TREVOR KIERNANDER

Trevor Kiernander is a multifaceted artist—a painter, DJ, curator, educator, and community-builder—whose work thrives on connection and refuses isolation. For nearly two decades, his practice has been anchored in abstraction, infused with influences from music, architecture, and a collaborative ethos. Whether on the canvas, at the turntables, or through city-wide events, his work focuses on crafting immersive, rhythmic experiences that unite people.

At the core of his artistry lies painting—an exploration of space, rhythm, and movement. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of music genres, including jazz, cut-up hip-hop, and the expansive sounds of techno, his paintings weave together forms, lines, and textures into dynamic, almost audible compositions. Without a horizon or fixed perspective, his works evoke the feeling of being swept into music, enveloped in sound and colour.

Born: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Resides: Tio’tia:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal, Canada

Education

2009
Goldsmiths University of London, London, UK MFA, Art Practice                  

2006    
Concordia University, Montreal, Canada BFA w/ Distinction, Major Painting & Drawing

2000    
Sheridan College, Oakville, Canada Interpretive Illustration Diploma

Collections

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (CPOA)
Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke
Loto-Québec
Mouvement Desjardins
Toronto Dominion Bank
Concordia University
Université de Sherbrooke
Conseil des arts de Montréal
FIFA (Festival International du Film sur l’Art)
Orford Centre for the Arts
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Collection Luc LaRochelle
Courchesne Larose Ltd
EROS
Parisian Laundry
Stanley Mills Collection
TCGO Inc.
Tilquin Collection

Various private collections in Canada, USA, UK, Russia and Europe

Solo Exhibitions

2025      
"Oceans Were Taller in Other Dimensions IV", Maison de la culture Mercier, Montreal, Canada

2024      
"Oceans Were Taller in Other Dimensions III", Maison de la culture Janine Sutto, Montreal, Canada
"Oceans Were Taller in Other Dimensions II", Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture Verdun, Montreal, Canada

2023      
"Oceans Were Taller in Other Dimensions", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada

2020      
"Let’s Get Lost", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada

2019      
“Are We Here?”, Galerie d'art d'Outremont, Montreal, Canada

2018      
"In Free Fall", Maison de la culture NDG, Montreal, Canada
"Bound and Boundless", Art Mûr, Berlin, Germany

2017      
"Désorientation", Maison des arts de Laval (foyer) Laval, Canada

2016      
"Event Horizon: This Must Be The Place", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada
"Event Horizon: This Must Be The Place", McClure Gallery, Montreal, Canada

2014    
"Uncommon Ground", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada

2013    
“Fallen”, Vitrine, London, UK

2012    
"Here. Not Here.", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada

2010    
"Project:Space", The Woodmill, London, UK
"To Build A Home", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada
"Trade Skins", Bearspace, London, UK

Select
Group Exhibitions

2025
“Abstraction V.1”, Newzones, Calgary, Canada

2023
“Let’s Print Leipzig”, Leipzig Print Museum, Leipzig, Germany
“flat works on the wall, sculptures down the centre part 1”, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

2022
”Rhythmus Zu Haus”, Schkeuditz, Leipzig, Germany
“Autumn Rundgang”, Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany
“Image Fétiche”, Galerie Stephanie Kelly, Dresden, Germany
“Man kann es drehen und wenden wie man will”, Sunnybrook Art Centre, Göhrenz, Germany
“[E]spaces” w/ Lucie Bitunjac, Centre Cultural Georges Vanier, Montreal, Canada

2021   
"Terra Nova", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada

2019     
”Couleurs Manifestes”, Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
”Autumn Rundgang”, Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany
”LIA Open Studios”, Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany
”Mimesis; Narrative; Against hegemony!”, APT Gallery, London, UK

2018
”Kiernander/Taylor-Metzger/Worsnip”, Galerie Michel Guimont, Quebec City, Canada
”Ipswich Biennale”, Atlas House, Ipswich, United Kingdom
"Grâce du dessin", Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada
"Sediments", Spinnerei Werkschau, Leipzig, Germany
”Winter Rundgang”, LIA Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany

2017
”Open Studios”, LIA Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany
”Off-Manif”, Galerie Michel Guimont, Quebec City, Canada

2016     
"Sightings 17: The Time of Work", Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery, Montreal, Canada

2015     
"Open West", The Wilson, Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, Cheltenham, UK

2014
"Teleology", HUSK, London, UK
“BAB//\\DAR”, L’Blassa, in collaboration w/ Marrakech Biennale, Marrakech, Morocco
“Here & Now - Sound Matters”, Le 18, Marrakech, Morocco

2013
"Post Post", St James Hatcham Goldsmiths, London, UK
"Endogenous II", Maria Stenfors Gallery, London, UK
“My Deptford: 8 Minutes From Here”, Southbank Centre, London, UK
“Feedback”, Enclave, London, UK
“Héritage de Borduas”, Musée des beaux-arts de Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Canada
“Satelike”, Departure Foundation, London, UK
”Dream Baby”, CART @ Armory Week, New York, USA
“An Undelivered Postcard From The Edge Of The World”, Jotta, Battersea Evolution, London

2012
“Location Relative”, Contact, Manchester, UK
“Bringing Home The Art”, Deptford X, London, UK
“For Display Purposes Only”, Bussey Building, London, UK
"Art Projects w/ Axis", London Art Fair, London, UK

2011
"So Here We Are", Kunstverein Speyer, Speyer, Germany
"TRANSLATE / TRANSCRIBE", Central House Of Artists, Moscow, Russia
"Question De Principe, Matter Of Principle", Art Mur, Montreal, Canada
"S.A.G.S.", The Woodmill, London, UK
"Nicolas Party: Elephants at the Woodmill", The Woodmill, London, UK
"I Have No Use For The Truth", 38b Peckham Rye, London, UK
Collective Show Los Angeles w/ LA Pedestrians Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

2010
"Heliotrope", Vulpes Vulpes, London, UK
“Say What What Way”, ShopAt34, London, UK
“Print Now II”, BEARSPACE, London, UK
“The Devil’s Necktie”, The Woodmill London, UK

Art Fairs

2023    
London Art Fair, London, UK
Positions, Berlin, Germany
Plural, Montreal, Canada

2022    
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2021
Papier, Montréal, Canada
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada

2020
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2019
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Positions, Berlin, Germany
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2018
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Drawing Now, Paris, France
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2017
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2016   
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2015
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2014
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Papier, Montréal, Canada

2013
CART @ Armory Week: Dream Baby, New York City, USA
Jotta, Battersea Evolution, An Undelivered Postcard From The Edge Of The World, London, UK

2012    
London Art Fair, Art Projects w/ Axis, London, UK

2011    
Central House Of Artists, TRANSLATE / TRANSCRIBE, Moscow, Russia

2010    
Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Residencies, Awards, Distinctions

2024    
Canada Council for the Arts, Artist Abroad: Residencies Grant, Canada

2023
Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig, Let’s Print Lab, Leipzig, Germany
Conseil des arts de Montreal, Recherche ou Création / production, Montreal, Canada
Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association Professional Development Grant, Canada
Concordia University, ARRE Research Funding, Canada

2022
Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association Professional Development Grant, Canada

2021
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec, Exploration et recherche/Arts visuels, Canada
Canada Council for the Arts, Research & Creation Grant, Canada

2020     
Canada Council for the Arts, Research & Creation Grant, Canada
Conseil des arts de Montreal, Recherche ou Création / production, Montreal, Canada

2019     
Canada Council for the Arts, Artist Abroad: Residencies Grant, Canada
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec, Travel Grant, Canada
LIA Leipzig International Artist Programme Residency, Leipzig, Germany

2018    
Canada Council for the Arts, Concept to Realization Grant, Canada

2017    
LIA Leipzig International Artist Programme Residency, Leipzig Germany
Vermont Studio Centre Residency, Vermont, USA
Merit-based Artist Grant ($1700USD) Vermont Studio Centre Residency, Vermont, USA

2014    
MINT Collective Residency, Riad Biba, Marrakech, Morocco

2013    
PEER Residency w/ Merike Estna, London, UK

2010    
John Moores Contemporary Painting 2010 (short list), London, UK
Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2010 (short list), London, UK
Woodmill Travel Grant, London, UK

2007    
RBC Painting Competition (short list): Eastern Division, Canada

Bibliography

2 Oct 2023, “Trevor Kiernander: The other dimensions of a roaming painting practice” by David Blatherwick, Vie des arts (Canada) https://viedesarts.com/en/reviews-en/trevor-kiernander-the-other-dimensions-of-a-roaming-painting-practice/?fbclid=IwAR2bft2urDUGptdiq4S66SWiGebXoVvAKkRkGfWoQ8SI5-aOOnT50oowTto

5 December 2020, “Trevor Kiernander : expressif et rayonnant” by Éric Clément, La Presse (Canada) https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/arts-visuels/2020-12-05/galerie-art-mur/trevor-kiernander-expressif-et-rayonnant.php

Winter 2020/21, “Pictura: Pleins feux sur la peinture montréalaise”, by Marie-Anne Letarte, L’Inconvenient Magazine - no 83 (Canada)

7 November 2020, “Montréal, ville-peinture avec «Pictura»” by Jérôme Delgado, Le Devoir (Canada) https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/arts-visuels/589201/arts-visuels-montreal-ville-peinture-avec-pictura

Summer 2020, “Loin des yeux, près du cœur” by Marie-Anne Letarte, L’Inconvenient Magazine - no 81 (Canada)

September 2019, “Trevor Kiernander. Crossovers” by Edwin Janzen, Border Crossings Magazine (Canada) 151
https://bordercrossingsmag.com/article/trevor-kiernander?fbclid=IwAR1QPqOrIFa7A97rH3rrL6rz2Td1g9CEv_tSlVugpZiY0KVGjylh4xsag04

January 2019, “In Free Fall,” by Benjamin Klein, Vie des Arts (Canada) 253 (Winter. 2019) 
https://viedesarts.com/visites/trevor-kiernander-in-free-fall/

3 February 2018, “La Fibre Internationale D’art Mûr,” by Éric Clément, La Presse
https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/arts-visuels/201802/05/01-5152721-la-fibre-internationale-dart-mur.php

13 Jauary 2018, “Trevor Kiernander. Bound and Boundless,” by Anais Castro, Wall Street International https://wsimag.com/art/35109-trevor-kiernander

14 September 2016, “Regard double en parallèle: Les paysages composites de Trevor Kiernander” by Christian Roy, Vie des Arts
http://viedesarts.com/article1013-Les-paysages-composites-de-Trevor-Kiernander

21 August 2014, "Visual Interview", by Michael Valinsky, The Wild Magazine http://thewildmagazine.com/blog/visual-interview-trevor-kiernander/

27 November 2013, The Learned Pig, by Crystal Bennes,
http://www.thelearnedpig.org/trevor-kiernander/601

6 November 2013, Interview by Susie Pentelow, Traction Magazine  
http://tractionmagazine.co.uk/post/66180462852/trevor-kiernander

23 March 2013, “Trevor Kiernander. Fallen: A conversation with the Canadian artist Trevor Kiernander”, Wall Street International http://wsimag.com/art/3273-trevor-kiernander-fallen

21 October 2011, “Art Moscow 2011: A Round Up (Video), Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/constantin-bjerke/art-moscow-2011-roundup-v_b_1023477.html

31 December 2010, “Arts visuels - De l'intime jusqu'à la peinture extreme”, by Jerome
Delgado, Le Devoir, Montreal, Canada

Summer 2010, “TREVOR KIERNANDER: La construction d’un monde pictural”, by Christian
Roy, Cover Story, Vie Des Arts Magazine, Canada (No. 219) 
http://viedesarts.com/article1014-Trevor-Kiernander-La-construction-d-un-monde-pictural

June 12 2010 “Roots Of Home Reveal Where The Heart Lives” by Lori Callaghan, Montreal Gazette, Canada
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Roots+home+reveal+where+heart+lives/3145656/story.html#ixzz0qm75Px90

June 5 2010 “Le chaos raffiné de Kiernander” by Jerome Delgado, Le Devoir, Montreal, Canada
http://www.ledevoir.com/culture/arts-visuels/290264/le-chaos-raffine-de-kiernander

Apr 2010 “Goldsmiths – But Is It Art” documentary by Magnus Temple & Emma Tutty, Dragonfly and BBC Four

Publications

Mar 2025, “Oceans Were Taller in Other Dimensions”, by Anaïs Castro and L.Plotek, Montreal, Canada
Sep 2023, “Pictura: Cruel to be Kind”, Montreal, Canada
Dec 2020, “Pictura: Painting… In Montreal’s Image”, by Trevor Kiernander, Benjamin Klein, and Ian Gonczarow, Montreal, Canada,
Oct 2020, “Let’s Get Lost”, by Mylène Lachance-Paquin, Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada,
Oct 2020, “Let’s Get Lost”, by Andrea Valentine-Lewis, Art Mûr, Montreal, Canada,
Jan 2018, “Bound and Boundless”, by Anais Castro, Art Mûr, Berlin, Germany,
Sep 2016 “Event Horizon: This Must be the Place”, by Benjamin Klein & R. Travis, McClure, Montréa, Canada
Sep 2016 “Event Horizon: This Must be the Place”, by Stephanie Locas & R. Travis, Art Mûr, Montréal ,Canada
Sep 2014 "Uncommon Ground." by Tom Trevatt & Catherine Barnabé, Art Mur, Montreal, Canada
Mar 2013 “The Nomadic Studio.” by Michael Heilgemeir, Edition Taube, London, UK
Apr 2012 “Trevor Kiernander: Here. Not Here.” by Dominique Allard, Art Mur, Montreal, Canada
Apr 2012 “Meditations In An Emergency” by Cameron Skene, Art Mur, Montreal, Canada
Sep 2011“Translate/Transcribe” by Ian Gonczarow, Moscow, Russia
Sep 2011“So Here We Are” by Sandra Erbahcer, Speyer, Germany
May 2010 “To Build A Home” by Catherine Barnabe & Sarah Wilkinson, Art Mur, Montreal Canada
Nov 2008 "Carte Blanche 2" – Painting Magenta Foundation, Toronto, Canada
Jul 2007 “Relative Detachements”: Lyne Crevier, Katey Apsey, Art Mur, Montreal, QC