McBride received a BA in 1982 from Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and an MFA in 1987 from the California Institute of the Arts, Valencia. In 1988, she began exploring architectural and sculptural form in works ranging from small-scale objects to public commissions. Her major public commissions include Mae West, Munich (2011); Bells and Whistles, the New School, New York (2014); and Obelisk of Tutankhamun, Cologne (2017). Major presentations include Arena Momentum, Dia Art Foundation, New York (2023–ongoing); Particulates, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2023–2024); National Chain 2020/Social Practices (in collaboration with Alexandra Waierstall and Fontys Dance Academy), Museum De Pont, Tilburg (2021); Arena, Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany (2019); Rita McBride: Explorer, Wiels, Brussels (2017–18); Particulates, Dia Chelsea, New York (2017–18); Rita McBride: Gesellschaft, Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover, Germany, and Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (2015–16); Rita McBride: Public Tilt, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (2014–15); Rita McBride: Public Works, Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach (2008–09). In 2001, she initiated a series of genre-bending publications that often use anonymous, collective writing structures. Since 2003, Rita McBride has been a Professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (Art Academy in Dusseldorf), where she served as its director from 2013–2017.
This conversation will be moderated by Rosa Sarholz. Sarholz is an artist focused on how language operates in the public sphere. Her works range from large text based installations to lecture programs and publications. Her book “Rain” is forthcoming with kodoji press in 2025. Since 2019 she has been archiving Rita McBride's artwork “Arena” (1997) and is currently contributing to "Arena: Momentum” in developing an online archive for the artworks' new copy left status within the collection of Dia Art Foundation. Rosa was born in Cologne, Germany and lives in Los Angeles. She graduated from Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 2019 and
received her MFA from CalArts in 2023.
