Mike Nelson

Mike Nelson came to prominence in the late 1990s, creating psychological environments by sifting through the debris of modern life. His installations are expansive dominions for assemblages of cultural detritus, often referencing specific works of literature and countercultural or failed political movements. Working with figures and materials on the fringes of society, Nelson asks his viewers to spend time inhabiting worlds that, while foreign on the surface, reveal intrinsic truths and modes of thought that affect even the most basic cultural activities. His work has been widely shown and collected by, amongst others, the Tate London, The Hayward Gallery and Moderna Museet, Stockholm. Nelson lives and works in London.

Works

Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon (the woodshed) (2004), Various materials, and M25 (2023), Found tyres. Installation view, Hayward Gallery, 2023. Photo Matt Greenwood.
Mike Nelson, Studio Apparatus for Kunsthalle Münster - A Thematic Instalment Observing the Calendrical Celebration of its Inception: Introduction; towards a linear understanding of notoriety, power, and their interconnectedness; futurobjecs (misspelt); mysterious island* *see introduction or Barothic shift (2014). Various materials. Installation view, Hayward gallery, 2023. Photo Matt Greenwood.
Mike Nelson, The Asset Strippers (2019), Various materials. Installation view, Hayward Gallery, 2023. Photo Matt Greenwood.
Mike Nelson, The Deliverance and The Patience (2001), Various materials. Installation view, Hayward Gallery, 2023. Photo: Matt Greenwood.
Mike Nelson, The House of the Farmer, installation view by Lucio Rossi, Palazzo dell’Agricoltore, Parma, 2021
Mike Nelson, The House of the Farmer, installation view by Lucio Rossi, Palazzo dell’Agricoltore, Parma, 2021
Mike Nelson,The House of the Farmer, installation view by Lucio Rossi, Palazzo dell’Agricoltore, Parma, 2021
Mike Nelson, The House of the Farmer, installation view by Lucio Rossi, Palazzo dell’Agricoltore, Parma, 2021
Mike Nelson, The House of the Farmer, installation view by Lucio Rossi, Palazzo dell’Agricoltore, Parma, 2021
Mike Nelson, The Asset Strippers, installation view by Mike Greenwood, Tate Britain, 2019
Mike Nelson, The Asset Strippers, 2019. Installation view, Tate Britain Commission 2019. Photo: © Tate (Matt Greenwood)
Mike Nelson, The Asset Strippers, installation view by Mike Greenwood, Tate Britain, 2019
Mike Nelson, The Asset Strippers,Installation view by Mike Greenwood, Tate Britain, 2019
Mike Nelson, L’Atteso, installation view by Andrea Rossetti, OGR, Turin, 2018
Mike Nelson, L’Atteso, installation view by Andrea Rossetti, OGR, Turin, 2018
Mike Nelson, L’Atteso, installation view by Andrea Rossetti, OGR, Turin, 2018
Mike Nelson, L’Atteso, installation view by Andrea Rossetti, OGR, Turin, 2018
Mike Nelson, L’Atteso, installation view by Andrea Rossetti, OGR, Turin, 2018
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Shrine or The Misplacement...(detail), installation view by Studio Hans Wilschut, Museum Bojimans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, 2016
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Shrine or The Misplacement…, installation view by Studio Hans Wilschut, Museum Bojimans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, 2016
Mike Nelson, Gang of Seven, New York, 303 Gallery, 2015
Mike Nelson, Studio apparatus for Kunsthalle Münster, installation view by Toni Hafkenscheid, Kunsthalle, Münster, 2014
Mike Nelson, Studio apparatus for Kunsthalle Münster, installation view by Toni Hafkenscheid, Kunsthalle, Münster, 2014
Mike Nelson, Eighty Circles through Canada, installation view by Keith Hunter, Tramway, Glasgow, 2014
Mike Nelson, Eighty Circles through Canada, installation view by Keith Hunter, Tramway, Glasgow, 2014
Mike Nelson, Eighty Circles through Canada, installation view by Keith Hunter, Tramway, Glasgow, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, The Powerplant, Toronto, 2014
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2013
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2013
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2013
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Hide, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2013
Mike Nelson, More things (To the memory of Honore´de Balzac) (detail), installation view by Peter White, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2013
Mike Nelson, More things (To the memory of Honore´de Balzac), installation view by Peter White, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2013
Mike Nelson, More things (To the memory of Honore´de Balzac) (detail), installation view by Peter White, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2013
Mike Nelson, M6, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, 2013
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, M6, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, 2013
Mike Nelson, M6, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, 2013
Mike Nelson, M6, (detail), Eastside Projects, Birmingham, 2013
Mike Nelson, space that saw (platform for a performance in two parts), neugerriemschnieder, Berlin, 2012
Mike Nelson, space that saw (platform for a performance in two parts), neugerriemschnieder, Berlin, 2012
Mike Nelson, space that saw (platform for a performance in two parts), neugerriemschnieder, Berlin, 2012
Mike Nelson, space that saw (platform for a performance in two parts), neugerriemschnieder, Berlin, 2012
Mike Nelson, 408 tons of imperfect geometry, (detail), installation view by Helene Toresdotter, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, 2012
Mike Nelson, 408 tons of imperfect geometry, installation view by Helene Toresdotter, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, 2012
Mike Nelson, 408 tons of imperfect geometry, installation view by Helene Toresdotter, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, 2012
Mike Nelson, 408 tons of imperfect geometry, installation view by Helene Toresdotter, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, 2012
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, I, IMPOSTOR, British Pavilion 54th Biennale di Venezia, Venice, 2011
Mike Nelson, Quiver of Arrows, 303 Gallery, New York ,2010.
Mike Nelson, Quiver of Arrows, 303 Gallery, New York ,2010.
Mike Nelson, A Psychic Vacuum, Creative Time, New York, 2007
Mike Nelson, A Psychic Vacuum, Creative Time, New York, 2007
Mike Nelson, A Psychic Vacuum, Creative Time, New York, 2007
Mike Nelson, AMNESIAC SHRINE or Double coop displacement, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2006
Mike Nelson, AMNESIAC SHRINE or Double coop displacement, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2006
Mike Nelson, AMNESIAC SHRINE or Double coop displacement, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2006
Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, 2004
Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, 2004
Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford , 2004
Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford , 2004
Mike Nelson, Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted., ICA, London, 2001
Mike Nelson, Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted., ICA, London, 2001
Mike Nelson, Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted., ICA, London, 2001
Mike Nelson, The Deliverance and the Patience, 2001. Originally commissioned by PEER. Photo: John Riddy
Mike Nelson, The Deliverance and the Patience, 2001. Originally commissioned by PEER. Photo: John Riddy
Mike Nelson, The Coral Reef, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2000
Mike Nelson, The Coral Reef, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2000
Mike Nelson, The Coral Reef, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2000
Mike Nelson, The Coral Reef, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2000
Mike Nelson, The Coral Reef, Matt’s Gallery, London, 2000
Mike Nelson, Amnesiac Beach Fire, Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, 2021
Mike Nelson,Vogliamo tutto,OGR,Turin,2021
Mike Nelson, A7 (Route de Soleil), La Vie Moderne, Installation view by Blaise Adilon,13th Biennale de Lyon, Lyon, 2015
Mike Nelson, A7 (Route de Soleil), La Vie Moderne, Installation view by Blaise Adilon,13th Biennale de Lyon, Lyon, 2015
Mike Nelson, Le Cannibale, Singapore Biennale, Singapore, 2011
Mike Nelson, Le Cannibale, Singapore Biennale, Singapore, 2011
Mike Nelson, Altermodern:Tate Triennale,Tate Britain, London, 2009
Mike Nelson, Altermodern:Tate Triennale,Tate Britain, London, 2009
Mike Nelson, Psycho Buildings, Hayward Gallery, London, 2008
Mike Nelson, Psycho Buildings, Hayward Gallery, London, 2008
Mike Nelson, Psycho Buildings, Hayward Gallery, London, 2008
Mike Nelson, AMNESIAC SHRINE or Double coop displacement, Turner Prize, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool, 2007
Mike Nelson, AMNESIAC SHRINE or Double coop displacement, Turner Prize, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool, 2007
Mike Nelson, Mirror Infill, Frieze Projects, Frieze Art Fair, London, 2006
Mike Nelson, Modernismo Negro, XXVI Biennal de Sao Paolo, Sao Paolo, 2004
Mike Nelson, Modernismo Negro, XXVI Biennal de Sao Paolo, Sao Paolo, 2004
Mike Nelson,Uroboros Serpent, Turner Prize, Tate Britain, London, 2001
Mike Nelson, Un Intruso (Uninvited, Into Chaos), Manifesta 15 Barcelona, 2024.
Mike Nelson, Un Intruso (Uninvited, Into Chaos), Manifesta 15 Barcelona, 2024.
Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon (the woodshed) (2004), Various materials, and M25 (2023), Found tyres. Installation view, Hayward Gallery, 2023. Photo Matt Greenwood.

Mike Nelson, Triple Bluff Canyon (the woodshed) (2004), Various materials, and M25 (2023), Found tyres. Installation view, Hayward Gallery, 2023. Photo Matt Greenwood.

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