Andrew Renton works as a writer and curator. He is interested in the different languages and registers that might be possible in response to the work of art. As a curator his recent concern has been with the ethical encounter with the object, its physicality and context. He has extensive experience and research in contemporary collecting practices.
Academic qualifications
1981 鈥� 1984 B.A. (Hons.), University of Nottingham
1985 鈥� 1989 Ph.D., University of Reading
Teaching
He took over running the Curating programme in 2003, and redesignated the programme into its current MFA format, as well as establishing a practice-based PhD in the field.
Prior to 51吃瓜网黑料 he was Slade Curator at Slade School of Art, and has lectured widely internationally.
Professional projects
He has curated many shows internationally, including the first Manifesta in Rotterdam1996, Walter Benjamin's Briefcase, Porto 1994, Browser in Vancouver 1997 and London 1998, Total Object Complete with Missing Parts, Glasgow 2001, Stay Forever and Ever and Ever at South London Gallery, 2007, Come, Come, Come into my World at the Ellipse Foundation, Lisbon, 2007, Front of House at Parasol Unit, London 2008, and the first ArtTLV biennial in Tel Aviv, 2008. He co-curated Koen van den Broek's retropective at SMAK, Ghent in 2010.
Until ecently he was the founding Director of Marlborough Contemporary Gallery in London where he curated some 30 exhibitions. He wrote a weekly column for the Evening Standard on art matters, and is the author and editor of numerous articles, books and monographs on art. He was a member of the jury for the 2006 Turner Prize, and is a board member and trustee of several arts organisations such as the Showroom and the Drawing Room. He advises many collections, museums and institutions, and the British Government Art Collection.
Publications and research outputs
Book
Renton, Andrew, ed. 2008. Front of House. London: Parasol unit: foundation for contemporary art. ISBN 978-0-9560247-0-1
Renton, Andrew and Rosenthal, Norman. 2004. Jason Martin. Charta. ISBN 8881584832
Renton, Andrew and Lapa, P.. 2003. 脗ngela Ferreira: Em S铆tio Algum . No Place at All. Museu Nacional de Arte Contempor芒nea. ISBN 9727761895
Book Section
Kushnir, Alana; Renton, Andrew and Schwarz, Katrina. 2025. Chutzpadik: A Conversation on Jewish Art, Identity, and Curatorial Agency. In: Alana Kushnir, ed. Chutzpah: Spirit. Recollection. Self. Melbourne, Australia: Jewish Museum of Australia, pp. 42-47. ISBN 9781875670055
Renton, Andrew. 2025. Naming Places (for J. B.). In: Debbie Meniru and Darryl de Prez, eds. Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning. London: Kulturalis, pp. 112-123. ISBN 9781836360094
Renton, Andrew and Onofre, Jo茫o. 2024. The Prospect of Objecthood. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Jo茫o Onofre, Untitled (In Awe of...). Berlin: DCV, pp. 22-25. ISBN 9783969121924
Renton, Andrew. 2019. hobbypopMUSEUM on Main Street. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. hoppypopMUSEUM: Saved Images. Berlin: DISTANZ Verlag/Dortmunder Kunstverein, pp. 11-20. ISBN 9783954762729
Renton, Andrew. 2017. 鈥淔orms of Practice: Curating in the Academy鈥�. In: Jens Hoffmann, ed. The Exhibitionist: the First Six Years. New York: Artbook, pp. 275-281. ISBN 978-1-942884-12-5
Renton, Andrew. 2015. 鈥淯nconditional Welcome: An Ethics of Passage in Le Jardin hospitalier of Jyll Bradley鈥� (鈥淯n accueil inconditionnel : L鈥櫭﹖hique du passage dans Le Jardin hospitalier de Jyll Bradley鈥�). In: Amanda Crabtree, ed. Le Jardin hospitalier: une oeuvre de Jyll Bradley. Dijon: Les presses du r茅el, pp. 12-24. ISBN 978-2-84066-786-5
Renton, Andrew. 2015. 鈥淎rchitecture鈥檚 Ideology: Antony Gormley鈥檚 Ethics of Spacing鈥�. In: Peter Fischer; Simone King and Rosalind Horne, eds. Antony Gormley: Expansion Field. Berlin: Hatje Cantz, pp. 189-205. ISBN 978-3-7757-3931-3
Renton, Andrew. 2014. "The Contested Space of Curating". In: Viktor Misiano and Nata拧a Petre拧in-Bachelez, eds. The Manifesta Journal Reader. St Petersberg: Arca, pp. 76-84. ISBN 978-5-91208-176-7
Renton, Andrew; Gillick, Liam; Paley, Maureen; Furlong, William; Cooke, Lynne and Schubert, Karsten. 2014. 鈥淭echnique Anglaise: Current Trends in British Art鈥�. In: John Slyce and Phoebe Adler, eds. Contemporary Art in the United Kingdom. London: Black Dog Publishing, pp. 162-173. ISBN 978 1 907317 68 2
Renton, Andrew and von Poehl, Charlotte. 2014. 鈥淩andom Different: Andrew Renton and Charlotte von Poehl in Conversation鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Charlotte von Poehl: Harlequins. Ystad: Ystads Konstmuseum, pp. 47-61. ISBN 91-87258-75-7
Renton, Andrew. 2010. Bergotte's Vermeer and other Histories. In: Wouter Davidts, ed. Crack: Koen van den Broek. Amsterdam: Valiz, Amsterdam; S.M.A.K., Ghent; Lannoo, Tielt, pp. 62-71. ISBN 978 90 78088 41 7
Renton, Andrew. 2009. Ten Fragments (for I.K.). In: Elena Volpato, ed. Ian Kiaer: What Where. Turin: Archive Books, pp. 43-47.
Renton, Andrew and Temin, Kathy. 2009. Running Past a Richard Serra: Kathy Temin and Andrew Renton in Conversation. In: Sue Cramer, ed. Kathy Temin. Melbourne, Australia: Heide Museum of Modern Art, pp. 73-79. ISBN 9781921330124
Renton, Andrew. 2008. Painting Less Subject: Detached Indices and Red Herrings (for K.C.). In: Ben Tufnell, ed. Keith Coventry: Vanishing Certainties. Painting and Sculpture 1992 - 2009. London: Haunch of Venison, pp. 32-33. ISBN 972-1-905620-37-1
Renton, Andrew and White, Laura. 2008. Broken Surface: Belated Forms. In: Laura White, ed. Laura White: the Stuff of Images. Manchester: Castlefield Gallery, unpaginated. ISBN 978-0-9559557-1-6
Renton, Andrew. 2008. 鈥溾�樷�o begin always again and again鈥�: Syntactical Spaces, Indebted Figures in the Work of Muntean/Rosenblum鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Muntean/Rosenblum: Make Death Listen. Zurich: JRP Editions, pp. 92-93. ISBN 978-3905701982
Renton, Andrew. 2007. In Lieu of the Face. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Portrait, Landscape, Process, Monochrome. London: Alexia Goethe Gallery, pp. 6-13. ISBN 978-1906463007
Renton, Andrew. 2007. Only you can make this world seem right. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Jesper Just - Film Works: Film Works 2001-2007. Rotterdam: Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art, pp. 82-99. ISBN 978-9073362734
Renton, Andrew. 2007. Threshold and its Shadow (for YS). In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Yehudit Sasportas. Der israelische Pavillon auf der Biennale Venedig. Israeli Pavilion 52nd Biennale Vezezia and Dumont, pp. 39-61. ISBN 978-3832177737
Renton, Andrew. 2007. Another Memory of the Old Home. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 脗ngela Ferreira: Maison Tropicale. Lisbon: Institutos das Artes & Minist茅rio da Cultura, pp. 60-77. ISBN 978-972-99322-8-1
Renton, Andrew. 2006. 鈥淪pace Girl and the Strange Case of Being in Two Places at the Same Time鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Sophie Von Hellermann: Judgement Day. London: Koenig Books, pp. 162-167. ISBN 978-3865600578
Renton, Andrew. 2006. 鈥淧ublic and Private Collecting鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Frieze Projects: Artists' Commissions and Talks: Artists Commissions and Talks 2003-2005. London: Frieze, pp. 137-145. ISBN 978-0955320101
Renton, Andrew. 2006. 鈥橴nknown Content鈥�:Diminished Return. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. (Re)volver, Lisbon: Plataforma Revolver. , pp. 32-42
Renton, Andrew. 2006. You are still here鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Mona Hatoum: Hot Spot. White Cube.
Renton, Andrew. 2006. I saw and know what I saw鈥�: Linder as Witness. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Linder: Works 1976-2006. Zurich: JRP Ringier, pp. 128-137. ISBN 3-905701-60-x
Renton, Andrew. 2005. Prescription Material: You are what you eat. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Marc Quinn: Chemical Life Support. London: White Cube, pp. 2-5. ISBN 978-0954650186
Renton, Andrew. 2005. Mushrooms in the Rain: Gerard Hemsworth and the Deceptive Perspective. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Gerard Hemsworth, Mushrooms In The Rain (exhibition catalogue). S茫o Paulo: Galeria Brito Cimino, pp. 4-6.
Renton, Andrew. 2005. Don鈥檛 think you knew you were in this song: How Ziggy Sang Susan. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. SUSAN PHILIPSZ. Malmo Konsthall, pp. 46-65. ISBN 978-9177041061
Renton, Andrew. 2005. Walking through Wall: Catherine Yass鈥檚 Politics of Unseeing. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Catherine Yass: Filmography. Fundacio Antoni Tapies, pp. 72-89. ISBN 978-8489152731
Renton, Andrew. 2005. West. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. The Journey: Dietmar Lutz. London: emilyTsingou Gallery, pp. 23-39. ISBN 978-0953245826
Renton, Andrew. 2005. Complications of Absence: Ignasi Aball铆 and the Constrained Object. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 0-24 h. Barcelona: Museo De Arte Contempor谩neo De Barcelona = Museu D'art Contemporani De Barcelona, pp. 117-130. ISBN 978-8489771147
Renton, Andrew. 2003. Holding Centre. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. I Only Want You to Love ME. Brighton: Photoworks, pp. 100-103. ISBN 978-1903796092
Renton, Andrew. 2003. 鈥淏en Kodesh l鈥橩odesh鈥� (鈥�...Between what is holy and what is holy鈥�). In: Andrew Renton, ed. Borders of Sanctity in Art, Society and Jewish Thought. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing with Adi Foundation, pp. 146-149. ISBN 965-07-1172-4
Renton, Andrew. 2003. 鈥淐onversation between Jonathan Callan, Edward Allington, and Andrew Renton, 4th November 2002, Deptford, London鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Jonathan Callan: Interference. Walsall: New Art Gallery Walsall, pp. 68-71. ISBN 978-0946652662
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淢odern Medicine鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 100 Reviews: Backwards. Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, p. 87. ISBN 978-3883756493
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淏ethan Huws鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 100 Reviews Backwards. Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, p. 65. ISBN 978-3883756493
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淒ouglas Gordon, 24 Hour Psycho鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 100 Reviews Backwards. Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, p. 56. ISBN 978-3883756493
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淚an Davenport, Gary Hume, Michael Landy鈥� and 鈥淓ast Country Yard Show鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. 100 Reviews: Backwards. Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, pp. 40-48. ISBN 978-3883756493
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淏rowser: a Second Visit to the Archive鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Potential: Ongoing Archive. Amsterdam and Southampton: Artimo Foundation Breda, pp. 60-65. ISBN 978-9075380484
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淒isappearing, Dislodging and Logging Off in B.C.鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. The Beachcombers. London: Drawing Room, pp. 11-16.
Renton, Andrew. 2002. 鈥淎esthetics of the Seamless (Norman Bryson, Mark Gisbourne, Sharon Morris, Andrew Renton, Irit Rogoff)鈥�. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Concepts on the Move (Lier & Boog). Amsterdam and New York: Editions Rodopi B.V., pp. 81-92. ISBN 978-9042012691
Renton, Andrew. 2002. Five Pieces for A.M. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Nothing is Sudden 鈥� Arbeiten mit Licht. K枚ln: StadtRevue Verlag, pp. 10-21.
Renton, Andrew. 2002. Andrew Renton and Sacha Craddock in Conversation. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. The Producers: Contemporary Curators in Conversation. Gateshead and Newcastle: Baltic and University of Newcastle, pp. 9-46. ISBN 978-1903655139
Renton, Andrew. 2002. Correspondence. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. Ghada Amer. London: Gagosian Gallery, pp. 7-19. ISBN 978-1880154755
Article
Renton, Andrew. 2024. Michael Sailstorfer: Always Crashing in the Same Car. Electrosex: Michael Sailstorfer (TICK TACK), pp. 12-15. ISSN 2952-8135
Renton, Andrew. 2019. Passages of Stillness: The Ethics of Landscape and Remembering in Shaun Gladwell鈥檚 1000 Horses. di'van: a journal of accounts(6), pp. 62-87. ISSN 2207-1563
Project
Renton, Andrew. 2015 Werner B眉ttner. Coincidence in Splendour: Paintings and My Looting Eye: Collages.
Phillips, Andrea; Renton, Andrew; Le Feuvre, Lisa and Schmitz, Edgar. Jan 2007 - Jan 2009 Curating Architecture.
Show/Exhibition
Renton, Andrew and B眉ttner, Werner. 2025. Werner B眉ttner: Reflections in a Pilfering Eye. In: "Werner B眉ttner: Reflections in a Pilfering Eye", Rialto6, Portugal, 23 May - 18 July 2025.
Renton, Andrew and Whittlesea, Ian. 2021. New Viewings: Ian Whittlesea. In: "New Viewings: Ian Whittlesea", Galerie Barbara Thumm, Germany, January 2021 - present.
Renton, Andrew and Yardley, Caitlin. 2021. New Viewings: Caitlin Yardley. In: "New Viewings: Caitlin Yardley", Galerie Barbara Thumm, Germany, January 2021 - present.
Renton, Andrew and Green, Susie. 2021. New Viewings: Susie Green. In: "New Viewings: Susie Green", Galerie Barbara Thumm, Germany, January 2021 - present.
Renton, Andrew and Cope, Marcus. 2021. New Viewings: Marcus Cope. In: "New Viewings: Marcus Cope", Galerie Barbara Thumm, Germany, January 2021 - present.
Renton, Andrew and Roberts, Charlie. 2016. Charlie Roberts: Juicy. In: "Juicy", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 24 Nov 2016 - 8 January 2017.
Renton, Andrew and Landau, Sigalit. 2016. Sigalit Landau: 'Salt Bride'. In: "Salt Bride", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 26 July - 17 September 2016.
Renton, Andrew and Patterson, Grear. 2016. Grear Patterson: True Romance. In: "True Romance", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 24 June - 23 July 2016.
Renton, Andrew and Kavanagh, Laurence. 2016. Laurence Kavanagh: 'March'. In: "'March'", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 11 May - 18 June 2016.
Renton, Andrew and Jubelin, Narelle. 2016. Narelle Jubelin: 'Flamenco Primitivo'. In: "Flamenco Primitivo", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 5 February 鈥� 12 March 2016.
Renton, Andrew and Golden, Pamela. 2015. Pamela Golden: 'Charlie Don鈥檛 Surf'. In: "Charlie Don鈥檛 Surf", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 11 November - 30 December.
Renton, Andrew and Brzezanska, Agnieszka. 2015. Agnieszka Brze偶a艅ska: 'This all occurs quickly, with ease, grace and joy'. In: "This all occurs quickly, with ease, grace and joy", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 18 September 鈥� 31 October 2015.
Renton, Andrew and Ferreira, 脕ngela. 2015. 脗ngela Ferreira: 'Talk Tower for Ingrid Jonker'. In: "Talk Tower for Ingrid Jonker", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 5 August - 5 September 2015.
Renton, Andrew and Brooks, Jason. 2015. Jason Brooks: 'Origins'. In: "Origins", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 10 June 18 July 2015.
Renton, Andrew and Hern谩ndez, Diango. 2015. Diango Hern谩ndez: 'The Book of Waves'. In: "The Book of Waves", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 29 April 鈥� 5 June 2015.
Renton, Andrew and B眉ttner, Werner. 2015. Werner B眉ttner: 'The Marking of the Abyss'. In: "The Marking of ther Abyss", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 4 March 鈥� 18 April 2015.
Renton, Andrew. 2015. "I Never Thought I'd See You Again: Painting History". In: ""I Never Thought I'd See You Again: Painting History"", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 20 January - 27 February 2015.
Renton, Andrew and Onofre, Jo茫o. 2014. Jo茫o Onofre: 'Tacet'. In: "Tacet", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 18 November 2014 鈥� 10 January 2015.
Renton, Andrew and Landau, Sigalit. 2014. Sigalit Landau: 'Knafeh'. In: "Knafeh", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 17 September 鈥� 1 November 2014.
Renton, Andrew and Whittlesea, Ian. 2014. Ian Whittlesea: A Breathing Bulb. In: "A Breathing Bulb", Marlborough Contemprary, United Kingdom, 6 August - 6 September 2014.
Renton, Andrew and van den Broek, Koen. 2014. Koen van den Broek: Cut Away the Snoopy. In: "Cut Away the Snoopy", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 25 June 鈥� 2 August 2014.
Renton, Andrew and Kavanagh, Laurence. 2014. Laurence Kavanagh: 'May'. In: "Laurence Kavanagh: 'May'", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 7 May鈥�20 June 2014.
Renton, Andrew and Gussin, Graham. 2014. Graham Gussin: FORSAKENFOCUSVERTIGOPREDICTION. In: "FORSAKENFOCUSVERTIGOPREDICTION", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 7 Mar to 12 April 2014.
Renton, Andrew and Golden, Pamela. 2014. Pamela Golden. "Good Morning! Mr. Williams.". In: "Good Morning! Mr. Williams.", Marlborough Contemporary, United Kingdom, 15 Jan to 15 Feb 2014.
Renton, Andrew; van den Broek, Koen and Verhoeven, Thibaut. 2010. Koen van den Broek: Curbs and Cracks. In: "Curbs and Cracks", Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent, Belgium, 28 January to 10 May 2010.
Renton, Andrew. 2008. Art TLV 08: Open Plan Living. In: "Art TLV: Open Plan Living", Helena Rubenstein Pavilion, Museum of Tel Aviv and others, Israel, 27 September 2008 - October 18 2008.
Renton, Andrew; Corrales, Marcos; Jubelin, Narelle and Ferreira, Angela. 2008. Front of House. In: "Front of House, London", Parasol Unit, United Kingdom, 16 April - 29 May 2008.
Renton, Andrew. 2006. Stay forever and ever and ever. In: "Stay forever and ever and ever", South London Gallery, 5/2/2006 - 6/24/2006.
