Born in Manila, Philippines
1976-1986

Education
1976-78
Fine Arts, University of Santo Tomas, Manila , Philippines
1981-83
Bachelor of Arts,Visual Arts, Sydney College of Arts
1984-85
Post Graduate Studies Visual Arts, Sydney College of Arts
1985-86
Post Graduate Studies Art Academy Duesseldorf, Germany with Prof. Klaus Rinke
1998
Master of Visual Arts, Sydney College of the Arts,  The University of Sydney
1990-2008
Employment
1990-1999
Lecturing positions at  Canberra Institute Arts, Australian National University; Sydney College of Arts, The University of Sydney.
2000-2008 Senior Lecturer, School of Contemporary Arts, University of Western Sydney.
 
Solo Exhibitions (selected)
2009
Your Daydreams Reveal Something About Your Ethnic Background, PABLO Fort Metro Manila, Philippine
2008
Oo Selected paintings and projects 1996 - 2008 Survey Exhibition Ateneo Art Gallery, Philippines
Kaliman Gallery, Sydney
2006
Paintings, Galeria Duemila Manila, Philippines
one million dollars, Artspace Sydney
2005
Give me Something, Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces, Melbourne
Coins, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney
2004
Nothing in this World, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney
No, No, No Lewers House, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW Australia 
2002
Homesick,Palettes  Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney
2001
Hard Times Are Over Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney 
2000
Feeling The Space , Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney
1999
That Occult and Metaphysical Quality of Gravity  & Studio Suite, Sarah                  Cottier Gallery
1997
Sarah Cottier Gallery
1995
Mori Gallery
Atlantis, CBD Gallery Sydney 
1994
Galerie Droescher-Meyer, Duesseldorf Germany
1993
Australia Centre, Manila Philippines
1992
Standards of Good and Bad, Mori Gallery, Sydney
1991
When I Liked Romantic Paintings, Mori Gallery
1990
Mori Gallery  First Draft (West) Sydney
First Draft (West) Sydney
1989
Photospace, Canberra Institute of the Arts
1987
Artspace, Sydney
The Globe, Darlinghurst Sydney 

Selected Group Exhibitions
2009
Silberkuppe Kreuzberg Skalitzer Strasse 68
Dank An Galerie Isabella Czarnowska Berlin, Germany
What makes this poem beautiful? VCA Gallery, University of Melbourne, Australia
MO Space Manila, Philippines
2008
An Ever Expanding Universe Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Perth, West Australia
2007
Our Lucky Country (2) Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney
2006
Our Lucky Country (1) Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2005
UnAustralian Anna Bibby Gallery Auckland, New Zealand
2004
Seven Beauties, Tin Sheds Gallery, University of Sydney
2003
Pearl (2 person exhibition) with Stefan Seler, Cross Art Projects, Biennale of Sydney Satellite exhibition
2002
Freespace  Provincaal Centrum voor Beeldende Kunsten Hasselt, Belgium     Painting as Paradox  Artists Space Green Street, New York, USA
2001
Art > Music Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney  art32, Sarah cottier Gallery Basel,Switzerland
Stangers/Etrange, PS1 Clocktower Gallery New York 
2000
Word Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
art31, Sarah Cottier Gallery Basel, Switzerland 
1999
Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney
1998
Opening Exhibition, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney  Verve, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1997
Portia Geach Memorial Art Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Saldo KunstMuseum im Ehrenhof Duesseldorf
Urban Details Circular Quay, The Festival of Sydney 
1996
State of Design Casula Powerhouse, Liverpool, NSW
1994
Localities of Desire Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
She Says, She Says, CBD Gallery Sydney
Already Painting, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney
Five, Yuill/Crowley Gallery, Sydney 
1993
Contemporary Australian Paintings, Allen, Allen & Helmsley Collection,            Victorian Arts Centre Melbourne
Informationsdienst Kunstlerhaus Stuttgart, Zurich, New York
Here Not There Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
1992
Signals, Flag Project Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
On Genre (with E. Newman) Deakin Univ. Geelong, Vic., Artspace, Sydney          Black Gallery, Sydney
Blast Mori Gallery, Sydney
Group Exhibition Artspace, Adelaide festival Centre 
1991
Rules For Drawing Mori Gallery, Sydney
Microcosm Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
Who Sorry Now? Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Umbrella Studios, Townsville
Painting & Perception, Mori Gallery Sydney
Body Without Organ First Draft West Sydney
Believers (with M. Dwyer) First Draft West Sydney
Industry First Draft West Sydney
19990
No Milburn Arte Brisbane Exhibition of Miniatures Mori Gallery Architecture of Light Mori Gallery
Sites Unseen Bitumen River Artspace, Canberra
Mist From the Chest Aglassodwater Gallery, Brisbane 
1989
Red Colour Blind Mori Gallery Sydney
Fresh Art S H Ervin Gallery Sydney
Pure Mori Gallery, Queensland College of the Arts Gallery, Brisbane                    Shapelessness W.I.N.D.O.W. gallery Sydney
Victory Over the Sun First Draft Sydney 
1987
Paintings (with Kathleen Done) 338 Gallery, Sydney
Vertigo Sydney College of the Arts

Video Production
2003
Shangri-la Collective, Artspace Sydney
1995
The European (24 min.) co-editor  with Jan Bruck  funded by AFC, screened at artspace, Oct. 1995

Collaborations/Projects
2006
What form would a life take? with Reuben Keehan, curatorial project for  MOP Projects, Sydney
2002 Shangri-la Collective, Artspace Sydney       
one fine day, Block Gallery, Sydney
Founding Member: Believers with Mikala Dwyer and Anne Ooms 
1999
Brainland, The Believers AGNSW Level 2 Sydney
1997
The Believers Artspace, Auckland New Zealand
The Believers at CBD Sydney

Grants/Residencies/Acknowledgements
2008
Artist in Residence, University of Woolongong, Faculty of Creative Arts
2007
New Work Grant, (established) VACF Arts Council of Australia
2005
Karl Hoffer Gesselschaft, International studio, Berlin
2004
Asialink Grant, Ateneo de Manila, The Philippines , NSW Ministry of Arts
2000-01
PS1 International Studio Program, New York
Artist Development Grant, Australia Arts Council
City of Hobart Contemporary Art Prize
1997
James Kentley Memorial Scholarship, Univ. of  Sydney
 Portia Geach Memorial Prize for Portraiture
1996
Project Grant, Australia Arts Council
 Monash University Contemporary Art Prize (Second Prize)
1989
Artist in Residence, Canberra Institute of the Arts

Publications/Catalogues/Citations
2008
o?Exhibition Catalogue Ateneo Art Gallery Manila, Philippines 2008
Gina Fairley, Review: Maria Cruz at Kaliman Gallery, Asian Art News vol. 18 no.2  March/April 2008
2006
Reuben Keehan,?Working with Tension and Time: Maria Cruz One Million Dollars?Artspace Sydney Publications, 2006
2004
Eve Sullivan Catalogue Essay othing in this World?Kaliman Gallery Publications
Ann Finnegan Shangri-La Collective, Catalogue Essay, Artspace  Publication, Sydney 
2003
Eve Sullivan ays of Saying?essay, Art & Australia vol.41 no.1 Spring
2002
Eve Sullivan Maria Cruz  Songlines? Art Asia Pacific, issue 34
2001
Art > Music, Exhibition Catalogue, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
2000
Feeling the Space exhibition catalogue Sarah Cottier Gallery
1999
Bruce Jmes Just Have A Look Sydney Morning Herald 17 July Benjamin Genocchio Penny Drops On Shaper ..... The Australian 16 July Bronwyn Clark-Coolee Holy Hell Brainland Catalogue essay
1997
Bruce James Galleries SMH 5 December
Angela Bennie Painting with Words Spells ..... SMH 10 Oct. 
1995
Jo Holder Cruz Monument #8, Spring
John Nixon (ed) Z International Art artist page no.1 Sydney
J. Riva, G. Lowe (eds) Artfan artist page Summer 1995 Monash  University, Vic Ute Meta-Bauer & T. Geisseler Informationsdienst Oct no 71 winter
1994
Catriona Moore Museum Hygiene Photofile 41, March
1993
Julie Ewington Splash Art (interview) Art and Asia Pacific vol.1 no.1 Natalie King Rituals of Subjective Ordering catalogue, Australia Centre Philippines
Trevor Smith On Genre (review) Artspace Newsletter July 
1992
Ken Bolton Contemplating Women (review) The Advertiser April 29                       John Neylon Cracking the Code (review) Adelaide Review May   Eve Sullivan Maria Cruz: A Personal Epistemology Eyeline issue 20                     Natalie King n Genre? John Welchman, Genre(L) Knowledge, Exhibition Catalogue
Deakin University Gallery, October
Julie Ewington Many Tendrils Exhib. Catalogue, Artspace Adelaide Fest Centre,  April
1991
Rex Butler review Who Sorry Now Agenda No.17
Graham Forsythe review Painting & Perception Agenda 16 
1990
West Magazine (artist page) no.1
Urszula Szulakowska ist from The Chest?review Art and Text 37 p.142 Catherine Lumby (review) Tension Magazine Biennale 1990 issue
1986
John McDonald Strong Return & Solo Stars SMH Dec. 27 Terrence Maloon Arts Review Artspace SMH Oct. 2
Jennifer McCamley Exhibition Catalogue Artspace Oct.22 

Representative galleries:
Sydney: Kaliman gallery, Sydney Australia
Manila: Galleria Duemila, Manila Philippines