monday: Hot and Sour Lime SoupChristian Science Monitor, 7 March 2011.
Paul Cézanne tribute: chocolate ginger cake with simmered orangesChristian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 2011.
Croissant French ToastChristian Science Monitor, 25 December 2010.
Salt and vinegar sweet potato friesChristian Science Monitor, 2 December 2010.
Steak SaladChristian Science Monitor, 10 November 2010.
Roasted Potato SaladChristian Science Monitor, 20 October 2010.
Cheeseboard with marinated artichokes and spicy cherry chutneyChristian Science Monitor, 15 Oct 2010.
Corn fritters with roasted peppers, cilantro, and fetaChristian Science Monitor, 15 Oct 2010.SaveSaveSaveSaveSave