Dennis Ekstedt Biography

Dennis Ekstedt is a painter who lives and works in Montreal, Canada. He received his Diploma in Fine Arts in 1986 from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C and his M.F.A in 1993 from Concordia University in Montreal. He was the Eastern Canada winner of the RBC Canadian Painting Competition in 2002 and his paintings are included in many public, corporate and private collections in Canada and internationally. He has exhibited in Canada, France, United Arab Emirates and the U.S. and has received artist grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec. His work is included in the publications Carte Blanche Vol 2-Painting (2008) and The RBC Painting Competition: 10 years (2008). He has worked with many art consultant firms and is represented by Herringer Kiss Gallery in Calgary, Canada and Mark Moore Fine Art in Los Angeles, U.S.A. 

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In my paintings I try to depict the dramatic and ethereal luminosity of electric light found in illuminated interiors, landscapes and architectures. I do this through layered compositions of lights and luminous forms that are both figurative and abstract.

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In many of my paintings I depict vast sprawls of electric light that represent humanity’s presence on the landscape. To me, the networks of electric light in these landscapes resemble nervous systems. I find it fascinating how these nervous systems of electric light are traces of human presence on landscapes that are literally electrified by human habitation. 

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EDUCATION

1993   M.F.A.. Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
1986   Fine Arts Diploma, Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, B.C, Canada.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

2010   Travel Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2009   Artistic Research and Creation Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2008   Travel Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2008   Travel Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2008   Artistic Research and Creation Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2007   Project Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2007   Travel Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2007   Travel Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2005   Travel Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2004   Travel Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2002   RBC New Canadian Painting Competition, Eastern Canada Winner.
2002   Creation / Production Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2001   Travel Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
2001   Research and Creation Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2001   Travel Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec.
2000   Research and Creation Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec.
2000   Creation/Production Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
1996   Artistic Practice Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec.
1995   Short-Term Grant. The Canada Council for the Arts.
1995   Artistic Practice Grant. Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec.
1993   Artistic Practice Grant. Ministère de la Culture du Québec.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2013   (November) Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2013   "Lit, An Exploration of Light", OK Harris, New York, NY

2011   EVENT HORIZON, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
2010   WHATEVER SHINES SHOULD BE OBSERVED,Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art   
           Projects, Toronto, Ontario.
2008   CLUSTERS, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
2008   DELIRIUM, Galerie Art Mûr, Montreal, Quebec.
2008   SPRAWL, Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto, Ontario.
2007   SCINTILLATIONS. Patrick Mikhaïl Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
2007   DISSOLVE, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
2006   TEMPORARY CONSTELLATIONS, Galerie Art Mur, Montreal, Quebec.
2004   DRIFT, Galerie Art Mur, Montréal, Québec.
2002   LUMINA, Maison de la culture Frontenac, Montréal, Québec.
2001   PHOSPHORESCENCE, Harcourt House Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.
1999   AFTER-IMAGE, McClure Gallery, Montréal, Québec.
1998   INCARNATE, Bishop’s University Artist’s Centre, Lennoxville, Québec.
1997   LE CORPS MATERIEL, Galerie d’Art d’Outremont, Montréal, Québec.
1995   PORTRAITS, Galerie Occurrence, Montréal, Québec.
1993   DETAILS, Bourget Gallery, Montréal, Québec.

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009   THE BEST OF THE SEASON, Patrick Mikhaïl Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
2009   HK AFFORDABLE ART SHOW, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2009   ART FOR FOOD GROUP SHOW, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2008   DECADE, Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto, Ontario
2008   SHOWCASE, Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
2008   ABRACADABRA, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2008   THE LANDSCAPE SHOW, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2007   HK SUMMER GROUP SHOW, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2007   RETROSPECTIVE, Centre d’Exposition de Baie-Saint-Paul, Baie-Saint-Paul,Quebec
2007   THE LIGHTNESS OF SUMMER, Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
2007   SCAPE, Drabinsky Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
2007   GROUP SHOW, Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
2007   THE NEW (PART TWO), Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
2007   THE NEW (PART ONE), Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario.
2006   A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPACE, Drabinsky Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
2006   GROUP SHOW, Cor Braun Fine Art, Westport, Ontario.
2006   PICTORAL NAVIGATIONS, Maison de la culture Marie-Uguay, Montréal, Québec.
2006   OEUVRES CHOISIES, Espace Creation Loto-Quebec, Montreal, Quebec.
2005   THE PEACE SHOW, Onepointsix Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2005   ART VIEW 2005, City Museum, Washington, D.C.
2005   KILLER, Onepointsix Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2005   HI – LIGHT, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
2004   THE DECEMBER SHOW, Drabinsky Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
2003   LA PEINTURE FIGURATIVEMENT CONTEMPORAINE, Galerie Art Mur, Montréal, Qc
2002   RBC CANADIAN PAINTING COMPETITION FINALISTS, Ottawa City Hall Art Gallery.        
2002   ONE SIZE FITS ALL, Harcourt House Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.
2002   INVITATION AU VOYAGE, Maison de la culture Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montréal,Quebec
2002   DU QUEBEC A MARSEILLE, L’Association Artena, Marseille, France.
2002   GEOGRAPHIES,Le Centre d’Exposition de Baie-Saint-Paul, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec.
2001   FILIATION PAR LA PEINTURE, Galerie Madeleine Lacerte, Quebec, Qc .                                             
2000   PAINT OR DIE, 1946 Ste-Catherine W, Montréal, Québec.
2000   PASSART, PASSAGE 1999-2000, Centre d’Exposition de Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec                                                                                                             

1997   MACHINE HUMAINE, Maison de la culture Frontenac, Montréal, Québec.
1995   LUSH, Galerie Articule, Montréal, Québec.
1994   CORPUS, McClure Gallery, Montréal, Québec.

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COLLECTIONS

 - Telus
- The Royal Bank of Canada 
- Centre d'Exposition de Baie-Saint-Paul             
- Gildan Inc.                                               
-  Hydro Québec
- Loto-Quebec                                         
- Europe’s Best Corporate Collection
- Bank of Montreal                                    
- Talisman Energy Inc.
-Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 

RESIDENCIES

2007   Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, California, U.S.A.
2005   Gros Morne Artists in Residence Program, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland.
2004   The Pouch Cove Residencies for Artists Program, Pouch Cove, Newfoundland.
2001   International Symposium of New Painting in Canada, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec.                                                                         
         
SELECTED REVIEWS AND PUBLICATIONS

2008   RBC CANADIAN PAINTING COMPETITION – TEN YEARS
2008   THINGS OF DESIRE, VOLUME 14, November 20, “ Clusters”, by Mike Landry
2008   CARTE BLANCHE, VOLUME TWO – PAINTING, Magenta Publishing for the Arts
2007   GALLERIES WEST, summer edition, “Canada Artists Portraits – Dennis Ekstedt”,               

 2007   WHERE CALGARY, March/April edition, “ Dennis Ekstedt: Urban lightscapes”, by Sally MacKinnon.
2007   THE OTTAWA CITIZEN, January 18, “ Portraits of space inspire reflection”, by Connie Higginson-Murray.
2006   LE DEVOIR, Montreal, March 25, “ Clef de voute”, by Michel Hellman
2006   VOIR, Montreal, March 16, “ Et la lumiere fut”, by Nathalie Guimond
2006   THE MONTREAL GAZETTE, March 4, “ Three painters get right to the point”, by Henry Lehmann
2005   TORONTO STAR, August 19, review of “Hi – Light”, by Peter Godard.
2005   TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL, August 13, « Hi – Light », by Gary Michael Dault
2004   LA PRESSE, Montréal, February 8, “ Peinture et paysage”, by Jérôme Delgado
2002   Catalogue for RBC New Canadian Painting Competition.
2002   COTE ARTS (Fall Issue), Marseille, France, "Galerie Artena, du Québec a Marseille" by Jacques Lucchesi                                              
2002   LE DEVOIR, Montréal, July 20, "Cartes postales d'ici", by Marie-Eve Charron
2002   LA PRESSE, Montréal, July 7, " Voyage organise", by Jérôme Delgado
2002   VOIR, Montréal, July 4,« Panorama de la création actuelle », by Nicolas Mavrikakis
2002   “ La peinture: majesté de Baie-St-Paul”, télévision documentary by TOUT ECRAN
2002   Catalogue for  INVITATION AU VOYAGE
2002   LA PRESSE, Montréal, April 7, “ Deux expositions a la maison de la culture Frontenac,” by Jerome Delgado                    
2002   VOIR, Montréal, March 28, “ Maniérisme”, by Nicolas Mavrikakis.
2001   VUE WEEKLY, Edmonton,Oct. 18, “ Eks and the city “, by Maureen Fenniak.
2001   VIE DES ARTS, Fall edition, « L’etre au monde : subversion, mutation. » by Jules Arbec.
2001   EDMONTON JOURNAL, Oct. 5,“ Phosphorescence illuminates city at night” by Gilbert  Bouchard.
2001   LE SOLEIL, Québec City, Aug. 11, « Les affres de la creation ”, by Regis Tremblay.
2001   LE DEVOIR, Montréal, Aug.18, “ Le bouillonnement créateur », by David Cantin.
2001   VIE DES ARTS, spring edition, catalogue for The International Symposium of New Painting in  
          Canada
2000   MONTREAL MIRROR, Oct. 26, “ Passion Painting”, by Sholem Krishtalka.
2000   Catalogue for PAINT OR DIE, text by Jody Pauline Patterson.
2000   Catalogue for PASSART, PASSAGE 1999-2000.
1999   WESTMOUNT EXAMINER, Dec. 12, “ McClure features two exhibitions”, by Wayne Larson.
1997   Catalogue for MACHINE HUMAINE, text by Serge Roy
1995   LE DEVOIR, Montréal, June 11, “ Un discours un peu théorique”, by Jennifer Couelle.
1995   VOIR, Montréal, June 8, «  Renee Duval et Dennis Ekstedt », by Stephane Aquin.
1995   HOUR, Montréal, June 8, « Lush », by Lucinda Catchlove.
1995   Catalogue for PORTRAITS, “ A Critique of Representation”, text by Anne Benichou