John Abrams

Solo & Two Persion Exhibitions
2008 Cinema Vernis. McMaster Museum of Art. Hamilton. Curator: RM Vaughan. Catalogue with essays by Sky Gilbert, John Greyson, Jeremy Podeswa, RM Vaughan, and Christina Ziedler.
  Swept Away. Paul Petro Contemporary Art. Toronto.
2007 Little Soldier. Loop, Toronto. (with JJ Lee)
  Two Figures on a Beach. Gales Accolade West Gallery. York University, Toronto.
2005 Betty Blue. Zsa Zsa Gallery. Toronto.
  Breathless. Loop. Toronto. (with Mark Adair)
2004
  • Doctor Strange Love T.A.A.F.I. (Toronto Alternative Art Fair International) Toronto.
  • Screen Grab. Boltax Gallery. Shelter Island, New York.
  • Cry. Loop. Toronto.
2003
  • Amoureux. Canadian Communications Building Harbourfront
  • Centre, Toronto. Curator: Pat McCauley.
  • Love Project. Angell Gallery. Toronto.
2002 Cross, A Space Windows. (with Sandra Brewster) Toronto. Amoureux. Loop. Toronto.
2001/02
  • Landmark. (with Robert Houle). The Tom Thompson Memorial Art Gallery, Owen Sound. Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa. University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, On. Catalogue with essays by: Carol Podedworny and Stuart Reid.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2007
  • Christmas Spice. Paul Petro Contemporary Art. Toronto.
    Gifts that Fit. A Space. Toronto.
    Benefit for Steven Kurtz, founder of the Critical Art Ensemble. Spin Gallery. Toronto. Organized by A Space, Toronto
    Crowd Conscious. Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario. Curator: Jan Allan.
    Would I: Interrogative or Proposition, Art Gallery of Windsor. Windsor,Ontario. Curator: Gilles Hebert.
    Milk Milk Lemonade. Red Head Gallery, Toronto.
    Boltax Gallery, Shelter Island, New York.
    C Magazine Show & Auction. Georgia Scherman Gallery, Toronto
    CCCA Annual Art Auction. The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto.
    Here Is Where We Meet, Gales Gallery, York University, Curator: Ben Portis.
    Tangents Accolade West Gallery, York University, Toronto
    Little Dude Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
    Valentines ,Paul Petro Multiples + Small Works, Toronto
    Random Thought Generator Accolade Gallery West, York University.
    Art @ Suite 500. Miles S. Nadal Management Centre, Toronto.
2006
  • Greatest Hits, Art Gallery of Windsor. Curator: James Patton.
    Remote Splendor. 64 Steps. Toronto.
    Skin of the City, Accolade West Gallery York University, Toronto.
    C Magazine Show & Auction. Leo Kaymen Gallery. Toronto.
    Campestral, Cube Gallery. Ottawa.
    Art at Suite 500, Miles Nadal Management Centre. York University. Toronto.
    Sweet Tooth, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto
    True Spectrum T-Dot. Loop Gallery. Toronto. Curator: Oliver Girling.
    Hello Dolly. Spin Gallery. Toronto.
    Nuit Blanche. Spin Gallery. Toronto. Curator: Clara Hagarittay.
    Year Book. Spin Gallery. Toronto. Curator: Juno Yuon.
2005/06
  • Suit Case, (Torontoniensis/Scottish Exchange Show) York Quay Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, and Toronto tours to Pentagon Exhibitions, Glasgow, Scotland.
2005
  • Go Figure, Latchman Gallery, Souville, ON.
    5th Anniversary Show. Loop Gallery. Toronto.
    QUEEN WEST ART-SCUM. MOCCA Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art. Toronto. Curator: Ishvan Kantor.
2004
  • Gifts. A Space. Toronto.
    IV @ rj fleck, Toronto
    Panorama SPIN Gallery, Toronto.
    Beyond the Frame. MacDonald Stewart Art Centre. Guelph.
    “My mission” le-musee-divisioniste.org Cologne.
    AFF Contemporary Art Fair. Quiver Projects, booth; 331 New York, New York.
    medi<ation> Doncaster Art Gallery and Museum, Doncaster South Yorkshire, UK, Curator: David Gilbert.
2003
  • Collective Loop. Loop Gallery. Toronto.
    Shelf Show II. A Space. Toronto.
    Affordable Art Fair. Quiver Projects, New York.
    Toronto International Art Fair. Angell Gallery.
    Star Struck. Art Gallery of Ontario - Art Rental & Sales Gallery, Toronto.
    Michael Jackson Show. ZSA ZSA. Curators: Andrew Harwood, Lex Vaughan.
    Good Medicine. University of Waterloo Art Gallery. Waterloo.
    Valentine. SPIN Gallery. Toronto. Curator: Juno Yuon.
    C Magazine Show & Auction. Leo Kamen Gallery. Toronto.
2002
  • Affordable Art Fair. Quiver Projects. New York.
    The Drawing Show. Ne Plus Ultra. Toronto. Curator: Tiff Iza.
    Shelf Show. A Space, Toronto
    Winter Lights, Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery. Owen Sound. Curator: Stuart Reid.
    Wild Life. Art Gallery of Ontario - Art Rental Gallery. Toronto.
    Sea Worthy. Edward Day Gallery, Toronto Curator: Kelly McCray.
    Art With Heart - Casey House Art Auction - Art Galley of Ontario. Toronto.
    Songs from the Waterfront. Harbourfront Centre, York Quay Gallery, Toronto
    Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro. University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane Australia. Curator: Ihor Holubizky.
Selected Reviews
2007
  • Globe and Mail, The mascot of Queen Street West is starring in his own art show, by Sarah Milroy. Saturday February 3. Section M. Page 3.
  • The Queen's Journal Crowd Conscious’ explores contemporary ideas of identity and group culture by Meghan Sheffield, A&E EDITOR, September 7, Vol. 135, Issue #4.
  • Globe and Mail, Melancholy in a dangerous world. by Gary Michael Dault. Saturday October 6. Page R14.
2006
  • Globe and Mail. Mise En Scene Untitled (From Contempt) by John Abrams, by Gary Michael Dault. Friday June 30. Section R
2005
  • Globe and Mail. John Abrams and Mark Adair at Loop. by Gary Michael Dault. Saturday October 8. Page R7
  • National Post. The Mad Muse of John Abrams. by RM Vaughan. Saturday April 16. Page TO 10-11.
2004
  • M etro. Curator R.J. Fleck (far left) opens his home for the Interweek IV, Holiday Art Fair group exhibition. Artists include (from left) Istvan Kantor, Pedro Alderete, Leif Harmsen, Kent Monkman, Alysson Mitchell, Katt Emerald, Derek Mainella, Peter Todd and John Abrams. by Enza Supermodel. Friday Dec. 24. Entertainment pg. Globe and Mail. The other, edgier, art fair. by GARY MICHAEL DAULT. Friday October1 2004. pg.R 28.
  • Hampton Cottages & Gardens. Big-Screen Inspiration at Boltax. Pg 91.
  • Shelter Island Reporter. Pop culture at Boltax. Pg B5.
  • The Suffolk Times. Art Beat. Pg 8A.
  • Globe and Mail. John Abrams and Howard Ross at Loop by GARY MICHAEL DAULT Saturday, May 1, 2004 - Page R17
  • Shefield Today; Media(tion) an exhibition in Doncaster looking at the ways in which we are affected by the media.
2003
  • Globe and Mail. Dec 20; O come all ye rich (and shameless) collectors. by RM Vaughan. Pg. R8.
  • Imprint, Waterloo News Paper. T Fine art and the politics of dissent Torontoniensis Collective at UWAG. by Jenna Holko. October 31, 2003 Volume 26 - Issue 16.
  • University of Waterloo Gazette. Volume 44 #5. Politics, sex and death are themes of exhibit. by Linda Howe. Nov 5
  • Globe and Mail. Aug 31 Gallery Going: John Abrams at Canada Quay, Harbourfront Centre. by Gary MichaelDault.R11CBC RADIO Arts Report with Avril Beniot on Angell Gallery Abrams’ Exhibition Amoureux, CBC RADIO
2002
  • Globe and Mail. December 21. The Drawing Show at Ne Plus Ultra. by Gary Michael Dault. R9.
  • Globe and Mail. December 14. Have yourself an arty little Christmas. by R.M. Vaughan. R7.
  • Globe and Mail. August 10th and 17th. Critics Pick’s Visual Arts. by Sara Milroy.
  • Globe and Mail. August 10, Landlocked Exhibit Gets it’s Sea Legs. by Gary Michael Dault.
  • Canadian Art Magazine. Summer. Robert Houle John Abrams at The Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery. by Corinna Ghaznavi. pages 87-88
  • Lola # 12 Summer. Toronto. John Abrams Blue Angel at Zsa Zsa. by Xandra Eden. pg. 70
  • Landmark: Robert Houle & John Abrams featured in review on TVO - Studio Two Fri. Feb. 22nd at 8 and 11:30
2001
  • Lola #10 Fall. The Man Issue. Toronto. Qtips . . . and all that crap Tory Healy. pg. 53
  • West End Revue. Toronto. Circling Around Canadian and International art; Patriotism & nudity by Tiff Izsa. Vol 2
  • University of Waterloo Gazette. Social commentary, colour link UW art gallery exhibits by Linda Howe. Vol 42 #9.
  • The Record. Kitchener. Waterloo. Cambridge. Examining identity in a divided world by Robert Reid. Sat Nov 10
  • The Liberty Gleaner. Toronto. Liberty Landmark, the Cameron turns 20 this month by Kirsten McCarthy
Publications
2008
  • Cinema Vernis. McMaster Museum of Art. Hamilton. Curator: RM Vaughan.Catalogue with essays by: RM Vaughan, Sky Gilbert, John Greyson, Jeremy Podeswa, RM Vaughan, and Christina Ziedler.
2006
  • i book. A book of Self-Portraits by Artsits. Published by Ontario College of Art and Design. Toronto.
2005
  • Kiss Machine. No.11 The Shame Issue. Fall. Toronto. Front Cover, Featured Artist Project
  • Kiss Machine. No.10 The Disposable Issue. Spring. Toronto. pg.s 36-38.
2004
  • The Bear Deluxe Magazine, #21 Winter 2004-05 Published by: The Orlo Exhibition Space 2516 NW 29th Portland, Oregon 97296. pg 3. Doctor Strangelove Project.
  • KISS MACHINE 9 Love and Stars. Excerpts from John Abrams Love Project.
  • The Art House and Doncaster Art Gallery and Museum, Doncaster South Yorkshire, UK, medi<ation> Online Cat.
  • The Drake Hotel, One (1)100+ CD Catalogue featuring artists in the Year One.
2002
  • KISS MACHINE 5 Cars and Religion. Excerpt from Criminals and Deities. John Abrams
  • Songs from the Waterfront http://torontoniensis.calumet.yorku.ca Torontoniensis Online Cat.
  • Art With Heart. Cassey House. (cat)
2001
  • Landmark (cat) University of Waterloo Art Gallery and Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery.
Affiliations
2002/04 Board of Directors - A Space Artist Run Centre. Toronto.
2000-
Present
  • Founding Member - Loop Gallery. Toronto.
1998-
Present
  • Core Member - Torontoniensis Collective. Toronto.
Grants & Awards
2003
  • Canada Council, Mid Career – Visual Arts.
2002
  • Canada Council, Mid Career – Visual Arts.
1999
  • Canada Council, Mid Career – Visual Arts.
1996
  • Canada Council, Mid Career – Visual Arts.
1993
  • Canada Council, Project Grants.
1992
  • Canada Council, Project Grants.
1990
  • Canada Council, Mid Career – Visual Arts.
Collections
  • The National Gallery of Canada.
  • Canada Council Art Bank
  • Joseph Magnet Constitutional Law, Ottawa,
  • The Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery. Oshawa,
  • Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor,
  • Agnes Etherington. Queens University, Kingston,
  • MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph,
  • Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto
  • University of Toronto – Art Centre,
  • Parker Zener, Barristers & Solicitors, Toronto
  • Genest Murray DesBrisay Lamek, Barristers & Solicitors,
  • Empire Pubs,
  • Pearson Garnet Press Ltd.,
  • Robin T. Anthony Fine Art Services,
  • Paul Bain Entertainment Law,
  • Naomi Zener, Entertainment Law
  • ZSA Legal Recruitment,
  • Hilditch Architects
  • Drake Hotel, Toronto,
  • Shadow Play Productions. Los Angles.
  • O’Hare Airport. International Terminal, Chicago
  • Union League and Eastwick Gallery, Chicago
  • Various private collections in Canada, United States, Australia, Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom.