Michael Covello Odalla, born 1986 in Oyster Bay, NY, is an internationally exhibiting contemporary artist who creates paintings, works on paper, site-specific installations, videos, and audio work. Covello studied at the School of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University, receiving his BFA in 2008, and the University of South Florida, receiving his MFA in 2013. He currently lives and works in Florida and New York.
In 2016, Covello was nominated by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for an award and exhibition, and was also selected for the Florida Biennial in Boca Raton. In 2015 he was one of ten artists selected for the Orlando Museum of Art’s Florida Prize in Contemporary Art, as well as a Marlin and Regina Miller Fellowship recipient at Kutztown University. He has received numerous grants and awards, among them an Individual Artist Grant from the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. He has been a featured artist in two publications of New American Paintings. He previously held positions with the University of South Florida as a Professor of Painting and Drawing, Hillsborough College as a Professor of Drawing, Graphicstudio as a Production Associate, the Dia Art Foundation, Cornell University, and the New York Foundation for the Arts.
EMAIL
mtcovello [at] gmail [dot] com
11/1/16 — CURATORIAL OPPORTUNITY PROJECT WINNER FOR THE NEW ART CENTER’S NATIONAL CURATORIAL OPEN CALL
My exhibition Color:Coded (co-curated with Alison Terndrup) was selected for exhibition at Boston’s New Art Center. This exhibition, largely consisting of video projects influenced by painterly processes, examines the loaded history of color, touching on design and optics as well as the complex social issues that color reinforces- from race to gender to all things in between.
10/1/16 — EXHIBITION AT THE SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE
My video project, The Old Pretender, will be exhibited at the San Diego Art Institute for the exhibition The Dead Are Not Quiet.
8/1/16 — COVELLO-ODALLA JOINS FACULTY AT TCNJ
This fall I join the faculty of the School of Communications at The College of New jersey. I will hold the position of Assistant Professor of Art and will specialize in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking in the Department of Art and Art History.
7/4/16 — INCLUDED IN THE FLORIDA BIENNIAL AT THE BOCA RATON MUSEUM OF ART
I am very honored to have two of my recent paintings be included in Florida’s most prestigious biennial exhibition, hosted by the Boca Raton Museum of Art, opening in July 2016 and running through the summer. If you are in the Miami area check it out!
6/10/16 — EXHIBITION AT THE SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM IN NEW YORK
My most recent video project, The Old Pretender, will be featured in the exhibition Campsite at the Dorsky Museum in New Paltz, NY.
6/1/16 — FINALIST FOR NURTUREArt’S NATIONAL CURATORIAL OPEN CALL
My exhibition Color:Coded was selected for exhibition at Boston’s New Art Center. This exhibition, largely consisting of video projects considered through the lens of painting, examines the loaded history of color, touching on design and optics as well as the complex social issues that color reinforces- from race to gender to all things in between.
5/15/16 — EXPANDING MY STUDIO TO NYC
After much deliberation, I have decided to expand my studio practice to NYC, the place where I was born, raised, and lived most of my life. Although these past six years in Florida have been a positive experience personally and professionally, it is time to get back in touch with my roots, my family, and my friends in the greater NY area. I will, however, continue to maintain a studio here in Florida.
5/4/16 — LECTURE AT THE ORLANDO MUSEUM OF ART
As a former Florida Prize participant, I will be presenting my work and recent professional developments at the Orlando Museum of Art on May 4th in conjunction with the newest Florida Prize in Contemporary Art Exhibition.
4/1/16 — INVITATIONAL SHOW IN ORLANDO
I will have a series of works on paper exhibited at Henao Contemporary, an art center in Orlando, for their exhibition titled “Emerging Waves”. This is my first show of solely paper work.
2/16 – 3/16 — SEMI-FINALIST FOR TENURE-TRACK POSITIONS
I was informed over the past few weeks that I am being considered for Assistant Professor positions in painting at USC Long Beach, SUNY Purchase, among other schools.
1/1/16 — NOMINATION FOR MAJOR NATIONAL AWARD AND EXHIBITION VIA THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS
At the end of 2015 I was honored to receive a nomination for an award and exhibition by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
10/26/15 — EXHIBITION AT BLAKE SCHOOL OF ART’S GALLERY
An exhibition including a new site-specific installation, shown alongside work by artist’s Selina Roman and Elizabeth Schneider.
8/20/15 — SOLO EXHIBITION AT HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE’S ART GALLERY
An exhibition of my recent paintings and a brand new site-specific installation at Gallery 221, Hillsborough College’s contemporary art gallery.
5/28/15 — FLORIDA PRIZE IN CONTEMPORARY ART
I have been nominated for the 2015 Florida Prize in Contemporary Art. As one of ten artists who have been selected from across the state, my work will represent the current trajectory of contemporary art in Florida. I will be exhibiting recent paintings and works on paper as well as a new site-specific installation at the Orlando Museum of Art. The opening reception is June 11.
Press release from the OMA
5/1/15 — EXHIBITION AT FLORIDA CRAFTART
My installation, titled “Parallel Courses” is on view at Florida CraftArt Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL. Gallery talk and opening reception is May 1.
4/2/15 — EXHIBITION AT THE RINGLING MUSEUM
I have been chosen to exhibit an installation piece in the garden/courtyard of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL. The piece, titled “The Clever Sidestep”, opens April 2 for the final installment of the Ringling Underground.
3/20/15 — NEW MEDIA RELEASED ON MY RECENT INSTALLATION
Click the link below to watch time-lapse footage of my installation “Hound on the Moor” coming into existence at the Art and History Museum of Maitland.
Watch it here!
3/6/15 — MY INSTALLATION “HOUND ON THE MOOR” OPENS
My solo show at the Art and History Museum of Maitland opens today. The installation is titled “Hound on the Moor” and will be on view until May 16, 2015.
3/3/15 — NEW MEDIA RELEASED FOR MY RECENT INSTALLATION
Click the video below to watch my walk through and interview on “Triangles Through the Leaves”, my recent solo show at Kutztown University.
2/5/15 — SOLO SHOW AT KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
My solo exhibition, “The Triangles Through the Leaves”, opens at the Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. It will be up until March 8, 2015.
10/17/14 — NEW MEDIA RELEASED ON MY PAINTINGS
My work is featured in Hyperallergic.
Read it here!