Jessie Closson is a performance and visual artist, filmmaker and aviator whose practice is comprised of curiosities into science fiction, micro-fictive(s), missing and processes of grieving, vital materialisms, cyborgs and in-betweens.
Effective-programmed interactive and autonomous space rover robotic objects dissect interactions, sensing, and relations of posthuman bodies/matter, and nonhuman therapeutic object-beingness. Through performance-film and choreographed micro-movements they dissect processing pain, undoing, and missing through analyzing skin-memory as documents of body-traces, and the habitual behaviour emerging in processes of grief after traumatic loss. In their practice as an aviator, in-process projects dissect maneuvering in space(s), aircraft as isolation pods, part-body(ies) in relation to flying objects and/or matter, augmented reality and somatic movement-based methodologies for flight instruction, and nerve-stimulated intellectualism.
Jessie Closson has a Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts. Ze lives and works in-between California and Alaska.
email: jessieclosson@gmail.com | insta: @removed.dialogue
[photo by Alexandre Souêtre]
Jessie Closson
Anchorage, Alaska
flight training
certificate(s) and ratings
in-process Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
Multi-engine Rating
Glider Rating in-process [Schweizer SGS 2-33A/Schleicher ASK 21]
2024 Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
Instrument Rating (IR)
2022 Private Pilot License (PPL)
Remote Pilot Certificate [UAS]
endorsements
2024 Advanced Chamber Program: High Altitude Training §61.31(g)
High Performance Airplane §61.31(f)
2023 Tailwheel §61.31(i)
CFI Initial Upset & Spin Awareness Training §61.183(i)
Complex Airplane §61.31(e)
education
2024 Test Flight and EVA Flight Evaluation, International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), Florida
2019 MFA Photography and Media, Film and Video, California Institute of the Arts
2016 BA English, Fiction Writing, Boise State University
2014 BFA Photography/Printmaking, Art History minor, Boise State University
courses | teaching
2023 Robotics, Sculpture/New Media, Fine Arts Dept., Otis College of the Arts, Los Angeles, CA
collaborative projects | performances
2021 Scrooging for Kids Workshop. Rev School collaborative, 18th Street, Los Angeles, CA
2021 ND Time Bandits: Co-Adventures in Reshaping Time. Rev School collaboration.
We Rise project. Los Angeles Department of Mental Health. Los Angeles County
Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, CA
2019 swimming pools (performance). Day for Night, WAREHOUSE programming
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, Los Angeles, CA
2018 When the peaks of out washing sound come together, my tree house will have a
Roof, by Sichong Xie. Hauser & Wirth, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Manual of Arms II, Festival Les Instants Vidéo, Marseille,France (performer in video piece by Kate Walker)
2014 Manual of Arms II, Linen Building, Boise, ID. (performer in video piece by Kate Walker)
2012 Capital, Hemingway Center, Boise, ID(performer in video piece by Kate Walker)
solo exhibitions | performances
2019 constellation notation(s) (performance). Erasure, LaSalle College of the Arts/Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore, Singapore.
2019 sok (performance-screening). Bijou Fest, California Institute of the Arts, CA
2018 conversation I: on dialogue (performance). The Box. Los Angeles, CA
2018 [non]matter lost in (outer)space, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
i planted you these flowers to be (activation performance)
for dark rooms (radio program/mov. performance)
conversation I: on dialogue (movement)
2016 Bodies of Fiction. California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2016 Human Bodies (performance), California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
residencies | seminars
2023 Sim Residency, Icleand
2022 Szalt Dance Residency, Gson Studios, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Conspirators of Pleasure, Escuela Incierta, Cali, Colombia
2019 Erasure, Tropical Lab 13, LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore
2017 Arteles Creative Center: Silence Awareness Existence, Hämeenkyrö, Finland
2017 Deja Vu, Tropical Lab 11, LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore
2012 In Transit--Art and Design, Nagoya Zokei University, Nagoya/Kyoto, Japan
2014 In Transit--Art and Design, Nagoya Zokei University, Nagoya/Kyoto, Japan
group exhibitions | screenings [selective]
2020 In Spite of..., Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore (ICA Singapore)/LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore
2019 Erasure, Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore, Singapore
2019 Sok (screening-performance), Bijou Fest, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Rattlesnake Bells in the Desert (publication release), Lace, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Rattlesnake Bells in the Desert, The Box, (curator: Daniela Lieja), Los Angeles, CA
2018 Unstretched/Unframed. Akemime Der Bildenden Kunste wien. Vienna, Austria
2017 Silence Existence Awareness, Arteles Creative Center, Hämeenkyrö, Finland
2017 Mid-Residency Group Exhibition, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Definition of Extravehicular Mobility Unit(screening). Dance Film; Deconstructed
Dance Film Festival, Brooklyn Studios for Dance, Brooklyn, New York
2017 Déjà vu: Tropical Lab 11, Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore, Singapore
2017 SoCal MFA Exhibition, juried exhibition, Millard Sheets Art Center, Pomona, CA
(Guest Juror: Amanda Ross-Ho, Los Angeles, CA)
2017 Room FA31: FAR BAZAAR,Cerritos College, Pasadena, CA
2015 Translucency. Red Circle Press Group Exhibition, Student Union Gallery
Boise State University, Boise, ID
2014 In Print. Red Circle Press group exhibition, Student Union Gallery, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2014 Transit - International Exchange Exhibition. Nagoya Zokei University of Art and Design, Nagoya, Japan
2014 Totam Rem: BFA Exhibition, Visual Arts Center, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2013 Suspend Group exhibition, Wingtip Press, Boise, ID
2013 Dia De Los Muertos Exhibition. Arts and History Sesqui-Shop, Boise, ID
2013 DIVA IDEAS: Student Exhibition Spring 2013, Ganzo. Firenze, Toscana, Italia
2013 F_Air: Between Two Worlds Exhibition, Florence University of the Arts, Firenze, Toscana, Italia
2013 Wingtip Press: Leftovers III Print Exchange
Swansea Print Workshop; Swansea, Wales; Wharepuke Print Studio; Kerikeri, New Zealand
2012 Transit - International Exchange Exhibition. Nagoya Zokei University of Art and Design, Nagoya, Japan
readings
2018 [non]matter lost in (outerspace) Data Log / Jellyfish Nebula excerpt
Rattlesnake Bells in the Desert Publication Release, LACE, Los Angeles, CA
2016 Jellyfish Nebula, BFA Graduate Fiction Writing Reading, Boise State, Boise, ID
radio programs [performance-based]
2016-2017 Programmer, Sound Dialogue, radioKCIA, California Insitute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2015-2016 Programmer, La Baleine Bleue, Radio Boise, Boise, Idaho
selective grants/scholarships
2016-2019 California Institute of the Arts, Provost Merit Scholarship, Valencia, CA
2017, 2018 Bartman Photography Grant, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2018 Film/Video School Dean’s Grant, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Art Department Dean’s Grant, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Provost Travel Grant, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Arteles Creative Center Residency Grant, Hämeenkyrö, Finland
2014 Chuck & Pam Scheer Photography Scholarship, Boise State University, Boise, ID
movement-specific intensives | studies attended
2017-present Szalt Company Intensives, Pieter Space/Brockus Projects/virtual, Los Angeles, CA
2020 Workshop. Imre Van Opstal, Virtual/Nederlands
2020 WetOstrich. Shahar Binjamini. Virtual/Tel Aviv
2018 Creation + Content: Choreography, Rosanna Gamson, CalArts, Valencia, CA
visual/technical assistantships
2020-2022 A/V Technician, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, CA
2021 Temp Art Handler, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, CA
2016-2019 Projectionist (16mm, DCP). Bijou, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2016-2019 Technical Assistant, Film Services, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Graduate Assistant, Andrew Freeman, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
2017 Visual Arts Teaching Assistant, CAP AmeriCorps, Los Angeles, CA
2014-2016 Duck Club Presents Creative Content Team, Boise, ID
2014-2016 Treefort Music Festival Director’s Assistant, Production/VM/Graphic Designer, Boise, ID
2015-2016 Visual Arts Instructor, Boise Parks and Recreation, Boise, ID
2015-2016 Gallery Assistant, Gallery Five18, Boise, ID
2014 Teaching Assistant Internship, Laurie Blakeslee,Associate Professor, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2014 Photography Assistant, Jonathan Sadler,Associate Professor, Boise State, Boise ID
2014 International Artist in Residency Intern, Ming Studios, Boise, ID
2013-2014 Photography Assistant, Sage Paisner, visiting artist, Boise, ID
2013-2014 Student Union Fine Arts Assistant, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2013 Edition Printing Assistant, Kate Walker, Assistant Professor, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2013 Edition Printing Assistant, Mark Dion, visiting artist, Boise State University, Boise, ID
2013 Preschool Art/Performance-Based Learning English Teacher, Acciaoli Preschool, Florence, Italy
aviation organizations/participation
2021-present International Aerobatic Club (IAC), Los Angeles, CA
IAC Chapter 29, Santa Paula Airport (KSZP), CA
2021-present Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Los Angeles, CA
2020-present Aircraft Owners & Pilot's Association (AOPA)
NEWS
CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS | PROJECTS | RESIDENCIES | SCREENINGS
Atmosphere Irregularity Radar [AIR] (2020), film screening November 2022. film/project info HERE.
SIM Residency, Iceland, April 2023
Szalt Project Development Residency/Intensive, G-SON Studios, August 2022
PROJECTS IN-DEVELOPMENT + ON-GOING PROJECTS
THE FUSELAGE project (in-development non-profit). [2023]
PARABOLA(S) OF SAFETY project (in-development). Crystal Airport (46CN), Estrella Sailport (E68)
AVIATION and MOVEMENT workshop. Santa Monica Airport [ksmo].
RSVP via email HERE for details (i.e. location/time). See Workshops section for more info.
FLYING OBJECT(s) . Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) Flight Training software
AR Prototype(s) [July 2020-present] via Hoverlay [++ other platforms]
location(s): [1] Santa Monica Airport [ksmo], nearby the hangars - V1 + V4
[2] North Las Vegas Airport [kvgt], Chennault Flight School - V2
[3] Van Nuys Airport [kvny], West Park - V3
VR Aircraft Engine systems Prototype(s) [December 2021-present].
Santa Monica Airport], via QR and accessed via the hangars.
PROJECT(S) IN-DEVELOPMENT
Thermal Body(ies). Performance-installation. January 2023
FLYING OBJECT(s). Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR) Flight training software.
RECENT PAST PROJECTS
[Choreography for] Flying Objects. In Spite of..... [curated by Milenko Prvacki]. Singapore & Virtual. NOVEMBER 2020-present.