Jonathan Cummins

Dr. Jonathan Cummins is a Lecturer in Time-based Media at Ulster University's Belfast School of Art, where he also serves as Art and Context Cluster leader with the Research Institute of Art and Design. His academic work spans teaching, research supervision for the Research Graduate School, and curation of significant contemporary art exhibitions.

His educational background includes an MFA in Media Art from UCLA's School of Art and Architecture, screenwriting studies at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and sociology studies at Trinity College Dublin. This diverse academic foundation informs his interdisciplinary approach to art and education.

• MFA in Media Art, UCLA School of Art and Architecture
• Screenwriting, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
• Sociology, Trinity College Dublin

Cummins' research centers on time-based media practice that employs documentary and drama alongside participatory and durational approaches. His work explores themes of ideological belief, ethics and representation, and community engagement. His artistic practice is deeply connected to social justice issues, particularly examining power structures, marginalization, and human rights concerns through visual media.

His publication record from 2001-2020 reveals a strong focus on critical engagement with social issues, particularly prison education, border politics, and participatory democracy. His work often bridges artistic practice with philosophical inquiry, especially around concepts of truth-telling (parrhesia) and power dynamics. Cummins demonstrates consistent engagement with international contexts, particularly Ireland, Mexico, and Europe, examining how local issues connect to global systems of power and representation.

As an active curator, Cummins has organized significant exhibitions featuring prominent artists including Brian Maguire, with whom he collaborated on the 2015 J'ACCUSE exhibition addressing violence in Ciudad Juárez. His curatorial work consistently engages with pressing social and political issues, particularly human rights concerns and social justice.

Cummins regularly contributes to international conferences and academic discourse, with notable participation in events addressing civil unrest, participatory democracy, censorship in the arts, and prison education across multiple countries including Georgia, Poland, Ireland, and the UK. His work demonstrates a sustained commitment to using art as a vehicle for social critique and engagement.