Josh Short is an interdisciplinary artist that uses sound, installation, and broadcasting to create immersive experiences that frame contemporary American mythologies and rituals. Machines, pirate radio, and cultural detritus are used to create interactive environments to let the viewer explore their inner desires, breaking the internal dialog we carry with us into everyday life. Notably his recent project, The Speed Trials Arcade, merges remote controlled vehicles, exercise equipment, and radio to create analog driving simulators that explore the uniquely American relationship to automobiles, and the supply chain. Josh is also the founder of the Cardboard Institute of Technology, a collaborative group that creates immersive installations completely out of cardboard. Josh is also the founder of Bomb Shelter Radio, an ongoing Radio project that creates temporary low powered FM radio encounters all over the country. Often these projects take the form of site specific installations that utilize materials gathered from the local environment. In 2019 Josh started www.BombShelterRadio.live a 24 hour online element of his radio practice. He performs weekly live broadcasts.
After graduating with an MFA from UC Davis in 2009 Josh was awarded a Joan Mitchell Foundation grant, and a graduate fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts in 2010. Josh has had several solo exhibits at venues including the Bedford Gallery, Johansson Projects, The San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery and the Exploratorium. Josh has been an resident artist at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Yaddo, Joan Mitchell Center, and Crosstown Arts. He regularly tours the country operating his mobile radio station “the Lucille Valentine” and as of 2024 he is building a new FM radio broadcasting station out of a 1968 Cadillac Coupe Deville named Doris.
NEWS
6/19/2024
Cadillac Coupe Deville update. Got a HEI Distributor installed. I learned how to find the 1st Cylinder, and the proper firing order for the old 472 big block engines, now we have to fine tune the timing.
6/5/2024
Cadillac Coupe Deville update. After several days of wrenching, penetrating oil, and grinding, I was able to remove the exhaust manifold and replace the gasket. We’ll finally get a chance to tune in properly.
5/30/2024
Cadillac Coupe Deville update, new wheels installed. We’re now working on changing a gasket in the passenger side exhaust maniford. Belts have been tightened. Looking forward to two months off to do some more work on the interior and body.
5/21/2024
Did the Season Finale of The TERRORDOME on Bomb Shelter Radio. We’ll be back with a new season sometime in August.
5/6/2024
Did an Artist Talk at Sierra College in Nevada City. I covered some topics including cardboard sculpture, travel, radio, getting art into the world, art as a lifestyle, and adulting.
4/20/2024
Cadillac Coupe DeVille update, Interior is done. New wheels are in the mail. We’ll get those on over the next couple of weeks.
4/6/2024
It’s my one year aniversery at my Job here at CSU Cal Maritime, so far so good, I really dig running a Makerspace, I get to make stuff all day long in the shop and I don’t have to give grades.
7/15/2023
Taveled to Texas to get married to Courtney aka Lady Fingerpop, then traveled to Taos NM to create Taosburg at the Imagine Museum.
5/15/2023
Did a special presentation of the Supply Chain Issues at the Annual Headlands Center for the Arts Art Auction.
EXHIBITIONS
2009 Master of Fine Arts, University of California Davis, CA, Studio Art
2005 Bachelor of Arts, San Francisco State University, CA, Conceptual Information Arts
Solo Exhibitions / Engagements:
2023
TaosBurg | Imagine Museum, Taos NM
Supply Chain Issues | Fort Mason Center, San Francisco CA
The Cardboard City | Bay Area Discovery Museum CA
2022
Outside the Box | Atlassian, San Francisco CA
2019
The Speed Trials Arcade: Jackson Hole | West Weird Gallery, Jackson Hole WY
2018
Bomb Shelter Radio SF | The Growlery, San Francisco CA
BSR Motel tour pt.1 & 2 | Reno NV, Rock Springs WY, Rapid City SD, Estes Park CO, Grand Island CO, Los Vegas NV, Amarillo TX, Colorado Springs CO, St. George UT
The Speed Trials Arcade: Memphis | Crosstown Arts, Memphis TN
2017
Wildcard aka. "The River" | Exploratorium, San Francisco CA
WILD ONE 66 USA | Cork Arts District, Jacksonville FL
2016
"Lucille Valentine Tour" Bomb Shelter Radio | Jackson Hole WY, Memphis TN, Lincoln NE, Omaha NE, New Orleans LA, Jacksonville FL, Los Angeles CA
Bomb Shelter Radio: Omaha | Milkrun, Omaha NE
2015
Bomb Shelter Radio Monster Truck | Pier 70 San Francisco CA
These Are My Friends | SFAQ Project Space, San Francisco CA
Bomb Shelter Radio: Memphis | Amurica, Memphis TN
2014
Going to Church | Smokey Hills River Festival, Salina KS
NorthWesternPacificStandardOilCrisisLLC | Salina Art Center, Salina KS
2013
Aura of a V8 | Evergold Gallery, San Francisco CA
Trudge | San Francisco Art Commission Gallery, San Francisco CA
2012
Cardburg 2012: The Super Track | Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek CA
Bomb Shelter Radio/Tenderloin Self Defense Club | Evergold Gallery, San Francisco CA
2011
Stronghold vr.2 | DiRosa Preserve, Napa CA
Control Room | Johansson Projects, Oakland CA
Sub-terrain | Exploratorium, San Francisco CA
Tailgate Party | Soap Gallery, San Francisco CA
BLACKGOLD | Evergold Gallery, San Francisco CA
2010
Hold’n it Down | Playspace Gallery @ CCA, San Francisco CA
Touch Down Jesus | Evergold, San Francisco CA
Break In Case of Emergency | Recology, San Francisco CA
Hard Economic Times: Solo Show | New House Gallery, Ross CA
2009
“The CardBurg 500” CIT | LOBOT Bottom Gallery, Oakland CA
2008
“Welcome to CardBurg” CIT | Cellspace, SF
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2022
Material Handling | Axis Gallery, Sacramento CA
2019
Holiday Bizaar 2019 | Visions West Contemporary, Denver CO
Under the Stars | Headlands Center for the Arts, Marin CA
2014
First Spring./ Prim(av)eira. | Saguao- Galeria Experimental, Viseu, Portugal
2013
Recology | San Francisco International Airport, CA
2012
Streetopia | Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco CA
Caravaniversary | Headlands Center for the Arts, Marin CA
Invisible Relics | Parkside Gallery, San Francisco CA
2010
Everything Never Goes Away | Lost Coast Cultural Machine, Fort Bragg CA
Mad World: Messages to the Future | Galleria De La Raza, San Francisco CA
Cream: From the Top | Marin MOCA, Marin CA
“All Bottled Up” CIT | Million fishes Gallery, San Francisco CA
MFA Selections | DiRosa Preserve, Nape CA
JMF Graduate Exhibit | CUE Art Foundation NYC
2009
MFA Thesis Exhibition| Nelson Gallery, Davis CA
2008
MFA First Year Show | Pence Gallery, Davis CA
Railway Stories| Log Cabin Gallery, Davis CA
Artist Residencies:
Bay Area Discovery Museum | Resident Artist 2023
Teton Artlab/ West Weird Gallery | Artist in Residence 2019
The Growery | Artist in Residence 2018
Crosstown Arts | Artist in Residence 2018
Yaddo | Artist in Residence 2017
Long Road Projects | Artist in Residence 2016
The Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans | Artist in Residence 2016
Bemis Center for the Arts | Artist in Residence 2016
Tetons Artlab | Artist in Residence 2015
Art Farm | Artist in Residence 2014
Monhois Do Dao | Artist in Residence Portugal 2014
Salina Art Center Kansas | Artist in Residence 2014
Virginia Center for Creative Arts | Artist in Residence 2014
Camp CARPA | Artist in Residence 2013
33 Officina | Artist in Residence Toffia, Italy 2013
Vermont Studio Center | Artist in Residence Fellowship Award 2013
Evergold Gallery Bi-Yearly Artist in Residence 2012
DiRosa Preserve Artist in Residence 2011
Exploratorium Artist in Residence 2011
Graduate Fellowship Award Headlands Center for the Arts 2009
Recology | SF Waste Management Artist in Residence 2010
Guest Speaker, Panel and Visiting Artist:
Sierra College 2024
Crosstown Arts 2018
University of New Orleans 2016
University of Memphis 2015
Tetons Art Lab 2015
Salina Art Center 2014
San Jose Discovery Museum Presenter 2013
Exploratorium/MAKE Magazine Presenter 2011
“Cream: From the Top ” Panel 2010
Oxbow School/ Intervention and Cardboard Workshop 2009
De Young Museum / Mapping the City Symposium: Panel: “Urban Tactics: Artists Interventions in Public Space” 2007
UC Davis / Art and Techno-culture Department, Visiting Artist 2006
San Francisco Art Institute / Issues Around Public Art Production, Visiting Artist 2006
Awards and Honors:
Artist in Residence Full Fellowship Award / Vermont Studio Center 2013
SECA Award Nomination 2010, 2012, 2014
ProArts 4×4 Award Nomination 2010
Joan Mitchell Foundation Award 2009
Faye Nelson Award 2009
Freemond Gadberry Student Award 2009
Dedalus Foundation Nomination 2008
Marylou Osborn Award 2008
Illick Award | Best In Show Stillwell Gallery Annual Student Exhibition 2003
ADPSR (Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility) Postcard Competition winner
Teaching Residencies / Arts Education:
CAL Maritime Academy / Maker Space Director 2023-current
Oxbow School / Head Faculty 2016-2017
Oxbow School / Sculpture Faculty Summer 2011-2017
Out of Site Art Center / Visiting Artist 2010
Branson School of the Arts / Visiting Artist 2010
University of California Davis / Associate Instructor Sculpture Winter 2009
University of California Davis / Associate Instructor Drawing Fall 2008
Montalvo Art Center | Headrush Collective / Lead Artist 2008
Oxbow School / Painting Faculty Summer 2007, 2008
Columbia Park Boys and Girls Club / SOEX, Carnaval / Location Project: Lead Artist 2007
Cell Space Art Center | Resident Artist Spring 2007, Fall 2006
World Savvy | Artist-Mentor Fall 2006