Alison Craighead's collaborative research practicing as an artist with Jon Thomson comes from a fascination they share in how global communications networks are transforming the way we all perceive and understand the world around us. Their research and practice spans online and public art commissions, as well as gallery-based work and often looks at how real time processes and live data transmission can be used as a material or artistic medium.
Professional projects
In the past three years, Alison's work has been featured in solo exhibitions in London, Germany, Brussels and Scotland. Her group projects include a commission by Photoworks for the Brighton Photobiennial (2012); an exhibition for the Centre International d'Art Contemporain de Montreal (2011); an installation for the British Council ('Trust in the Age of Loneliness', 2010); and an exhibit for the Museum of London on the London Wall (2010).
In 2012, she and Jon Thomson were shortlisted for the Samsung Art Prize for their piece 'A Short Film About War'.
Publications and research outputs
Show/Exhibition
NOISE Media Art Fair Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2025. NOISE Media Art Fair. In: "NOISE Media Art Fair", Istanbul, Turkey, 17–21 September 2025.
(in)Visibility of Violence Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2025. (in)Visibility of Violence. In: "(in)Visibility of Violence", Kunsthalle Giessen, Germany, 23 August - 2 November 2025.
(In)Visibility of Violence Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2025. (In)Visibility of Violence. In: "(In)Visibility of Violence", Kunsthalle Giessen, Germany, 22 August - 2 November 2025.
The Scottish Landscape Awards 2025 Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2025. The Scottish Landscape Awards 2025. In: "The Scottish Landscape Awards 2025", Kirkcudbright Galleries, United Kingdom, 5 July - 28 September 2025.
Chose Your Filter! Browser Art since the Beginnings of the World Wide Web Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2025. Chose Your Filter! Browser Art since the Beginnings of the World Wide Web. In: "Chose Your Filter! Browser Art since the Beginnings of the World Wide Web", ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany, 1 February - 24 August 2025.
Against War: Farocki’s Activist Legacy from Vietnam to Today Craighead, Alison ; and Jon, Thomson. 2024. Against War: Farocki’s Activist Legacy from Vietnam to Today. In: "Against War: Farocki’s Activist Legacy from Vietnam to Today", e-flux Screening Room, Brooklyn, NY, United States, 7 November 2024.
Breathing Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2023. Breathing. In: "Breathing", Hamburger Kunsthalle, Germany, 30 September 2022- 12 February 2023.
Two plus two make four Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2023. Two plus two make four. In: "Two Plus Two Makes Four", The Auxiliary, Middlesburgh, United Kingdom, 16 February - 24 March 2023.
No Escape Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2022. No Escape. In: "No Escape", IMT Gallery, London, United Kingdom, 17 March – 12 May 2022.
Information wants to be free, Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2022. Information wants to be free,. In: "Information wants to be Free? : Art and the Internet", ADM Gallery, Singapore, 25 March- 13 May 2022.
To the Edge of Time Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2021. To the Edge of Time. In: "To the Edge of Time", KU Leuven Libraries, Belgium, 22 October 2021 – 16 January 2022.
Metabolic Market: A Dimensionally Diabolical Department Outpost at Giant Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2021. Metabolic Market: A Dimensionally Diabolical Department Outpost at Giant. In: "Metabolic Market: A Dimensionally Diabolical Department Outpost at Giant", GIANT, Bournemouth, United Kingdom, 23 September - 28 November 2021.
Both Sides Of Here Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2021. Both Sides Of Here. In: "Both Sides Of Here", The Courtauld Institute of Art, United Kingdom, 16 June – 16 July 2021.
24/7 A Wake-up Call for our Non Stop World Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2019. 24/7 A Wake-up Call for our Non Stop World. In: "24/7 A wakeup call in a nonstop world", Somerset House, London, United Kingdom, 31 October 2019- 23 February 2020.
Learning From Deep Time Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2019. Learning From Deep Time. In: "Learning From Deep Time", NIRAS, Kastelsedijk, Dessel, Belgium, 29 September 2019.
Here Not Here Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2019. Here Not Here. In: "Here Not Here", UCL Student Centre, United Kingdom, Feb 2019 - ongoing.
The Perfume Shop Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. The Perfume Shop. In: "The Perfume Shop", The Ryder Projects, London, United Kingdom, 30 November 2018 - 2 February 2019.
Trace Ingredients Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. Trace Ingredients. In: "Trace Ingredients", Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, United Kingdom, 22 September -17 November 2018.
I was Raised on The Internet Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. I was Raised on The Internet. In: "I Was Raised on the Internet", MCA Chicago, United States, june 23 -oct 14 2018.
Anytime Now Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. Anytime Now. In: "Anytime Now", TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 19.04.2018- 10.06.2018.
The Academy of Saturn Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. The Academy of Saturn. In: "The Academy of Saturn", Cooley Gallery Portland Oregon, United States, 2/2/18 - 26/4/18.
The Academy of Saturn Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. The Academy of Saturn. In: "The Academy of Saturn", Cooley Gallery, Reed College, Portland, Oregon, United States, 2/2/18 - 26/4/18.
Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Two: Observations Thomson, Jon; and Craighead, Alison . 2017. Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Two: Observations. In: "Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Two: Observations", Carroll / Fletcher,, United Kingdom, 02/12/2017 - End date: 22/12/2017.
Life Time - Biological Clocks of the Universe Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Life Time - Biological Clocks of the Universe. In: "Life Time - Biological Clocks of the Universe", MU, Eindhoven,, Netherlands, 1 December 2017 - 18 February 2018.
Slow Violence Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Slow Violence. In: "Slow Violence", University of Hertfordshire Arts, United Kingdom, 29 November 2017 - 20 January 2018.
Humansbeingdigital Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Humansbeingdigital. In: "Humansbeingdigital", The Lowry, Salford, United Kingdom, 17 November 2017 - 25 February 2018.
Occulture: The Dark Arts Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Occulture: The Dark Arts. In: "Occulture: The Dark Arts", City Gallery Wellington, New Zealand, 12 August – 19 November 2017.
The New Observatory Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. The New Observatory. In: "The New Observatory", FACT, Liverpool, UK, United Kingdom, 22/06/2017 -02/10/2017.
Thomson & Craighead at Peacock Arts for Look Again Festival Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Thomson & Craighead at Peacock Arts for Look Again Festival. In: "Thomson & Craighead at Peacock Arts for Look Again Festival", Peacock Arts, United Kingdom, 27/04/2017 - 27/05/2017.
I Want I Want! Art and Technology Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. I Want I Want! Art and Technology. In: "I Want I Want! Art and Technology", Birmingham City Art Gallery,, United Kingdom, 01/04/2017 - 01/10/2017.
Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Three: United We Stand Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Three: United We Stand. In: "Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Three: United We Stand", Carroll / Fletcher,, United Kingdom, 13/01/2017 -04/03/2017.
Wake me up when it's over Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Wake me up when it's over. In: "Wake me up when it's over", Young Projects Gallery, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA, United States, 27/01/2017 -21/04/2017.
IRIS Home Browse IRIS Publication Detail Glut: Images, Information and Excess Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2017. IRIS Home Browse IRIS Publication Detail Glut: Images, Information and Excess. In: "Glut: Images, Information and Excess", Holden Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 16/01/2017 -03/03/2017.
Monsters of the Machine Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Monsters of the Machine. In: "Monsters of the Machine", Laboral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial, Spain, 18/11/2016 -31/08/2017.
Tecnologies de la violència Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Tecnologies de la violència. In: "Tecnologies de la violència", Arts Santa Monica, Barcelona,, Spain, 18/10/2016-08/01/2017.
Stutterer Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Stutterer. In: "Stutterer", The Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 7 October 2016 -22 January 2017.
Perpetual Uncertainty, exhibition Carpenter, Ele ; Mabb, David ; Crowe, Nick ; Craighead, Alison ; Schuppli, Susan ; and Weir, Andy . 2016. Perpetual Uncertainty, exhibition. In: "Perpetual Uncertainty", Bildmuseet, Sweden, 2 October 2016 - 16 April 2017.
Material Nuclear Culture, Exhibition Carpenter, Ele ; Mabb, David ; Craighead, Alison ; Crowe, Nick ; Schuppli, Susan ; Takeuchi, Kota; and Kobayashi, Erika. 2016. Material Nuclear Culture, Exhibition. In: "Material Nuclear Culture", KARST Gallery, United Kingdom, 17 June - 13 August 2016.
Nuclear Material Culture Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Nuclear Material Culture. In: "IRIS Home Browse IRIS Publication Detail Nuclear Material Culture", Karst, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 27/04/2016 - 28/05/2016.
Party Booby Trap Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Party Booby Trap. In: "Party Booby Trap", Carroll / Fletcher,, United Kingdom, 12/04/2016- 25/05/2016.
Electronic Superhighway Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Electronic Superhighway. In: "Electronic Superhighway", Whitechapel Gallery, United Kingdom, 29/01/2016 -05/05/2016.
Real Time Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Real Time. In: "Real Time", Arts Santa Mònica, Spain, 01/01/2016.
Big Bang Data Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2015. Big Bang Data. In: "Big Bang Data", Somerset House, United Kingdom, 03/12/2015 - 20/03/2016.
Right Here Right Now Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2015. Right Here Right Now. In: "Right Here Right Now", The Lowry, United Kingdom, 14/11/2015 -28/02/2016.
Art in the age of asymmetrical warfare Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2015. Art in the age of asymmetrical warfare. In: "Art in the age of asymmetrical warfare", Witte de With, United Kingdom, 11/09/2015- 03/01/2016.
Data as Culture 3: Data Anthropologies Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2015. Data as Culture 3: Data Anthropologies. In: "Data as Culture 3: Data Anthropologies", Open Data Institute, United Kingdom, 25/03/2015-20/06/2015.
Thing World (International Triennial of New Media Art Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2014. Thing World (International Triennial of New Media Art. In: "hing World (International Triennial of New Media Art)", National Art Museum of China, China, 11/06/2014 - 06/07/2014.
Maps DNA and Spam Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2014. Maps DNA and Spam. In: "Maps DNA and Spam", Dundee Contemporary Art, United Kingdom, 18/01/2014-16/03/2014.
A LIVE PORTRAIT OF TIM BERNERS-LEE (AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM) Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. A LIVE PORTRAIT OF TIM BERNERS-LEE (AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM). In: "National Media Museum, Life Online Galleries", National Media Museum in Bradford, United Kingdom, MARCH 2012- MARCH 2013.
Mirror Neurons Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Mirror Neurons. In: "Mirror Neurons", National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom, 1st of march 2012 -20th of may 2012.
London Wall N4 in 'Being Social', Furtherfield Gallery Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. London Wall N4 in 'Being Social', Furtherfield Gallery. In: "Being Social", FurtherField Gallery, McKenzie Pavillion, United Kingdom, Date: Saturday 25 February - Saturday 28 April 2012.
October Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. October. In: "Brighton Photo Biennal", Brighton, United Kingdom, 6 October - 4 November 2012.
Short Film about War at The Recontres Internationales Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Short Film about War at The Recontres Internationales. In: "The Recontres Internationales 2011", Paris, France, NOv 18th -26th 2011.
Thomson & Craighead solo show at Watermael Station and Vénerie Stables Brussels Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, JON. 2011. Thomson & Craighead solo show at Watermael Station and Vénerie Stables Brussels. In: "Thomson & Craighead", Watermael Station & Vénerie Stables, Belgium, 26th of october 2011 to 18th of Decemeber 2011.
Tomorrow Never Dies Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Tomorrow Never Dies. In: "Tomorrow Never Dies", Design Gallery BWA Wroclaw, Poland, sept 8th 2011.
Gateways, Art and Networked Culture, Tallinn Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Gateways, Art and Networked Culture, Tallinn. In: "Gateways", Kumu Art Museum Tallinn, Estonia, 1st of june 2011- sept 2011.
Current: an experiment in collecting digital art Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Current: an experiment in collecting digital art. In: "Current: an experiment in collecting digital art", Harris Museum, Preston, United Kingdom, 26 March – 4 June 2011.
Cloud Sounds Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Cloud Sounds. In: "Cloud Sounds", Netherlands Media Art Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 19th February - 29th April 2011.
London Wall Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2010. London Wall. In: "London Wall", Museum of London, United Kingdom, 28 May to 5 Sep 2010.
Timecode Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2009. Timecode. In: "Timecode", Dundee Contemporary Arts, United Kingdom, 17 January 2009 - 8 March 2009.
Thomson & Craighead, Moderna Museet, Stockholm Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2008. Thomson & Craighead, Moderna Museet, Stockholm. In: "Thomson & Craighead at Studion,", Moderna Museet in Stockholm,, Sweden, 2 - 30 October 2008.
The New Normal (Beacon) Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2008. The New Normal (Beacon). In: "The New Normal", Artist Space , NY, United States, april 25 2008 - ongoing currenty 2010.
BEACON at BFI Southbank Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, J.. 2007. BEACON at BFI Southbank. In: "BEACON at BFI Southbank", BFI Southbank, 6/22/2007 - 8/19/2007.
Short Films about Flying Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, J.. 2007. Short Films about Flying. In: "Short Films about Flying", Laboral Museum, Gijon (Spain), 3/30/2007 - 6/30/2007.
Decorative Newsfeeds Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, J.. 2006. Decorative Newsfeeds. In: "Decorative Newsfeeds", Neuberger Museum of Art, State University of New York, 2/12/2006 - 6/25/2006.
Unprepared Piano Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, J.. 2006. Unprepared Piano. In: "Unprepared Piano", Mejan Labs, Stockholm, 1/26/2006 - 3/5/2006.
Conference or Workshop Item
Collaborative and participatory practices as an agent of autonomy Ogg, Kirsty ; Cullinan, Charlotte; Richards, Jeanine; Kane, Alan; and Craighead, Alison . 2019. 'Collaborative and participatory practices as an agent of autonomy'. In: New Contemporaries 70th Anniversary Two-Day Conference. The Courtauld Institute of Art, United Kingdom 26 October 2019.
The Story Thomson, Jon; and Craighead, Alison . 2016. 'The Story'. In: The Story. The Conway Hall, United Kingdom 19 Feb 2016.
Artist Use of Open Data Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2015. 'Artist Use of Open Data'. In: Open Data Institute Summit. BFI, Southbank, London, United Kingdom 03 Nov 2015.
Building a temporary index (part II) Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2014. 'Building a temporary index (part II)'. In: The Actinium Forum. OYOYO, Sapporo, Japan 27 July 2014.
Building a temporary index Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2014. 'Building a temporary index'. In: Panning for Atomic Gold. University of Notre Dame London Global Gateway, United Kingdom 17 May 2014.
Recent works (Lecture) Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2009. 'Recent works (Lecture)'. In: Impakt. Filmtheater 't Hoogt, Utrecht, Netherlands 15 October 2009.
The Internet of Living Things Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2018. The Internet of Living Things. In: Omar Kholeif, ed. I Was Raised on the Internet. New York: Prestel Publishing. ISBN 9783791358024
Edited Book
Flat Earth Craighead, Alison ; Gilman, Clive; Thomson, Jon; and Cook, Sarah, eds. 2001. Flat Earth. Germany: MEWO Kunsthalle and Dundee Contemporary Arts. ISBN 3981627423
Film/Video
Belief Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Belief.
A Short Film About War Craighead, Alison ; Thomson, Jon; and Rushton, Steve. 2010. A Short Film About War.
Professional Activity
Samsung Art Prize Craighead, Alison ; and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Samsung Art Prize.
