George Ian McMahon is a sculptor and extended media artist whose practice explores the intersection of material, space, and the temporality of place. He earned his BFA in Ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and his MFA in Sculpture and Extended Media from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Working primarily with plaster alongside other impermanent materials, McMahon examines the tension between solidity and fragility, construction and collapse. His large-scale, site-responsive installations transform both traditional gallery settings and unconventional environments—such as tractor trailers, abandoned warehouses, and transitional architectural spaces—into stages where material gestures crystallize fleeting states of being.
McMahon’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with presentations at Crane Arts (Philadelphia), Pierogi Boiler Room (New York), Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha), Suyama Space (Seattle), and T & H Gallery (Boston), among others.
He is the recipient of multiple honors, including a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship, a NYFA Artist Fellowship, and the Virginia Groot Foundation Fellowship in 2016.
EDUCATION
2010 MFA- Sculpture + Extended Media, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2004 BFA- Ceramics, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
SOLO & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2024 Transitions, Pollyanna, Kingson, NY
2022 Momentary Event [41.55 w 75.004 E], Elijah Wheat Showroom, Newburgh, NY
2020 Aperture, MadArt, Seattle, WA
2019 Coalition, Practice Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Sculpting With Air, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA
2017 Semblance, Dowd Gallery, SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY
2016 Sojourn, T + H Gallery, Boston, MA. Fugitive, Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2014 Cascade, Suyama Space, Seattle, WA. Momentary Repetition, O.P.O, Hornell, NY
2013 A Momentary Event with a Sculpture: Bringing Down the Curtain, Bemis Center for the Arts, Omaha, NE
2012 Double Hull, The Belfry, Hornell, NY
2010 From the Ground Up, Broad St. Gallery, Richmond, VA
2008 DUE, R.S.B., Pittsburgh, PA
2005 The Semi Gallery, Area 405 Gallery, Baltimore, MD
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Open Arms, Pollyanna, Kingston, NY
2024 Visual Arts Exhibition, Kaataban Cultural Park, Tivoli, NY Embracing Nature, Bull Farm, Rock Tavern, NY
2023 Terrain Biennial Newburgh, Newburgh, NY Convergence, Bull Farm, Rock Tavern, NY
2022 Kingston Design Connection, Kingston, NY Objects for Reading, Anne St. Gallery, Newburgh, NY NYFA Hall of Fame, NYFA, Brooklyn, NY
2020 White Rock Summer Invitational II, White Rock Center for Sculptural Arts, Holmes, NY
2017 Everlasting, Tang Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2013 Lossy, Bemis Center for the Arts, Omaha, NE Friends of Friends of Friends, Hornell Arts Center, Hornell, NY Hand Hewn Angles, Cohen Center for the Arts, Alfred, NY
2011 Our Cults Classic, Pierogi Boiler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2009 Good People Bad Behavior, G-Fine Arts Gallery, Washington, DC Viva Comet Unis, Try Me Warehouse, Richmond, VA Victor Charlie Udon, Hull Exhibition Space, Richmond, VA 2008 Fine Art Fine Wine, Shaw Vineyards, Himrod, NY
2007 Volumes, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA To Build A Fire, St. Francis High School, Louisville, KT
2006 Composite, Pacific North West College of Art, Portland, OR
2005 Clay a Compelling Expression, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA 1000 Year Celebration of Porcelain, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China
FELLOWSHIPS/ GRANTS/ RESIDENCES
2023 NYFA/NYSCA Artist Fellow (Crafts/Sculpture), New York Foundation of the Arts, New York, NY
2022 UAP Art Foundry, Visiting artist residency
2018 Peripheral Vision Artist Publication Fellowship
2016 Sculpture Space, Artist in Residence Virginia Groot Foundation Grant, 1 st place
2014 Artist Crossroads
2014 Decentralization Grant, Finger lakes Arts Council, Corning, NY
Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, Quick Arts Grant, Corning, NY
NYFA Artist Fellowship (Crafts/Sculpture), New York Foundation Of the Arts, New York, NY
2013 Bemis Center For Contemporary Arts, Artist in Residence
Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, Quick Arts Grant
2009-2013 Jacob K. Javits Fellowship
2008 Virginia Commonwealth University, Graduate Studies Full Tuition Scholarship
2003 Watershed Center For the Arts, Fellowship from Alfred University Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, Artist in Residence
LECTURES/ PROJECTS/ TEACHING
2020 Aperture performance/ lecture series, MadArt, Seattle, WA
2019 Inflatable workshop/lecture, Easfield College, Mesquite, TX
2018 13-day installation/ performance/gallery talk with Sculpting With Air, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum Sculpting With Air: A public conversation with curator and artists, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Conversation between Artist and Architect: Ian McMahon and Thomas White: Sculpting With Air, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, MA
2017 Semblance, SUNY Cortland, Artist talk Inflatables, SUNY Cortland, Student workshop
2016 Fugitive, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Gallery talk University of Florida, Visiting artist/lecturer U Mass Dartmouth, Artist talk
2015 Teaching summer class, Free Clay, Ox-Bow School of Art
2014 Cascade, Suyama Space, Gallery talk Alfred University, Artist talk
2013 Lossy, Bemis Center for the Arts, Gallery talk Alfred University, Artist talk Houghton College, Artist talk Bemis Center for the Arts, Artist talk
2012 Founded the Belfry, an artist run exhibition venue in a repurposed Methodist church
2010 Virginia Commonwealth University, Artist Talk
2008 Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing, China, Lecture
2007 St. Francis High School, Louisville, KT, Visiting Artist/Lecture, Composite, BFA x4 and A Blue Van, NCECA, Louisville, KT
2006 Pacific North West College of Art, Portland, OR, Visiting Artist/Lecture