James Gardner

Using archives and image databases, James Gardner’s practice looks to medieval and premodern documents to consider the ways in which images can be linked with cognitive processes. Lately he’s been interested in how monastic cultures or other “Western esoteric traditions” used certain mnemonic images and figures to help along cognitive tasks like oration, liturgical practice, or symbol building. Looking closer, it gets quite strange as these mnemonic systems get tied into subjects like astral magic, hermetic philosophy, and even contemporary neuroscience. Here, the function of image becomes one with agency and bears a heuristic use. In short: images help us build our subjectivities. Gardner paints in order to explore this apparent image-agency while investigating the image’s innate ability to manifest new forms of knowledge and experience. When interpreting and producing images in this way, the task becomes not only understanding what an image represents, but also how it can be used.  

Born in Kitchener Ontario, James Gardner currently lives in Montreal, having just graduated from the MFA program at Concordia University. His recent solo exhibitions include Syzygy at McClure Gallery (Montreal 2018), Vessels and Broods at Concordia’s MFA Gallery (Montreal 2020), and Gardner’s work was also included in the group show Lucky Dip at the La Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce as part of Pictura (Montreal 2020). In the past few years, James Gardner was awarded the TFVA’s Artist Prize, the Tom Hopkins Memorial Graduate Award, the Joseph Armand Bombardier Canadian Master’s Scholarship (SSHRC), and was short listed for the 2020 Bronfman Fellowship, amongst multiple other awards. Furthermore, Gardner is the winner of the 2020 Nancy Petry Award and the William Blair Bruce European Travel Scholarship, which will take him on a research trip to Greece, Italy, and Turkey to continue his research on Western esoteric imagery as it relates to the Art of Memory and Monastic image traditions. Gardner’s work has been supported by multiple grants from the the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grants.

Recent Exhibitions

James Gardner - As Gardens Need Walls
From October 14 to November 13, 2021

James Gardner - To Climb a Tall Pine From March 17 to April 17, 2021

James Gardner - To Climb a Tall Pine
From March 17 to April 17, 2021

 

+ CV

EDUCATION

2009 - MFA, University of Toronto, Toronto (ON)

2005 - BFA, Concordia University, Montreal (QC)

RESIDENCIES

2019

  • Banff Centre, BaiR, Banff (AB)

2018

  • Québec - Ontario Residency, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
  • Snehta international residency program, Athens, Greece

2017

  • Artist in Residence at Despina-Largo das Artes, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
  • Snehta, Athens (Greece)

2016

  • Atlantic Center for the Arts with Josiah McElheny, New Smyrna Beach, FL (USA)
  • Québec Artist In Residence, The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff (BC)

2014

  • Production Residency, Sagamie, Alma (QC)

2013

  • Couvent Des Récollets, Paris, France

2013

  • Dazibao-Prim (with Jon Knowles), PRIM, Montreal (QC)

2013

  • Production Residency, DAIMON, Gatineau (QC)

2012

  • Québec - New York Residency, New York, NY (USA)

COLLECTIONS

Microsoft

Humaniti

Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal

Collection of TD Bank

Collection of the Royal Bank of Canada

Cleveland Clinic

Collection Desjardins

Collection of the National Bank of Canada

Collection Prêt d’œuvres d’art du Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec

Collection Medcan

Collection Majudia

Collection of Loto Québec

Collection Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Collection of the Hudson Bay Company

Time Equities Inc. Art-in-Buildings Collection

GRANTS AND DISTINCTION

2019

  • Travel grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Visual Art
  • Travel grant, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

2018

  • Barbara Spohr Award, co-recipient with Laurie Kang
  • Development Grant, Canada Art Council

2016

  • Research and Creation Grant, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
  • Travel Grant, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

2015

  • Production Grant, Canada Art Council

2015

  • Travel Grant, Canada Art Council

2013

  • Research and Creation grant, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

2012

  • Production Grant, Canada Art Council

2011

  • Research and Creation Grant, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

2010

  • Project Grant, Ontario Arts Council

2009

  • Fellowship, University of Toronto, Toronto (ON)

2008

  • Fellowship, University of Toronto, Toronto (ON)

2008

  • Bernard Herman Scholarship, University of Toronto, Toronto (ON)

+ Solo Exhibitions

2021

  • (Upcoming): Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montréal (QC)

2018

  • Tools for Idlers, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montréal (QC)
  • The Hand of Mee, Franz Kaka gallery, Toronto (ON)

2016

  • A Courtyard (with Edwin Isford), curated by CK2, The Loon, Toronto (ON)
  • Soleil, Fonderie Darling, Montréal (QC)

  • A Courtyard, with Edwin Isford, curated by CK2, The Loon, Toronto (ON)
  • Blue Fountain, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montréal (QC)


2015

  • Rent, with Jon Knowles, Model Projects, Vancouver (BC)

  • Soleil, Modern Fuel, Kingston (ON)


2014

  • The Cinematographer, with Jon Knowles, La Mirage, Montréal (QC)

  • Rotations, with Jon Knowles, Dazibao, Montréal (QC)


2012

  • Grey is a Colour, Grat is a color, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montréal (QC)
  • Dress Un Dress, with Jon Knowles, programed by Flavio Trevisan and Scott Sørli, Convenience Gallery, Toronto (ON)
  • Dress Un Dress, with Jon Knowles, curated by Michel Daignault, La Vitrine, Montréal (QC)

2010

  • What Is Not But Could Be If, What Could Appear In The Morning Mist Sporobole, Sherbrooke (QC)
  • What Is Not But Could Be If, YYZ Artist Outlet, Toronto (ON)


2009

  • Cycle of Return, Galerie Les Territoires, Montréal (QC)
  • Horizon, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Projection Access Space, Mississauga (ON)

+ Selected Group Exhibitions

2021

  • TAKES AND PEELS, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Gallery, Halifax (NS) Curator: Craig Leonard
  • Des horizons d'attente, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, Montréal (QC) curator: Marie-Eve Beaupré

2020

  • Lorna Bauer & Anne Low, Trilobite et le pneu, Montréal (QC)
  • Do You Like Worms, New Casle County, Delaware (USA) Curator: Samuel Boehm

2019

  • May West, Vicki Projects, Newburgh (NY)
  • Somebody, MKG127, Toronto (ON)
  • Group Show at Grand Buffet & Pulvers Glass, Baba Yaga Gallery, Hudson, NY, USA

2018

  • Wild Inside, Clint Roenisch Gallery, curator: Pamela Meredith, Toronto (ON)
  • Quoetus Floreus, Galerie Nicolas Robert
  • Touch me, remind me who I am, Snehta Gallery, Athènes, Grèce

2017

  • The Conditions of Production, Eleftheria Tseliou Gallery, Athens, Greece

2016

  • Past PRESENT Future, Erin Stump Projects, Toronto (ON)
    • It even suggests that one can plan a complex, curator Christophe Barbeau, In This Apartment Gallery, Québec (QC)
  • Bakers Dozen, curated by Jessica Kirsh and Stephani Creaghan, CK2 Gallery, New York, NY (USA)

2015

  • Exposition d’été, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montréal (QC)

2014

  • UPSHOT, Platform Gallery, Winnipeg, (MB)
  • Upshot, Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon (MB)

  • Almost Everything, The Eric Arthur Gallery, Toronto (ON)


2012

  • Mouvement, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Montreal (QC)

  • L'esprit de l'escalier, with Jon Knowles, Vincent Bonin and Yuki Higashino, Art Metropole, Toronto (ON)


2011

  • Le travail qui nous attends, Musée d’art Contemporain de Montréal, Montréal (QC)

  • Decisive moments, Somewhere else, Trinity Square Video, Toronto (ON)

+ Art Fairs

2020

  • Papier 20, Montréal (QC)
  • Art Toronto, Toronto (ON)

2019

  • UNTITLED, art, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • Art Toronto, Toronto (ON)
  • Papier 19, Montréal (QC)

2018

  • Art Toronto, Toronto (ON)
  • Papier 18, Montréal (QC)
  • Art Los Angeles Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA, USA

+ Press and publications

2020

  • Dyment, Dave. "Struts & Faucet Artist Interviews", Lorna Bauer, August 2020
  • Fiset, Daniel. "Lorna Bauer, Portfolio" Les éditions Esse. Issue 99-Plant, Spring 2020

2019

  • Author Unknown, « May West at Vicki », Art Viewer, [En ligne], published on June 5th 2019, https://bit.ly/2SlCMXx
  • RACEVICIUTE, Barbora (2019). « Lorna Bauer: The Hand of Mee », C Magazine, issue 140, Winter 2019.

2018

  • SHARPE, Emma (2018). « Lorna Bauer », Canadian Art, [En ligne], published december 18, https://bit.ly/2DkEGQc
  • EL-SHEIKH, Tammer (2018). « Coetus Floreus at Galerie Nicolas Robert », Akimbo, [En ligne], published august 1st, https://bit.ly/2DkKdWW

2017

  • SA, Alexandre (2017). « The hand of mee and the moonflower », Rio de Janeiro : Despina.

2016

  • CAMPBELL, James D (2016). « Lorna Bauer, Exhibition Review », Magenta Foundation Magazine, [En ligne], spring, https://bit.ly/2DhmfvG
  • CLEMENT, Eric (2016). « Lorna Bauer : le sens du focus », La Presse, [En ligne], published april 9, https://bit.ly/2VRNUKX
  • RODGERS, Kevin (2016). « Le murmure muet », Exhibition Essay, Soleil, [En ligne], https://bit.ly/2VQIBvs

2015

  • HOU, Julian (2015). « Surfing the margins », Bartleby Review, édition 40, published in september
  • Eddy, Michael. “ Senzo Titolo” Exhibition essay, Soleil, Modern Fuel, Kingston, Ontario. Higoshino, Yuki “The Food is Getting Cold” Exhibition essay, Soleil, Modern Fuel, Kingston, Ontario.

2014

  • GUILBERT, Charles (2014). « Des images au néant (et vice versa) », Ciel Variable, [En ligne], fall, https://bit.ly/2KKDtYH
  • CHARRON, Marie-Eve (2014). « Trois expositions qui ont l’objectif à l’œil », Le Devoir,[En ligne], published june 21, https://bit.ly/2KMIb8h

2013

  • HORNE, Stephen (2013). « Grey is a Colour, Gray is a Color », Ciel Variable, [En ligne], spring-summer, https://bit.ly/2IEWuJw
  • BONIN, Vincent (2013). « Perdre de Vue », Exhibition essay, Grey is a colour, Gray is a color, [En ligne], https://bit.ly/2Go6DHJ
  • GOODEN, Sky (2013). « Lorna Bauer Challenges the Limitations of Photography », Blouin Art Info, [En ligne], published March 13, https://bit.ly/2IqtdD6

2012

  • HORNE, Stephen (2012). « The Quebec Triennial 2011 », Border Crossings, [En ligne], published in February
  • STEELE, April (2012). « Decisive Moments, Uncertain Times/Decisive Moments, Somewhere Else », Magenta Foundation Magazine, [En ligne], winter, https://bit.ly/2PfgxPJ
  • BOCK, Anja (2012). « The Quebec Triennial: The Work Ahead of Us, Musée d’art Contemporain », Art Papers, published in January-February, p.44

2011

  • BRISCO, Willie (2011). « Montreal Cerebral Art Scene Gets Its Due at the Quebec Triennial », Art Info, [En ligne], published in November, https://bit.ly/2Gortqb
  • BAIRD, Daniel (2011). « The Quebec Triennial: Eyes Front. », Canadian Art, [En ligne], published in october, https://bit.ly/2Pk3Hju
  • PETIT, Matthieu (2011). « Trompe-l’œil », Voir, [En ligne], published in April, https://bit.ly/2UHeE4B
  • LANCTOT, M, M, FRASER, JOHNSTONE, L, F, LETOURNEUX et SIMARD, L (2011). « This Modernity, La Triennale Québécoise 2011: Le travail qui nous attend », Musée d’Art Contemporain
  • KNOWLES, Jon (2011). « Above, Below, Before, After », Exhibition Essay, What Is Not But Could Be If, What Could Appear In The Morning Mist, [En ligne], https://bit.ly/2GknbjI

2010

  • ADLER, Dan (2010). « Lorna Bauer, YYZ Artist Outlet », Art Forum Review, [En ligne], published in October, https://bit.ly/2IDqZPN
  • (2010). « See it, Bauer, Gorlitz & Olejnik: The Spaces Between », Canadian Art, published in May

2009

  • GAGNON, Jean Philippe (2009). « Cycle du retour, morcellement du réel et lumière par les failles. Portrait d’une œuvre de Lorna Bauer. », Archee Magazine, [En ligne], published in July, https://bit.ly/2Zky8uy
  • (2009), « See it, Cycle of return », Canadian Art, summer
  • CARR-HARRIS, Ian (2009). « Lorna Bauer », Catalogue essay, Master’s of Visual Studies Graduating Exhibition, published in April