Alison Craighead
Staff details
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
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2019. Learning From Deep Time. In: "Learning From Deep Time", NIRAS, Kastelsedijk, Dessel, Belgium, 29 September 2019.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2019. Here Not Here. In: "Here Not Here", UCL Student Centre, United Kingdom, Feb 2019 - ongoing.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2018. Trace Ingredients. In: "Trace Ingredients", Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, United Kingdom, 22 September -17 November 2018.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2018. Anytime Now. In: "Anytime Now", TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 19.04.2018- 10.06.2018.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Slow Violence. In: "Slow Violence", University of Hertfordshire Arts, United Kingdom, 29 November 2017 - 20 January 2018.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Humansbeingdigital. In: "Humansbeingdigital", The Lowry, Salford, United Kingdom, 17 November 2017 - 25 February 2018.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. The New Observatory. In: "The New Observatory", FACT, Liverpool, UK, United Kingdom, 22/06/2017 -02/10/2017.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Four: Disrupt / Disorder / Display. In: "Looking at one thing and thinking of something else (An Exhibition in Four Parts) Part Four: Disrupt / Disorder / Display", Carroll / Fletcher,, United Kingdom, 17/03/2017 -27/05/2017.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Stutterer. In: "Stutterer", The Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 7 October 2016 -22 January 2017.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Perpetual Uncertainty. In: "Perpetual Uncertainty", Bildmuseet, Umeå,, Sweden, 02/10/2016 - 16/04/2017.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Party Booby Trap. In: "Party Booby Trap", Carroll / Fletcher,, United Kingdom, 12/04/2016- 25/05/2016.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Electronic Superhighway. In: "Electronic Superhighway", Whitechapel Gallery, United Kingdom, 29/01/2016 -05/05/2016.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Real Time. In: "Real Time", Arts Santa Mònica, Spain, 01/01/2016.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2015. Big Bang Data. In: "Big Bang Data", Somerset House, United Kingdom, 03/12/2015 - 20/03/2016.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2012. October. In: "Brighton Photo Biennal", Brighton, United Kingdom, 6 October - 4 November 2012.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Tomorrow Never Dies. In: "Tomorrow Never Dies", Design Gallery BWA Wroclaw, Poland, sept 8th 2011.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2011. LA BIENNALE DE MONTREAL 2011, Centre International d'Art Contemporain de Montreal, Canada.. In: "LA BIENNALE DE MONTREAL 2011", Centre International d'Art Contemporain de Montreal, Canada, 1-31 of May 2011.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2011. Cloud Sounds. In: "Cloud Sounds", Netherlands Media Art Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 19th February - 29th April 2011.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2010. Thomson & Craighead, HICA (Highland Institute of Contemporary Art). In: "Thomson & Craighead", HICA, United Kingdom, 20 june - 25 july 2010.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2010. London Wall. In: "London Wall", Museum of London, United Kingdom, 28 May to 5 Sep 2010.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2009. Timecode. In: "Timecode", Dundee Contemporary Arts, United Kingdom, 17 January 2009 - 8 March 2009.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, J.. 2007. BEACON at BFI Southbank. In: "BEACON at BFI Southbank", BFI Southbank, 6/22/2007 - 8/19/2007.
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.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, J.. 2006. Unprepared Piano. In: "Unprepared Piano", Mejan Labs, Stockholm, 1/26/2006 - 3/5/2006.
Conference or Workshop Item
Thomson, Jon and Craighead, Alison. 2016. 'The Story'. In: The Story. The Conway Hall, United Kingdom 19 Feb 2016.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2015. 'Artist Use of Open Data'. In: Open Data Institute Summit. BFI, Southbank, London, United Kingdom 03 Nov 2015.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2014. 'Building a temporary index (part II)'. In: The Actinium Forum. OYOYO, Sapporo, Japan 27 July 2014.
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.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2009. 'Recent works (Lecture)'. In: Impakt. Filmtheater 't Hoogt, Utrecht, Netherlands 15 October 2009.
Art Object
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Recruitment Gone Wrong.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2017. Control Room.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Apocalypse/In words alas drown I (2016 - 2030).
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2016. Temporary index.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2014. Hello World.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Another advertiser's announcement.
Book Section
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
Craighead, Alison; Gilman, Clive; Thomson, Jon and Cook, Sarah, eds. 2001. Flat Earth. Germany: MEWO Kunsthalle and Dundee Contemporary Arts. ISBN 3981627423
Film/Video
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Belief.
Craighead, Alison; Thomson, Jon and Rushton, Steve. 2010. A Short Film About War.
Professional Activity
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Samsung Art Prize.
Craighead, Alison and Thomson, Jon. 2012. Vital Spark Award 2011-2012.
