Brendan Fernandes

Contact Bio Artist Statement CV News

Curriculum Vitae: Brendan Fernandes

education
2006 - 2007 Whitney Museum of American Art, Independent Study Program, New York, NY
Focused study in critical theory and art production

2003 - 2005: The University of Western Ontario, Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Arts,
London, ON
Thesis title: “The Kenyan Safari Lodge: Fantasizing about an Authentic Vacation Culture”
Intensive studies in studio practices, contemporary art history, theory, criticism, and pedagogy
Specializing in painting, drawing, and installation practices
Successfully completed a final thesis exhibition and thesis paper

1998 - 2002: York University, Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts,
Toronto, ON
Graduated with distinction Cum Laude and Member of the Dean’s Honour Roll
Specializing in painting, drawing, sculpture and installation practices
Focus on contemporary and Canadian historical studies with attention to criticism

solo exhibitions
2011 TBA, Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, MB
2011 TBA, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON
2011 TBA, Neutral Ground, Regina SK
2011 TBA , The Print Studio, Hamilton, ON
2010 Africa Shop, Art in General, NY, NY
2010 until we fearless, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
2010 Haraka Haraka, MAI (Montreal Arts Interculturels), QC
2009 Relay League, Art Gallery of York University, Toronto, ON
2009 Pray For Us, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2009 Mutual Surrender, Truck Gallery, Calgary, AB
2008 New Work, Momenta Arts, Brooklyn, NY
2008 For My Culture, Alternator Gallery for Contemporary Art, Kelowna, BC
2007 Matter of Fact, Robert Langen Art Gallery, Waterloo ON
2007 Project Row House, Houston TX
2007 Decoy, Artspace, Peterborough ON
2007 Wish You Were Here, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax NS
2006 Handle With Care, Centre Des Arts Actuels Skol, Montreal QC
2005 Poser, Forest City Gallery - Window Space, London ON
2005 Unsettle, Eldon House, Museum London, London ON
2005 On Safari, McIntosh Gallery, London ON
2003 Darning, Zsa Zsa Gallery, Toronto ON
2001 Seams, The Gallery, Toronto ON
2000 Relations, The Gallery, Toronto ON

group exhibitions
2011 To Speak and Speak, Karen Blixen Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark (with Nanna Debois Buhl)
2011 Barroco Nova, Museum London, London, ON (curated by Patrick Mahon / Susan Edelstein)
2011 Every Line / Every Other Line, Platform: Centre for Photographic and Digital Arts, Winnipeg, MB
(curated by J.J. Kegan McFadden)
2011 Stories About Animals, Hamilton Artists Inc., Hamilton, ON (curated by Brad Isaacs)
2010 Site (commission), Gyeonggi Creation Center - Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Korea
2010 Wordless, Elizabeth Foundation, NY, NY (curated by Felicity Hogan)
2010 Field Work, Access Gallery, Vancouver, BC (curated by Shaun Dacey)
2010 Manif D’Art, The Quebec City Biennial, Quebec City, QC (curated by Sylvie Fortin)
2010 Harlem Postcards, The Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, NY
2010 The Arbitrariness of Signs, Momenta Arts, Brooklyn, NY (curated by Sara Reisman)
2010 Bunny Redux: Contemporary Artists Rethink the Iconic Playboy Bunny, The Andy Warhol Museum (curated by Eric Shiner)
2010 Aljira Shop, Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Newark, NJ
2010 Alternorthern, The Lab, San Francisco, CA (curated by Kevin Bertram and Jason Gowans)
2010 Accented, BRIC Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (curated by Murtaza Vali)
2009 Invisible Homes, SOMArts Center, San Francisco, CA (curated by Justin Hoover)
2009 Mobile Archive, Art in General, NY, NY
2009 DIASPORArt, Ambassadors Room, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON
2009 Air Conditioned Jungle, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON (curated by Gregory Elgstrand)
2009 Everywhere, Nowhere, Somewhere, Power House, Memphis, TN
2009 One Size Fits All, On Stellar Rays, New York, NY
2009 Fallow, Flux Factory - Anonymous Gallery, NY, NY (curated by Bridget Stixrood)
2009 Emerge 10, Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Newark, NJ (curated by Sara Reisman)
2009 Living and Dreaming, AIM Program, Bronx Museum, Bronx, NY (curated by Micaela Giovannotti)
2009 South-South: Interruptions and Encounters, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Toronto, ON
(curated by Tejpal S. Ajji and Jon Soske)
2009 Shifting Shapes—Unstable Signs, Yale Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
(curated by Jaret Vadera and Robert Storr)
2009 Longitude/Latitude, Rush Arts Gallery & Resource Center, New York, NY (curated by Nico Wheadon)
2008 Freeze Frame, Miami Art Week, Miami FL / Michael Stevenson Gallery, Cape Town, ZA
(curated by Nico Wheadon)
2008 The Third Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
2008 The Gatekeeper, Horland Art Centre, Bergen, Norway / Momenta Arts, Brooklyn, NY
(curated by Eric Hiest )
2008 Red Badge of Courage Revisited, Newark Art Council, Newark, NJ (curated by Omar Lopez-Chahoud)
2008 Near Sighted, Far Out, Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center, New York, NY
(curated by Nicole Caruth)
2008 Toronto International Art Fair, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, ON
(curated by Camilla Singh)
2008 Dyed roots: the new emergence of culture, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, ON (curated by Camilla Singh)
2008 Nuit Blanche, Toronto, ON (curated by Haema Sivanesan)
2008 LOLA Festival, London, ON (curated by Paul Wald)
2008 Intransit, Moti Hasson Gallery, New York, NY (curated by Omar Lopez-Chahoud)
2008 Eyelevel Re-Shelving Initiative: 03, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
2007 Deer Art: Animal Imagery in Contemporary Art, Like the Spice Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2007 Big Stories, Little India, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON
2007 Arthaus, White Box Gallery and Ethan Cohen Fine Arts, Miami, FL
2007 On Migration, ASpace Gallery, Toronto, ON (two person show with Mona Kamal)
2007 Simulasian (Asian Contemporary Art Fair), New York, NY (curated by Eric Shiner)
2007 Beyond/In Western NY Biennial, Albright Knox and the U of B Anderson Art Galleries, Buffalo, NY
2007 Big Stories, Little India (Gerrard Street East project) , SAVAC and [murmur], Toronto ON
2007 Whitney I.S.P. Group Show, Artists Space, NY
2007 Foire comme si tout allait bien!, Centre Des Arts Actuels Skol, Montreal QC
2007 Unpaked and Reheated, Artspace, Victoria, BC (two person show with Steve Rayner)
2006 The Life and Death of I.D, McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton ON (curated by Sally Frater)
2006 Big, Durham Art Gallery, Durham, ON (curated by Patrick Mahon)
2005 The Joke, UWO Faculty Exhibition, Art Lab, London ON
2005 Toronto Alternative Art Fair International, Toronto ON
2005 AAF Contemporary Art Fair, New York, NY
2005 The Knot Show, Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto ON
2005 Artwallah, Barnsdall Art Gallery, Los Angeles CA
2005 The Assosiation, Art Lab, London ON
2004 included in the present classification, Art Lab, London ON
2004 Exposé 67, Forest City Gallery, London ON
2004 Unusual Suspects, Gallery One, Toronto ON
2003 Multiplicity X 2, Forest City Gallery, London ON
2003 MFA Open House, The University of Western Ontario, London ON
2003 Something About Love II, Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto ON
2003 Mend, The Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto ON
2003 Den, Gallery 61, Toronto ON
2003 Coalesce, Mc Laren Art Centre, Barrie ON
2002 Something About Love I, Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto ON
2002 Foxy Fundraiser, Red Head Gallery, Toronto ON
2002 Jambalaya, Art Starts Art Centre, Toronto ON
2002 Den, The Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto ON
2002 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto ON
2002 Voices, The Gallery, Toronto ON
2002 Blur, The Eleanor Winters Gallery, Toronto ON
2001 Poiesis, The Arthur Haberman Gallery, Toronto ON
2000 Poiesis, The Arthur Haberman Gallery, Toronto ON
1999 Oscillations, The Eleanor Winters Gallery, Toronto ON
1999 The All You Can Eat Buffet, The Eleanor Winters Gallery, Toronto ON

academic experience
2007-2008: Artist In Residence, The School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, MFACA Department
2006: Instructor, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Visual Arts 020; Foundation Studies
2005: Instructor, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Visual Arts 236a; Intro to Print Making
2005: Instructor, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Visual Arts 020; Foundation Studies
2004-2005: Teaching Assistant, The University of Western Ontario, London ON,
Visual Arts 020, Foundation Studies
2004: Instructor, The Learning Disabilities Program York University, Toronto ON,
Project Advance Learning Program
2003-2004: Teaching Assistant, The University of Western Ontario, London ON,
Art Now! (Introduction to Contemporary Art)

professional experience
2005: Board Member, London Canadian Film Festival, London ON
2003-2005: Board Member, Forest City Gallery, London ON

awards & scholarships
2010 New Commissions, Gyeonggi Creation Center - Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Korea
2009 New Commissions, Art in General, NY, NY
2007 Artist of the Year, South Asian Visual Arts Collective, Toronto ON
2004 Canadian Graduate Scholarship-Master’s, SSHRC, Ottawa ON
2004 Faculty of Arts and Humanities Alumni Graduate Award, UWO, London ON
2004 Graduate Student Teaching Award, Nomination, UWO, London ON
2004 Jose Barrio-Garay Award, UWO, London ON
2004 The University of Western Ontario Special University Scholarship, UWO, London ON
2003 The University of Western Ontario Special University Scholarship, UWO, London ON
2002 Ontario Graduate Scholarship, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Thunder Bay ON (Declined)
2002 Dean's Prize for Excellence, York U, Toronto ON
2002 Tim Whiten Award, York U, Toronto ON
2002 Harry Rowe Bursary, York U, Toronto ON
2002 Judith Rosner-Siegel Award, York U, Toronto ON
2002 Ronald Bloore Award, York U, Toronto ON
2002 Fine Arts Bursary, York U, Toronto ON
2001 York University Faculty Association Bursary, York U, Toronto ON
2001 Dean's Honour, York U, Toronto ON
2000 Poiesis Art Show, Arthur Haberman Gallery, first prize Painting, York U, Toronto ON
2000 Poiesis Art Show, Arthur Haberman Gallery, first prize Drawing, York U, Toronto ON
2000 Jack Bush Painter's Scholarship, York U,Toronto ON
1999 Dean's Honour Roll, York U, Toronto ON
1998 York University Entrance Scholarship, York U, Toronto ON
1998 Circle of Scholars Bursary, York U, Toronto ON
1998 Buffet Taylor Bursary, York U, Toronto ON
1998 Tom Thomson Award for Outstanding Artistic Talent & Visual Excellence, Newmarket ON

residencies
2010 Artist Residency Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
2010 DIVA Artist Residency, Copenhagen, Denmark
2009 Gyeonggi Creation Center, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Korea
2009 New Work Residency, Harvestworks, New York, NY
2009 AIM, Bronx Museum, Bronx, NY
2008 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space Residency, New York, NY
2008 Emerge 10, Aljira: A Center for Contemporary Art, Newark, NJ
2007 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Work Space Residency, New York, NY
2006 Caribbean Contemporary Arts, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

grants
2010 Canada Council for the Arts, Assistance to Visual Artists: Project Grants, Ottawa, ON
2009 Ontario Arts Council Visual Artists Emerging Grant, Toronto, ON
2009 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2009 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2008 Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant, Ottawa ON
2008 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2007 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2006 Canada Council for the Arts, Assistance to Visual Artists: Project Grants, Ottawa, ON
2006 Ontario Arts Council Visual Artists Emerging Grant, Toronto, ON
2006 Ontario Arts Council Access Career Development Grant, Toronto, ON
2006 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2006 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2005 Canada Council for the Arts, International Residencies Program in Visual Arts, Ottawa ON
2005 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, Toronto, ON
2005 Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant, Ottawa ON
2005 Artwallah Travel Grant, Los Angeles CA
2002 CASA CBS Grant, York U, Toronto ON

artist talks / lectures
2010 Artist Talk, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
2010 Artist Talk / Studio Visits, Hunter College of The City University of New York, NY, NY
2010 Artist Talk, Concordia University, Department of Visual, Montreal, QC
2009 Artist Talk, University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Toronto, ON
2009 Artist Panel, Emerge 10, Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Newark, NJ
2009 Artist Tak, Harvest Works NY, NY
2009 MFA Studio Visits, Parsons the New School for Design, NY, NY
2009 Yale School of Art, Artist Panel: Shifting Shapes - Unstable Sign, New Haven, CT
2009 South- South Encounters Workshop, The University of Toronto. Toronto, ON
2009 South- South Encounters Artist Lecture, The University of Toronto. Toronto, ON
2009 University of Lethbridge, Visual Arts Department, Lethbridge AB
2008 The University of Western Ontario, Department of Visual Arts, Speaker Series, London, ON
2008 ARCCO National conference - Hot Buttons / Points Chauds, Ottawa, ON
2008 Toronto School of Art, Toronto, ON
2008 Sheridan College, Fine Arts Department, Toronto ON
2008 Colour School, Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design , Vancouver, B.C
2008 Alternator Gallery, Kelowna, B.C.
2007 MFA Graduate Seminar and Studio Visits, York University, Toronto, ON
2007 Wilfrid Laurier University, "Identity Politics and Tourism" Waterloo, ON
2007 A Space Gallery, Toronto, ON
2007 Open Space, Victoria, BC
2006 Skol Gallery, Montréal, QC
2006 McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON (panel discussion)
2006 Caribbean Contemporary Arts 7, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
2005 Fanshawe College, London ON

juries
2009 Canada Council for the Arts: Artists and Community Collaboration Program in the Visual Arts
2009 Ontario Arts Council: Visual and Media Arts > Artist-Run and Organizations Grants
2006 Ontario Arts Council: Emerging Artist Grants

public collections
2010 Art Gallery of York University, Toronto, ON
2009 Mobile Archive, The Israeli Center for Digital Art
2009 Canada Council for the Arts Art Bank, Ottawa, ON
2009 Wedge Curatorial Projects, Toronto, ON
2008 Momenta Art (Video Library), Brooklyn, NY
2008 The University at Buffalo Art Galleries, Buffalo, NY

publications & catalogues
*Forth coming catalogues from Momenta Arts, Art Gallery of Hamilton (solo), and Art in General (solo). Review in FUSE Summer 2010 and a feature in Bad Day 7.

2010 Medley, Mark. “Sobey Art Award announces 2010 longlist” www.nationalpost.com
2010 Alternorthern, The Lab, San Francisco, CA
2010 Conversation Pieces: Speaking in tongues-and-cheek, The Art Gallery of York University
2009 Circle Jerk, Art Metropole / Printed Matters
2009 Reisman. Sara. Emerge 10 Catalouge, Aljira Center for Contemporary Art
2009 Giovannotti, Micaela. AIM 29 Catalogue, Bronx Museum
2009 Johnson, Ken. “Young Artists Arrive, Either Rough or Ready”. New York Times. July 8, 2009
2009 South-South Encounters, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Toronto, ON: 2009.
2009 Murray, Whyte. “Chewing on the Carcass” www.thestar.blogs.com/untitled/
2009 Cotter, Holland. “Why University Museums Matter”. New York Times. February 20th.
2009 Landry, Mike. “Mutual Surrender” www.thingsofdesire.ca
2009 Ryan, Carol-Ann. “Future Forward”. C International Magazine. Issue 101. Pg 26 - 28
2009 Mitra, Srimoyee. “Mutual Surrender”. Truck Gallery. Calgary, AB: 09.
2009 Lax, Thomas J. “Connected by a Distance”. Rush Arts, NY Ny: 09
2009 Dykhuis, Peter. “Art Gallery of York Universiy Studio Blog”. www.yorku.ca/agyu/studioblog/fernandes.html
2008 Gerrity, Jeanne. "Brendan Fernandes, Momenta Art Brooklyn, NY" Art Papers: Nov / Dec 2008, 32-06. Pg 58-59.
2008 “Young Bloods” City: NY. Nov 2008. Pg 66
2008 Priegert, Portia. “For My Culture”. Border Crossings, Summer 2008, Vol. 27 Number 2, Issue 106.
Pg 100 - 102
2008 Turnbull, Glenna. “African Safaris to New York Art Wolrd”. Kelowna Capital New. February 27, 2008. Pg. 26
2008 Priegert, Portia. “Cultural Authenticity”. eVent Magazine. February 22nd 2008. Pg 4.
2008 “Unpacked and Reheated” (Catalogue) Open Space Gallery, Victoria BC.
Essays written by Ted Hibert, Catlin Lewis and Helen Marzolf
2008 Stockton-Moore, Cindy. “For My Culture” Kelowna, B.C: 08
2007 Caruth, Nicole. ”Wine Gums” December 4th 2007, www.sweetcontemporary.blogspot.com
2007 Follwell, Matthew. "Artist Profile" Our Neighbourhood. September 2007. Pg. 34.
2007 Chan, Elaine. “On Migration” A Space Gallery, Toronto, ON: 07
2007 “Artist Project” Fuse Magazine 30th Anniversary Issue, Fall 2006, Vol. 30 number 4. pg. 5
2007 Eller, Erin. “Brendan Fernandes’ Quest for Culture” Locus Suspectus Issue 4: Nature and Technology 2007. Pg 14 -16
2007 Kurd, Nadia. “Big Stories, Little India” South Asian Visual Arts Collective, Toronto, ON: 07
2007 Sayej, Nadja. “Getting the Real Story on Little India” Globe and Mail. August 18th 2007. Pg 43
2007 Yelaja, Prithi. “Little India: Six Blocks, Many Stories” Toronto Star. August 25th 2007. Pg 45
2007 “Artist Project”, Fuse Magazine. Volume 30. Number 4 Pg. 5
2007 Beyond / In Western New York Catalogue
2007 Diack, Heather. “Point and Shoot: Brendan Fernandes' Decoy Takes Aim” June 1st 2007, www.ducts.org
2007 Diack, Heather. “Strike a Pose: The Diaspora of Brendan Fernandes' Decoy” Art Space, Peterborough ON.
2007 Dault, Meredith. “Brendan Fernandes: Wish You Were Here” January 18th 2007, www.infomonkey.net
2006 Westcott, Scott. “Identity Theft.” The Silhouette. October 12th 2006.
2006 Haggo, Regina. “Identity Crisis” Hamilton Spectator. October 31st 2006. Pg 34
2006 “Preview”, Canadian Art Magazine. Fall 2006, Vol. 23 number 3. pg. 58
2006 Frater, Sally. “The Life and Death of I.D.” McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton ON.
2006 “The Art of Authenticity” Sunday Express Mix. July 30th 2006. Pg. 5. Trinidad and Tobago
2006 Mahon, Patrick. “BIG” Durham Art Gallery, Durham ON.
2005 Beaulieu, Derek, Jason Christie, Angela Rawlings. Shift and Switch: New Canadian Poetry. Toronto: Mercury Press.
(cover art)
2005 Temple, Kevin. “Double Your Art Fair” Now Magazine.NOW. November 3 - 9, 2005, VOL. 25 NO. 10.
2005 Toronto Alternative Art fair International Catalogue2005
Windover, Michael. “On Safari” McIntosh Gallery, London: 05
2005 Rae, Staci. “UWO’s McIntosh Gallery Goes On Safari” Scene Magazine. Issue:499. September 1st to 14th. pg. 26
2002 Cameron, Steven. “Brendan Fernandes, Artist of the Month” Mondo Sep. 02: Pg 3-5.
2002 Existere Triannual, The Literary and Arts Quarterly of York University, Vol 22.
2000 Existere Quarterly, The Literary and Arts Quarterly of York University, Vol 21
2005 Artwallah Catalogue, Los Angeles, CA
2004 Pidsadny, Terry. “Unusual Suspects” DHL Graphics and Gallery One.
2003 Hirschmann, Thomas. “Threads that Thrill” NOW Magazine. Vol. 22 No. March 20th to 26th. Pg. 65
2000 Existere Quarterly, The Literary and Arts Quarterly of York University, Vol 21
2005 Artwallah Catalogue, Los Angeles, CA
2004 Pidsadny, Terry. “Unusual Suspects” DHL Graphics and Gallery One.
2003 Hirschmann, Thomas. “Threads that Thrill” NOW Magazine. Vol. 22 No. March 20th to 26th. Pg. 65
2003 Dault, Gary Michael. “Brendan Fernandes’ Art of Comfort” Universe. Feb. 03: Pg. 20
2002 McKnight, Meghan and Geoff Piersol. “Den: A Review” Toronto: 02
2002 Existere Quarterly, The Literary and Arts Quarterly of York University, Vol 24