Web links | Sample work | Artist Statement | Artist Information

 
WEB LINKS:

www.jackniven.com

 
SAMPLE WORK:

Click image for enlarged version and artwork details.

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ARTIST STATEMENT:

For several years now, since moving to New Orleans in 2005, I have been painting pictures that feature animal characters as the principal protagonist, hero and antihero all rolled into one. For many years before that, I made pictures that featured people. Animals are less complicated. Although, in some ways, they are potentially more freighted by projected human attributes and desires. My use of animal depictions of late has more to do with reflecting human dilemmas, frailties and victories; aiming for a reading that is at once universal in the manner of a deft logo, for example, and emotive, after the fashion of a catchy tune or the lingering sense that one gets from a memorable line of prose.

The piece I made for American Beauty, South is called Universal Mule. Admittedly, a broad reading of southern literature and folklore is relatively new and ongoing for me, my previous knowledge of its scope limited to the greats such as William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor or Cormac McCarthy. Within this context, then, one of the things I have noticed is the preponderance of mules in southern landscape, folklore, art and history. This has, for me in this instance, been distilled to a notion of things 'mulish'. In the same way that mules once served as the engine of a rural economy, and still do in a small way, their character as a quotidian symbol is a potent one to invoke on many levels. Hence, the Universal Mule I have called upon here is the everyman among us. I wanted this mule to stand as witness to the highway from a cosmic trajectory.

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ARTIST INFORMATION:

Education

  • 1982-83, Banff Centre School of Fine Arts, Banff, Alberta Canada. Artist in Residence
  • 1980-82, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Honours Diploma Painting
  • 1977-79, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Fine Art & Art History
  • 1975-77, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York. Drawing classes

Solo Exhibitions

  • Nov 2007, Shift, Painting Installation at FutureProof, New Orleans
  • Jun 2005, Recent Works, Blackfriars House, London Ontario.
  • Feb 2004, Breakdown, The Other Gallery, Banff, Alberta
  • Sep 2002, Jack Lake, Loop Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Jul 2001, Recent water colours, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
  • May 2001, MOTEL, Loop Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Oct 2000, Trillium Nodes, Loop Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Oct 1999, Indigo Bunting, Tableau Vivant, Toronto, Ontario
  • Jan 1998, Tarot Jigs, Museum London, London, Ontario
  • Mar 1997, Was Ist Ein Mensch?, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Nov 1996, Window, Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Sep 1995, Birds in My Yard, The Palace at 4 a.m., London, Ontario
  • Nov 1994, Journeyman, The Palace at 4a.m., London, Ontario
  • Mar 1993, Scared Stiff, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Mar 1991, Ripe Timbre, Grand Theatre Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Mar 1990, Lumiere du Jour, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Oct 1988, New Paintings, Aubes 3935 Galerie, Montreal, Quebec
  • Mar 1988, Blue Meridian, YYZ Artists Outlet, Toronto, Ontario
  • Oct 1987, The Fool, Aubes 3935 Galerie, Montreal, Quebec

Group Exhibitions

  • Nov 2008, American Beauty, South, Airline Highway 61, New Orleans
  • May 2004, Inside Out, Eldon House Museum, London, Ontario
  • Apr 2003, Gallery Artists, Prime Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Oct 2001, Toronto Intl. Art Fair, Toronto, Ontario ( w/ Michael Gibson Gallery )
  • Aug 2001, Group Show, Museum London, London, Ontario
  • Aug 2001, Canoe MOTEL, for OPEN AIR Public Art, Covent Garden Market, London, ON
  • Feb 2001, New Acquisitions, Museum London, London, Ontario
  • Jul 2000, Dust on the Road, w/ Hoopoe Curatorial, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario
  • Jul 2000, Picturesque, window case at Habourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario
  • Mar 2000, Member's Only, Loop Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Sep 1997, Pop Eye, From-a-Pit Collective, Toronto, Ontario
  • Jun 1996, Limousine, Free parking Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • Feb 1995, Burning Down the House, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Jan 1994, 20 x 20, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Sep 1993, Cup For a Cup, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario
  • Mar 1991, Southwest Biennial, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario
  • Aug 1988, Walls on Fire, YYZ Artists Outlet, Toronto, Ontario
  • May 1988, Chicago Intl. Art Expo, Chicago, Illinois ( w/ Aubes 3935 Galerie )
  • Nov 1987, ICAF '87, Los Angeles, California ( w/ Aubes 3935 Galerie )
  • Sep 1987, Group Exhibition, Lavalin Art Galerie, Montreal Quebec
  • Oct 1987, International Art Fair, Paris, France ( w/ Aubes 3935 Galerie )
  • Jun 1986, Art 17 '86, Basel Switzerland ( w/ Aubes 3935 Galerie )
  • Jan 1985, Alberta College of Art 1974-84, Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
  • Nov 1984, The Warehouse Show, Vancouver , British Columbia
  • Nov 1984, Juggernaut Tableau, The Phoenix Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Oct 1983, Sexuality & Seeing, Unit Pitt Gallery, Vancouver , British Columbia
  • Nov 1982, Real or Vicarious, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta
  • Oct 1982, The Drawing Show, Off Centre Centre, Calgary, Alberta

Awards & Residencies

  • 2004, New Works Residency, Jan - Feb. The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta
  • 2000, Ontario Arts Council Creations Grant
  • 1992-2004, Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grants
  • 1991, 1992, Canada Council Projects Grant
  • 1986, 1987, Canada Council Arts Grant B
  • 1984, Canada Council Short Term Grant
  • 1981, Honours Award, Alberta College of Art
  • 1982, Louise McKinney Scholarship, Alberta Heritage Trust Fund
  • 1982, Banff Centre School of Fine Arts Scholarship

Boards & Collectives

  • 2000 - 2004, Founding Member Loop Gallery, Toronto, Ontario: an artist run co-operative
  • 1989 - 2000, Board Member, Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario; an artist run public gallery
  • 1986 - 1989, Board Member, YYZ Artists Outlet, Toronto, Ontario; an artist run public gallery

Bibliography

  • 2004
    • The London Free Press, May 14, Inside Out at Eldon House, Sandra Coulson: review
  • 2001
    • Scene Magazine, July 12, Tess Parkins: review
    • The North London Beacon, Oct 26. Cherryhill Library Mural, photo/review
    • The London Free Press, Oct 17, Jennifer O'Brien, review
    • LOLA #9, summer issue. Letters to the Editor
    • London Free Press, May 13, Mural Photo Award
  • 2000
    • London Free Press, August 1, Photo of mural commission
    • London Free Press, May 15, Open Air Sculpture Festival, photo
    • Globe & Mail, March 18, Visual Arts page, Gary Michael-Dolt
    • London Free Press, February 19, Indigo Bunting, photo
    • C Magazine, Issue # 65 February, Debbie O'Rourke, article w/photo
    • The London Free Press, January 8, Special Effects, Sandra Coulson article
  • 1999
    • National Post, October 28, Dan Glover, review/photo
    • Niagara Falls Review, September 28, Mural Commission, Sheryl Loucks
  • 1998
    • Galerie Largeness World of Art, Fall '98. Tarot Project, ed. Louis Jacob
    • City Life Magazine, October issue, Public Art, photo w/review
    • The London Free Press, October 2, Art at Covent Garden Market, photo
    • LOLA #2, summer issue. Birds In My Yard, Jamelie Hassan, review
    • The London Free Press, March 24. Rogers TV Sets, Sandra Coulson
    • Tarot Jigs, catalogue, London Regional Art Gallery, Jan '98. essay by Sara Hartland-Rowe
  • 1997
    • City Life Magazine, Fall '97. Hospital Commission, Mary Hatt
  • 1996
    • The London Free Press, March, Joe Matayas, review
  • 1994
    • Maclean's Magazine, September 12, Kinetic Artist, Justin Smallbridge
  • 1993
    • C Magazine, New Work '93, photo page
  • 1987
    • Parallelogramme, vol.12 no.3, March. Blue Meridian at YYZ, review
  • 1986
    • Le Devoir, August 20. Expositions, Gilles Daignault
  • 1985
    • Last Issue, summer '85. Calgary, Alberta, Cover photo of My Dog is Crying
    • ISSUE, February '85. Vancouver, BC, Keith Wallace, review of Warehouse Show
    • The Art Post, February '85. Vancouver: The Warehouse Show, review
    • The Calgary Herald, January 18. ACA 1974-1984, Nancy Tousley, review
  • 1984
    • Georgia Straight, November 30. Juggernaut Tableau, Joyce Woods, review
    • The Vancouver Sun, November 6. The Warehouse Show, Eve Johnson, review

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American Beauty
oil on panel, 5.5" x 9.5"
2008

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The Volunteer
acrylic & oil on canvas, 67" x 88"
2007

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Mule Study
acrylic & oil on canvas, 45" x 45"
2007

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Tilted Mule
oil on panel, 9.5' x 6"
2008

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Duo
acrylic & oil on canvas, 84" x 43"
2007

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