Despite the massive amounts of information readily available to us, humans are still surrounded by mystery. Our perception of the world is quite limited as there is much that remains undiscovered. I am drawn to the lure of the unknown, and the quest for more knowledge. I am interested in the processes that happen inside of a living entity that are invisible to the eye yet essential to life. Through my scientific background I have gained a deep appreciation for biological forms, anatomical subjects and bodily functions. I am fascinated by the way that nature evolves and adapts, and the way that humans can manipulate the outcome. I believe in the interconnectedness of all things, and that nothing ever occurs as an isolated event. I am interested in the ability of science to solve problems while ultimately creating new ones, and I think that art is important in this equation because it allows us to reflect on the power of our own knowledge and take a closer look at the implications of how it can alter our society and our environment. Science and art are both tools of exploration, allowing us to gain more insight into ourselves and the world around us. We will never see everything there is to see, but catching tiny glimpses here and there make the quest worthwhile.
“We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance."
- John Archibald Wheeler
Artist Biography
Angela McQuillan is a mixed-media Artist and Curator based in Philadelphia. Angela has ten years of experience working as a scientist in various roles including academic research and pharmaceuticals. She has been exhibiting her artwork and curating exhibitions in Philadelphia and beyond for the past 6 years. Angela is a former member of the Little Berlin artist collective and currently works as the Curator of the Esther Klein Gallery at The Science Center in University City.
Education
2010 Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA BFA, Painting and Drawing
2004 University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX BS, Biology
Awards & Honors
2013 Best of Show, Highwire Gallery Juried Show
2012 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Grant, Little Berlin Fairgrounds Project
Bibliography
2013 Schwartz, Chip, "Little Berlin takes an intrigue into living forms and structures," Knight Arts
Schwartz, Chip, "Esther Klein Gallery's 'Cellular/Molecular' alongside Philadelphia Science Festival," Knight Arts
Rademakers, Brian, "It's (almost) growing season in the Riverwards," Northeast Times Star
2012 Schwartz, Chip, "Little Berlin's suspended member show "Hung", theartblog.com
Schwartz, Chip, "Little Berlin has a lot on their plate (literally)," Knight Arts
Schimineck, Sarah, "Little Berlin's Fairgrounds Project," Frankford Ave Arts Corridor
Meyer, Ben, "The Aesthetics of Data at Little Berlin," theartblog.org
Schwartz, Chip, "Le Meridien Showcases Painting and Video," Knight Arts
Mitman, Hayden, "A Sculpture Garden Grows in Kensington," The Fishtown Star
Segel, Whitney R. and Stephen M. Rose, "Kensington: Little Berlin Provides Art Space," Philadelphia Neighborhoods
2011 Schwartz, Chip, "Emerging Artists at Prelude," Knight Arts
Art for Science's Sake Newsworks/WHYY, by Peter Crimmins and Carolyn Beeler
Press
2016 "The specimens at the Science Center’s latest art exhibit are creepy and beautiful," Technical.ly Philly, by Lian Parsons
"crystallized skulls, crocheted skeletons: art meets zoological specimens at the science center," Flying Kite Media, by Elise Vider
"Local space places Philadelphia artists in the spotlight," Star Newspaper, by Amanda Staller
2015 "Spaces and Places: Esther Klein Gallery," SciArt in America October 2015 issue, by Julia Buntaine
"Paperclips presents Inliquid artist interviews: Angela McQuillan," by Erica Minutella
"The scientific and the transcendental in crystals at Esther Klein Gallery," Knight Arts, by Chip Schwartz
2014 "Cleaning up Fishtown, with Fish," Philadelphia Metro, by Julia West
2013 "Little Berlin takes an intrigue into living forms and structures," Knight Arts, by Chip Schwartz
"Biology Inspired Aesthetics," Philly.com, by Stephanie Yakir
Esther Klein Gallery's "Cellular/Molecular" alongside Philadelphia Science Festival, Knight Arts By Chip Schwartz
"It's (almost) growing season in the Riverwards," Northeast Times Star, by Brian Rademakers
2012 Little Berlin's suspended member show "Hung," theartblog.com, by Chip Schwartz
"Little Berlin has a lot on their plate (literally)," Knight Arts, by Chip Schwartz
"Little Berlin's Fairgrounds Project," Frankford Ave Arts Corridor, by Sarah Schimineck
"The Aesthetics of Data at Little Berlin," theartblog.org, by Ben Meyer
"Le Meridien Showcases Painting and Video," Knight Arts, by Chip Schwartz
"A Sculpture Garden Grows in Kensington," The Fishtown Star, by Hayden Mitman
"Kensington: Little Berlin Provides Art Space," Philadelphia Neighborhoods, by Whitney R. Segel and Stephen M. Rose
2011 "Emerging Artists at Prelude," Knight Arts, by Chip Schwartz
"Art for Science's Sake Newsworks/WHYY," by Peter Crimmins and Carolyn Beeler
Scientific Publications
Zoeller, Jason J.; McQuillan, Angela; Whitelock, John; Ho, Shiu-Ying; and Iozzo, Renato V., "A central function for perlecan in skeletal muscle and cardiovascular development" (2008). J Cell Biol, vol. 181 no. 2 381-394
Bix, G., Iozzo, R. A., Woodall, B., Burrows, M., McQuillan, A., Campbell, S., … Iozzo, R. V. (2007). Endorepellin, the C-terminal angiostatic module of perlecan, enhances collagen-platelet responses via the α2β1-integrin receptor.Blood, 109(9), 3745–3748. http://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2006-08-039925
Affiliation
2012 - 2013 Director, little berlin Fairgrounds
2011 - 2013 Curatorial Member, little berlin collective and undefined exhibition space
2011 Member, Cha-Cha 'Razzi artist collective
2009 - 2011 Member, Philly Comix Jam
Professional Experience
Curator, Esther Klein Gallery (EKG), University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
Artistic Advisor, Penn Network Visualization Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Graphic Designer (Freelance)
Exhibitions
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2013 New Morphologies, Highwire, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Visceral: A BFA Exhibition, Stella Elkins Tyler Gallery, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 The Art of Network Science, Westtown School, Westchester, PA
Art in the Open Exhibition, Schuylkill Environmental Center, Philadelphia, PA
Feminist Fiber Art, Virago Gallery, Seattle, WA
2016 The Art of Network Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Art in the Open, Schuylkill Banks, Philadelphia, PA
Friends and Neighbors Exhibition, 40th Street AIR, Philadelphia, PA
When Looking, Do We See?, Boston Street Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2015 Art Meets Science, MDI Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Victory for Tyler, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2014 The Vital Flux, Gallery 107, North Adams, MA
Woodmere 73rd Annual Juried Exhibition, The Woodmere Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Spring "Eco Arts" Exhibition, JAM Gallery, Malvern, PA
Ty Unnos, New Boon(e), Philadelphia, PA
2013 Arthaus at the Black Box, Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Corpus Illuminata IV, Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI
Marvel: RAW Showcase Event, Philadelphia, PA
Cellular/Molecular, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Small Worlds, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA
2012 Ever Never Night Market, little berlin Fairgrounds, Philadelphia, PA
Hung, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
Angela McQuillan and Masso Rene, Jed Williams Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Art at Le Meridien, Le Meridien, Philadelphia, PA
City Arts Salon at Sharktown, Philadelphia, PA
2011 proCESS, Aktion Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
VASST.info, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA.
Philly Comix Jam Presents: A Fine Art Show, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Little Warsaw, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
Curatorial Projects
2017 Continuum by Rebecca Kamen, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
The Future is Female, co-curated with Ishknits, Westtown School, Westchester, PA
Among the Weeds of the Vacant Lot by Adam Lovitz, Gallery 3711, Philadelphia, PA
Geistdenkenheit by Tyler Kline, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Mutant Nature by Alana Bograd, Gallery 3711, Philadelphia, PA
The America Project by Paul Vanouse, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Surveillance, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Intergalactic Geographic Retrospective, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Astrogenesis by Nikki Romanello, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Methods of Collection, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2015 Scintillare by Marguerita Hagan, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
A Matter of Softness by Juan M. Castro, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Crystal Beings, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014 #MadeAtDMD, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Rate of Occurrence by Create in Situ, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
A Big Stick of Confidence by Clara Ursitti, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Fronting Motion by PolakVanBekkum, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
The Vital Flux, Gallery 107, North Adams, MA
2013 The CITYWIDE Collections Project, Pterodactyl, Philadelphia, PA
Growth and Decay, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
2012 DATABASE, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
FLASHFL00D, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Viking Makers: Where it's at, little berlin, Philadelphia, PA
