WINCHESTER GALLERIES
Robert Youds
I graduated from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, in 1978 with a BFA, and completed my MFA from York University, Toronto, Ontario, in 1982.
I have been working and exhibiting my artwork professionally since the late 1970s. While I initially began my career as a painter, by the early 1980s I became interested in issues of color and space beyond the limitations of the picture plane. This interest led me to examine the conditions of the spectatorial and its relationship to constructed objects and images situated in real space. At that time, perhaps with the exception of a handful of major artists such as Judd, Stella, Palermo, Truitt, Flavin and Richter, there weren’t too many artists significantly contributing towards this new jurisdictional aesthetic in art that exists between the areas of sculpture and painting (I feel it is important to draw a distinction here from the more generalized area of installation practice which also blossomed in the late 1970s.) While I was acutely aware of the contributions by these artists and their works, I had a growing interest in architecture and design as holding possibilities for larger social and interactive implications for art - to infuse significant new fuel into my perceptual and aesthetic query. I felt the aforementioned Minimalists’ work had really only opened the door of possibilities, there was, and has been, so much more to do. Today my combined interests in the areas of architecture, design, painting and sculpture, remain at the foundational core of my artistic work. Within the disciplinary specifics, and their limitations, I feel color and space hold greater communicative roles to play. In this manner, I prefer to say my work has followed a path of exploration involving the combination of pictures, objects and things, and their cultural relationship to issues of color and light in space. This claim places my career more accurately within the realm and specificity of object-hood including its intersection and its absorption into the changing roles for art within a broader cultural, phenomenological and everyday, viewer experience of the world.
In 2015 I was commissioned by the Vancouver Art Gallery to produce a major outdoor project as part of their ongoing Offsite series. The work was entitled, For Everyone a Sunset. It involved the use of materials such as 20 tons of salvaged glass, aluminum and neon. It was designed to capture/mirror the city’s own evolving image including buildings being built and coming down around the site. This past year I was commissioned by the Canada Council for the Arts in conjunction with Open Space Gallery to produce a similar sized architecture-like piece entitled For Everyone a Fountain. It will also engage the spectator in a dynamic tension of seeing and experiencing – where the physical object intersects with the illusory realm. The work features a computer activated lighting program that translates a set of photographic landscape images into changing light and color. There is also a sound component to the work which unravels against the simultaneous light display occurring in real time. In these mutual works my aim is to create a situation where an incomplete partition of the everyday happens between the viewing experience of the built structure and the works’ own reciprocity of human presence and poetic communication.
I have been a guest lecturer at forty six separate university and college programs throughout Canada and the USA, notably including Rhode Island School of Art and Design, University of Toronto, Ontario College of Art and Design, USSD CA, and Simon Fraser University. I have also given special public lectures on my work at many institutions such as the Vancouver Art Gallery, Power Plant, Toronto, the Mendel Museum, Sask, etc. I am currently a full professor at the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC.
I was a board member of the Mercer Union Gallery (1982-85), Toronto, Ontario, a board member of the Art Gallery of the Greater Victoria (2010-2011), and a board member of the Legacy Gallery (2012 – 2016), Victoria, BC.
My work has been shown in many prestigious galleries and museums such as: Power Plant, Toronto, Ontario, (1995), Site Santa Fe, New Mexico (1999), Museum of Mexico City, Mexico City (1999), Oliver Art Center, CCAC, Oakland (1999), Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario (2003), Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, (2006), National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, (2010), Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (2013), Xi’an Art Museum, Xi’an, China (2014), Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC (2015), Today Museum, Beijing, China (2015), among many others.
My artworks have been represented by Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, Post Wilshire, Los Angeles, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, William Turner, Los Angeles and most recently by Barbara Edwards Gallery, Toronto.
I have had my work included in art fairs such as the Chicago Art Fair, Los Angeles Art Fair, Toronto Art Fair.
My work has been the subject of a major survey exhibition, beautifulbeautiful artificial field, 2007, at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, The catalog included essays by writers Saul Ostrow, Barry Schwabsky, artist Karin Davie and curator Lisa Baldissera.
Grants and awards in the last five years: Canada Council of the Arts, (Long Term Grant) 2016, Canada Council of the Arts Grant, 2014, BC Art Council Grant, 2016, BC Arts Council grant, 2013, Lansdowne Chair, University of Victoria (Honorary, 2011-13).
Commissions: RBC Building, Toronto (2010), TD Building (Mies Van der Rohe building) 2014, Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite (2014-15), Open Space Gallery Project (2016-2017).
My work is held in 22 public collections and has been published in 27 exhibition catalogues to date.
Curriculum vitae
Public Commissions
2014-2015 For Everyone a Sunset, Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite, Vancouver, BC
2013 TD Centre, Toronto, ON
2011 Seeing You Seeing: Colour Wheel, Cadillac Fairview, for RBC Centre, Toronto, ON
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 For Everyone a Fountain, Open Space, Victoria, BC
2015 say nothing ,twice, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2014-2015 For Everyone a Sunset, Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite, Vancouver, BC
2013 late-day light, 330g Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2013 handmade ultramarine mantra, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2012 Room Upgrade for Pacific Northwest Afternoon, Deluge Contemporary, Victoria, BC
2011 foldouts, Winchester Gallery, Victoria, BC
2011 turn on your electric, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2009 Another Appearance Made Visible, LOLA, London, ON
2009 Jesus Green Tofino Sunset, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2009 Jesus Green Tofino Sunset, University of Western Ontario Artlab, London, ON
2009 Time Must Have a Stop or look out your window, Ministry of Casual Living, Victoria, BC
2007 beautifulbeautiful artificial field, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, BC
2007 small artificial fields, Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, ON
2006 Our Raum Licht, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON
2003 LocalLocal, Confederation Center Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI
2003 chronochromie, Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
2002 livingroombedroomofficeden, Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
2002 Chicago International Art Fair, Feature exhibit, Post Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1999 walls,floor,window,ceiling, Post Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998 Blink, Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1997 Post Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1997 L.A. International, Biennial Art Invitational, William Turner Gallery, CA
1996 William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1995 Power Plant, Toronto, ON
1994 Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB
1994 Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1994 Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1993 Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC
1992 Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1990 Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1989 Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1987 Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1987 Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
1985 Grunwald Gallery, Toronto, ON
1984 Grunwald Gallery, Toronto, ON
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017... Re: collection, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, PE
2016 The Imaginary Machine, The Slide Room Gallery, Victoria, BC
2015 Transformation of Canadian Landscape Art: Inside and Outside of Being, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2014 Transformation of Canadian Landscape Art: Inside and Outside of Being, Xi’an Art Museum, Xi’an, China
2014 Through the Looking Glass, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC
2014 Out of Sight: New Acquisitions, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC
2014 Colour Interaction, Neubacher Shor Contemporary Gallery, Toronto, ON
2013 Paradox, University of Victoria Legacy Art Gallery, Victoria, BC
2013 Rewilding Modernity, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2013 Built From Colour, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, PEI
2013 Now Art Congress 2013, University of Victoria, Visual Arts Department, Victoria, BC
2012 Collector’s Choice, Winchester Modern, Victoria, BC
2010 Art Toronto 2010, Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, ON
2010 It Is What It Is, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
2009 Another Appearance Made Visible, LOLA Festival, London, ON
2008 Abstract Painting in Canada, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS
2008 Through the Looking Glass, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
2008 The Big Gift, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
2006 PAINT: a psychedelic primer, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2006 Toronto International Art Fair, News @ Five Exhibition, Toronto, ON
2006 UnNatural Wonders, Kinemacolor Bldg, Victoria, BC
2006 McIntyre Ranch Project, Illington Kerr Gallery, ACAD, Calgary, AB
2005 Diaz Contemporary Inaugural Exhibition, Toronto, ON
2005 The Shape of Colour: Excursions in Colour Field Art 1950-2005, AGO, Toronto, ON
2005 Shortgrass Plains Project, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB
2005 Curb Appeal, Confederation Center Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI
2004 SITEUnseen, James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2004 Museum of Contemporary Art, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
2003 Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
2003 A Little Bit of Funk, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC
2003 Gyptomania, Simon Fraser University Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2002 ES2002 Tijuana, International Biennial, Tijuana, Mexico
2002 ES2002 Museum of Contemporary. Art, Culiacan, Mexico,
2002 ES2002 Museum of Contemporary, Merida, Mexico
2000 Real Life, Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, Kingston, ON
2000 The fact of the matter is... the essence of substance, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC
2000 spilled edge soft corner, Blackwood Gallery, Erindale College, ON
1999 Five Continents and One City, Museum of Mexico City, Mexico
1999 L.A. International, Biennial Art Invitational, Post Gallery, CA
1999 Les Peintures, Galerie Rene Blouin, Montreal, QC
1999 Postmark: An Abstract Effect, Site Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
1999 twistfoldlayerflake, Oliver Art Center, CCAC Institute, Oakland, CA
1996 Topographies, Aspects of Recent B.C. Art, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1996 Beckett Festival, Visual Arts Gallery, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
1994 New Work: Vikky Alexander, Robert Youds, Project Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1990 Art Bank Exhibition, Toronto, ON
1990 Group Exhibition, Sable-Castelli Gallery, Toronto, ON
1984 E(X) Changes, Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal, QC
1984 Toronto Painting ‘84, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
1984 The Glenbow Museum, Rodman Hall Arts Centre, AB
1984 Art Gallery of Windsor, Edmonton Art Gallery, AB
1984 Art Gallery of Algoma, The Gallery, Stratford, ON
Curatorial
1985 Charles Ray, Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
1984 Four Sculptures: Roland Brener and Bill Woodrow, Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
Public Collections
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Hamilton Art Gallery, Hamilton, ON
BMO Art Collection, Toronto, ON
TD Art Collection, TD Bank Group
Cadillac Fairview, for RBC Centre, Toronto, ON
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, Kingston, ON
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC
Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, ON
Department of External Affairs Canada, Ottawa, ON
Macdonald Steward Art Centre, Guelph, ON
Province of British Columbia Art Collection, Victoria, BC
University of Lethbridge Art Collection, AB
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
Confederation Center Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS
Museum London, London, ON
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
Prudential Insurance Co. of America
Toronto-Dominion Bank Collection
Catalogues and Books
For Everyone a Sunset, Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite, 2015
Paradox, Legacy Art Galleries, University of Victoria, 2013
It Is What It Is, National Gallery of Canada, 2010
Abstract Painting in Canada, Douglas & McIntyre, 2008
Beautifulbeautiful artifical field, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2007
Locallocal, Confederation Center Art Gallery, PEI, 2005
The Shape of Colour, Excursions in Colour Field Art 1950-2005, AGO, 2005
PAINT: A Psychedelic Primer, Vancouver Art Gallery, 2005
ES2002 Tijuana International Biennial of Standards, Tijuana, Mexico, 2002
ART BC, Masterworks from British Columbia, Ian M. Thom, 2000
spilled edge soft corners, Blackwood Gallery, Erindale College, ON, 2000
Five Continents and One City, Mexico City Museum, Mexico, 1999
Postmark: An Abstract Effect, Site Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM, 1999
twistfoldlayerflake, Oliver Art Center, CCAC, Oakland, CA, 1999
Topographies, Aspects of Recent B.C. Art, Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver Art Gallery, 1996
Forse Che Si, Forse Che No, Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver, B.C, 1994
Toronto Painting ’84, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON, 1984
Expron: Recent Works by Seven Artists from Ontario, Toronto/ Montreal, 1984
Locations/National Exhibition, Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto, ON, 1983
Affinities: Ten Painters of the Region, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC, 1979
Vancouver Island Invitational Exhibition, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC, 1978