| WASPS
ARTISTS STUDIOS, FLAT 2, |
| 85
HANSON STREET, GLASGOW G31 2HF |
| Tel:
(+44) 07791 617 973 |
| e-mail:
diane.torr@googlemail.com |
| BIOGRAPHY: |
| Diane Torr is an artist working in dance, performance, installation, film and video. After graduating from Dartington College of Arts in 1976, where she studied Release Technique with Mary Fulkerson and Contact Improvisation, Diane moved to New York, and over 25 years developed her career as an artist as an integral part of Manhattanís lively downtown art scene. She was involved in the start-up of WOW Cafe in 1982, and pioneered the fusion of feminism and erotic dancing, twenty years prior to the advent of ìnew burlesque.î In 2002, she re-situated her art practice in Glasgow. She is best known for her drag king performances, which include various male characters such as ìHamish McAllisterî, ìJack Spratî, ìMister ëEEíî and ìDanny Kingî etc. Diane pioneered drag king culture in New York with the creation of man for a day workshops in 1989. Since then she has brought these workshops to major cities throughout the US, Europe, Eurasia, and most recently New Delhi, India, where she had a Khoj Art Workshop residency in February-March 2006. In 1995 BBC2 documented her work in its QED series. She is one of the protagonists in Gabriel Baurís feature film Venus Boyz(2002), and her work has been the subject of profiles in publications including GQ, Washington Post, Village Voice, The Boston Globe, The Manchester Guardian, The Independent, German Vogue, der Spiegel, among others. As an educator, she began teaching workshops and seminars as a visiting artist at New York University, and was an adjunct professor at CUNY 2000-02. She has held residencies at the European Dance Development Centre in Arnhem, at the School for New Dance in Amsterdam, and at Helsinki Theatre Academy. Recent engagements in the UK include lectures and workshops on subjects such as gender performance, the history of performance art, and so on at institutions such as Glasgow School of Art, University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, University of York, University of Aberystwyth, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, Birkbeck College, London, and Plymouth University. Diane received her MFA from Bard College, New York. She is a Fellow of the Whitney Museum Independent Studies Program and of the Macdowell Art Colony. She has a training in the Japanese martial art of aikido and holds the rank of San Dan (3rd degree black belt). Personal grants and awards include Scottish Arts Council, New York State Council on the Arts, Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance, Jerome Foundation, Lila Wallace Readers Digest Fund, and Art Matters. |
| ASSOCIATED
STUDIES (classes, workshops): |
| With: Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Benjamin Buchloch, Peter Feldman, Peter Hutton, Mary Kelly, Mary Fulkerson, Andre Bernard, Alice Notley, Barbara Kruger, Cunningham Studios, Laban Institute, Carolee Schneeman, Ann Bogart, Valda Zetterfield, Nancy Topf, Kristen Linklater, Simone Forti, Robert Dunn, Sara Pearson, Paul Langland, Annie Sprinkle. |
| ORGANIZATION
MEMBERSHIP: |
|
| 2006 | Scottish Aikido Federation |
| 2003 | Glasgow Women’s Library; LGBT Centre, Glasgow |
| 1993-present | American Federation of TV and Radio Artists |
| 1977-present | New York Aikikai |
| BROADCAST
EXPERIENCE (Radio and Voice-Over): |
|
| 2000 | "Oman Kush" - documentary video by Caterina Borelli |
| 1989 | "The Dead Man" - film by Ahwesh and Sanborn |
| 1978-80 | WBAI, New York - women's programming |
| INDEPENDENT
FILMS/VIDEOS/INSTALLATIONS: |
|
| 2006 | Mountain Men and British Birds (4.30’) |
| 2005 | Cigarettes, Reading, Masturbation and Boys (6.27’) |
| 1994 | Open for Flavor (7.11') |
| 1976 | The Origins of the Universe (7.5') |
| INDEPENDENT
FILMS SHOWINGS: |
|
| 2009 | Cigarettes, Reading, Masturbation and Boys – Visible Festival, Madrid |
| 2006 | Cigarettes, Reading, Masturbation and Boys – Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival September 7-17 |
| 2006 | Moutain Men and British Birds – Transfabulous Festival, London – June 17 |
| 2006 | Cigarettes, Reading, Masturbation and Boys – 20th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival - March 29-April 12 |
| FILM/VIDEO
APPEARANCES: |
|
| 2003 | “The Undergrad” - film by Michele Mahoney (part of Mr. Braddock) |
| 2002 | "Venus Boyz" - documentary film by Gabriel Baur - a main role 2002 |
| 1991 |
"Sphinxes Without Secrets" (video) by Maria Beatty - featured Performance artist |
| 1991 | "Age 12 Love with a Little L" (film) by Jennifer Montgomery - Role of "mother" |
| 1989 | "The Dead Man" (film) by Ahwesh & Sanborn - role of "Bartender" |
| 1989 | “Bartender” |
| 1988 | "Martina's Playhouse"(film) by Peggy Ahwesh - role of "Mother/playmate" |
| 1987 | "Mayhem"(film) by Abigail Child - main character |
| 1987 | "Perils"(film) by Abigail Child - main character |
| 1987 | "Big Blue"(film) by Andrew Horn - bystander |
| 1986 | "Framed"(video) by Mary McFeran - Mata Hari |
| Mischief La-Bas, Glasgow: |
|
| 2004 | St. Sebastian in “Painful Creatures” at BIG in Falkirk Festival; Bradford Festival; Brighton Festival; SPOTLIGHT on Camden Festival; Vive La Cite Festival, Sotteville-par-Rouen; La Strada Festival, Graz |
| 2003 | St. Sebastian in "Painful Creatures" at BIG in Falkirk Festival |
| 1998 | "Mister EE" in BULL! - Tramway, Glasgow |
| 1997 | "Mister EE" in BULL! - Albany Theatre, Deptford, London |
| Cabin Exchange, Glasgow: |
|
| 2003 | A Sorted Chox in a Box (with Travis Reeves) |
| MEMBERSHIP |
|
| 1993-present | AFTRA (American Federation of TV And Radio Artists) |
| 1977-present | New York Aikikai |
| 2006/7 | The Merchant Voices Choir, Glasgow |
| 2006/7 | Steering Committee – Dancehouse, Glasgow |
| IDEAL
HOMO Installation (with Jane Czyzselska): |
|
| 2009 | sh(OUT) Exhibition - Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow; Incheon International Women Artists’ Biennale |
| 2002 | go drag! festival Tacheles Gallery, Berlin |
| 2001 | "Beyond the Center", UBS Gallery, Bard College |
| 2000 | Mardi Gras Visual Arts Exhibition - Gallery Westland Place, London |
| 2000 | MANLY Show - Art In General, New York |
| 2000 | HOW TO USE A WOMAN'S BODY - OTA Fine Arts, Tokyo |
| 1999 | “Leeds 13” Degree Show, Leeds University, School of Fine Art |
| The Korea Times – July 31st | 2009 |
| Diva Magazine – August | 2008 |
| TAGEZEITUNG – June | 2008 |
| El Pais – July 9 | 2007 |
| In Madrid – July 7 | 2007 |
| Gente en Madrid – July 6-12 | 2007 |
| El Mundo – July 5 | 2007 |
| Diagonal, Madrid – July 5-18 | 2007 |
| City Limits Magazine, New Delhi | April 15, 2006 |
| Today Newspaper, New Delhi | March 24, 2006 |
| Brooklyn Rail, New York | September, 2004 |
| Hotline – Virgin Trains’ Guide | Winter 2003 |
| The List – Glasgow/Edinburgh | October 30, 2003 |
| Metro, Manchester | November 10, 2003 |
| The New York Times | August 22, 2003 |
| SuddeutscheZeitung | June 2, 2003 |
| The Scotsman | April 16, 2003 |
| The Glasgow Herald | April 12, 2003 |
| The Sunday Herald | April 6, 2003 |
| CITY- Rochester, NY | October 16-22, 2002 |
| Freitag 38, Berlin | September 13, 2002 |
| Chicago Tribune | August 7, 2002 |
| Queer, Berlin | August 2002 |
| die tageszeitung, Berlin | July 25, 2002 |
| Siegessaulle. Berlin | July 2002 |
| ballettanz, Berlin | July 2002 |
| The Scotsman Magazine | April 6, 2002 |
| G.Q. Magazine | August 2001 |
| Time Out NYC | July 5-12, 2001 |
| Ylioppilasleht, Helsinki | Feb 16, 2001 |
| VihreaLanka, Helsinki | Feb 2, 2001 |
| Helsingin Sanomat | Jan 26, 2001 |
| Hufvudstadsbladet, Helsinki | Jan 24, 2001 |
| METRO, London | June 27, 2000 |
| The Japan Times, Tokyo | Mar 25, 2000 |
| Culture Shock, NY | Feb 25-27, 2000 |
| Time Out, New York | Feb 17-24, 2000 |
| New York Magazine | Sep 6, 1999 |
| Business Woman | Apr, 1999 |
| Turkish Daily News, Arts Culture | Jan 31, 1999 |
| Bizarre Magazine | May, 1999 |
| Time Out New York | Aug 13-20, 1998 |
| San Diego Union Tribune | Mar 21, 1998 |
| Daily Record, Morris County, N.J. | Feb 9, 1997 |
| The Big Issue, Scotland | July 10-16, 1997 |
| Health Magazine | Jan/Feb, 1997 |
| BILD | Aug 7, 1997 |
| B.Z. Berlin | Aug 7, 1997 |
| Helsinki Sanomat | May 8, 1997 |
| Cosmopolitan, Paris | Dec, 1997 |
| German Vogue | Feb, 1996 |
| Spiegel Magazine | (#52) 1996 |
| The London Independent | May 8, 1996 |
| Time Out London | May 14-21, 1996 |
| Contact Quarterly | Summer/Fall, 1996 |
| Die Wochenzeitung | Nov 15, 1996 |
| Glamour Magazine | May, 1996 |
| The Pink Paper | Feb 9, 1996 |
| What's On (review)* | Feb 21, 1996 |
| The London Independent | May 5, 1995 |
| Scotland on Sunday | May 14, 1995 |
| Brigitte | (#22) 1995 |
| Gottinger Tageblatt | May 12, 1995 |
| Time Out Amsterdam | Oct, 1995 |
| Time Out London | May 17-24, 1995 |
| ELLE Magazine | May, 1995 |
| New Woman Magazine | May, 1995 |
| Village Voice | Feb 28, 1995 |
| Greenwich Village Press | Sept, 1995 |
| Greenwich Village Press | Feb, 1995 |
| Annabelle Swiss Magazine | (#18) 1995 |
| Time Out Amsterdam | May, 1994 |
| de Volkskrant | May 20, 1994 |
| The Guardian - Women | May 4, 1994 |
| de Volkskrant, Amsterdam | Nov 7, 1994 |
| Opzij Magazine | Oct, 1994 |
| Village Voice | Aug 17, 1993 |
| The Boston Phoenix | Apr 30, 1993 |
| CAB Magazine | Mar, 1992 |
| PAPER Magazine | Mar, 1992 |
| NYQ | Mar 29, 1992 |
| Reading Eagle (2 articles)* | Oct 2/Oct 5, 1992 |
| City Pages, Minneapolis | June 7, 1988 |
| The Daily Californian | June 8, 1988 |
| Village Voice | June 21, 1983 |
| East Village Eye | July, 1983 |
| Dance Magazine | June, 1982 |
| Village Voice | Mar 18-24, 1981 |
| Villager New York | Oct 8, 1981 |
| Soho Weekly News | July 12, 1979 |
| JOURNALISTIC/EDITORIAL
EXPERIENCE: |
|
| 2000-2 | New York correspondent - www.queercompany.com |
| 2001 | AROUSED - contributed to anthology of erotic writings edited by Karen Finley. Avalon Press |
| 1985-98 | Movement Research Journal - Contributor |