Jay Isaac

JAY ISAAC (b. 1975, Saint John, NB, Canada) is a Canadian artist of Lebanese descent. He studied at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, Canada (1993-1997) and at the Cardiff Institute of Art, Cardiff, Wales (1996). His work has been widely exhibited, with notable exhibitions at Galleria d’art moderna di Bologna, Bologna; MOCA Toronto; Mercer Union, Toronto; Galerie Kunstbuero, Vienna; The Power Plant, Toronto; White Columns, New York; Cue Art Foundation, New York; Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston, ON; Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC; The AGO, Toronto; CAG, Vancouver; Night Gallery, LA; Monte Clark Gallery, Toronto/Vancouver; Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB; soon.tw, Montreal; David Risley Gallery Copenhagen; McIntosh Gallery, London, ON; Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto.

Isaac was co-founder and publisher of Hunter and Cook Magazine (2009-2011) and founded and ran the @nationalgalleryofcanada Instagram account (2015-2016). He is the founder and co-director of Peter Estey Fine Art & Auctions (2018-present) which is an auction house that focuses on secondary market folk, outsider, Inuit and Canadian art. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including most recently: Canada Council Concept to Realization Grant (2022), Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (2021), Canada Council Research and Creation Grants (2021, 2018, 2017), Chalmers Art Fellowship (2019), Ontario Arts Council Project Grant (2018). Isaac’s work can be found in numerous public and corporate collections in Canada. Isaac lives and works in Rowley, NB, Canada.

Solo Exhibitions
2023
2022
  • Log Pile Variations, James Fuentes Online, New York, NY
  • Neutralizer Suite, Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
2021
2019
2019
2017
  • High Gloss Ceilings, Cooper Cole, Toronto, ON
2016
  • Pwycobo, Weird Things, Toronto
2016
  • Thoughts on the Rocks, (two person with Mark Delong), Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver
2014
  • The Sponges, Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver
2012
  • Second Eye, Monte Clark Gallery, Toronto
2010
  • Antique Sky, LES Gallery, Vancouver
2010
  • There is a Giant, Underground Mushroom Living in Oregon, Silver Flag Projects, Montreal
2010
2009
  • Flower Paintings, CSA Space, Vancouver
2008
2007
2007
  • Road Trip Paintings, othergallery, Winnipeg
2005
  • CUE Foundation, New York (catalogue)
2004
  • Maritime Frazetta, Greener Pastures Contemporary Art, Toronto
2004
  • Elemental Brooker, Xeno Gallery, Vancouver (Collaborative show with Robin Fry)
2003
  • New Age Philosophy, Acuna-Hansen Gallery Project Space, Los Angeles
2002
  • The Matlock Juxtapoze, Mercer Union, Toronto
2002
2001
2001
  • Watering Hole, Solo Exhibition Space, Toronto
2000
  • Pleasurenaut, Bus Gallery, Toronto
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
2021
2020
  • Born to Be Alive, Season Gallery, Seattle, WA

2019
  • Stoneroses, Brücke Museum, Berlin, curated by Mirak Jamal

2019
  • Gabrovo Biennial of Humour and Satire, Museum of Humour and Satire, Gabrovo, Bulgaria

2019
  • Heads, McIntosh Gallery, Western University, London, ON, curated by Sky Glabush

2018
  • Peanuts Gallery, Vancouver, Three person exhibition with Shaye Saint John and Shannon Lucy

2018
  • Harper's Books at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles
2017
  • Sweet Loaf Hallelujah, soon.tw, Montreal
2017
  • Futurisms, McIntosh Gallery, Western University, London, ON, curated by Adam Lauder (cat.)
2017
2016
  • GIFC, David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen; Happy Ending, New York; Steinsland Berliner, Stockholme; Agnes B’s Galeri Du Jour, Paris
2016
  • Unprecious Work, Laundry Room, Toronto, curated by Jess Carroll and Brian Rideout
2015
  • Shit, I'm an Artists Artist, Galleri Benoni, Denmark, Curated by Brad Phillips
2015
  • Taste This Sad Cream, Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Montreal
2015
  • Hotter Than July, Cooper Cole, Toronto
2015
  • Broken Colours, Metivier Gallery, Toronto, Curated by Ben Portis
2014
  • Off the Grid, Abstract Painting in New Brunswick, Beaverbrook Gallery, Frederiction
2014
  • A Drawback, Quartair, The Hague, Netherlands
2012
  • 20 Years, Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver
2011
  • Hunter and Cook Presents, Night Gallery, Los Angeles
2011
  • Family Shirt, Gallerie Krets, Malmo Sweden, Curated by Matt Feyld
2011
  • In and Out of Space, Stewart Hall, Point-Claire, Quebec
2011
  • Hunter and Cook Projects, Khyber ICA, Halifax
2011
  • 93 til Infinity, Katharine Mulherin, Toronto
2010
  • Triumphant Carrot: The Persistence of Still-Life, Contemporary Art Gallery,Vancouver (cat.)
2010
  • The International Chilliwack Biennial, Chilliwack, BC, Curated by Aaron Carpenter
2010
  • Collection of the Artist, CSA Space, Vancouver, Curated by Brad Phillips
2009
  • Massive Uprising, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Curated by Ben Portis
2009
  • Art on Paper Biennial, Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina
2009
  • Das ist einfach schwierig, Kunst in Kreuzberg, Berlin
2007
  • See You Tomorrow, Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston
2006
  • Art vs Real Life, Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York
2006
2006
  • Darkness Ascends, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto
2004
  • The Cave and the Island, White Columns, New York, Curated by Xandra Eden
2004
  • The Cave and the Island, Galerie Kunstbeuro, Vienna
2004
  • Republic of Love, Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto
2002
  • Selling Out and Buying In, Biz Art, Shanghai (catalogue)
2002
  • Synthetic Psychosis, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto (catalogue)
2002
  • Officina America, Galleria d'art moderna di Bologna, Italy (catalogue)
2001
2001
  • Instant Coffee Miniature Show, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
2000
  • Pretty, Please, Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto, Curated by Ingrid Chu
2000
  • Emerging Artists, Gallery One, Toronto
Awards
2023
  • New Brunswick Arts Board Creation Grant Category A
2022
  • Canada Council Research and Creation Grant
  • Canada Council Concept to Realization Grant
2021
  • Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
2021
  • Canada Council Research and Creation Grant
2021
  • Ontario Arts Council Project Grant
2020
  • Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2019
  • Chalmers Arts Fellowship, Ontario Arts Council
2018
  • Canada Council Grant

2018
  • Ontario Arts Council Project Grant

2017
  • Canada Council Project 
2015
  • Ontario Arts Council, Mid Career Project Grant
2014
  • Canada Council Project Grant
2013
  • Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2010
  • Toronto Arts Council Level Two Creation Grant
2007
  • New Brunswick Arts Council Project Grant
2005
  • Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2003
  • Canada Council Travel Grant
2003
  • Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2003
  • Ontario Arts Council Creation Grant
2003
  • Toronto Arts Council Creation Grant
2002
  • Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2000
  • Ontario Arts Council Creation Grant
2000
  • Toronto Arts Council Level One Creation Grant
1998
  • Canada Council Emerging Artist Grant
1998
  • Canada Council Travel Grant
1997
  • PADAC Art Award
Public Collections
  • Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto, ON
  • Ivey School of Business, London, ON
  • Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB
  • Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
  • Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston, ON
  • Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
  • MacDonald Stewart Art Center, Guelph, ON
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, Toronto, ON
  • Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, ON
  • Tom Thomson Memorial Gallery, Owen Sound, ON
  • Museum London, London, ON
Residencies
2005
  • CUE Foundation, New York
Bibliography
  • Balzer, David "It’s all about the love", Eye, Toronto, p. 39, March 25, 2004
  • Birch, Jesse “Jay Isaac at LES Gallery”, Colour Magazine, 8.5, November, 2010
  • Barilli, Renato (curator) Officina America, Museum of Modern Art, Bologna, 2002 (catalogue)
  • CBC Radio 3, "Chanelling Brooker", cbcradio3.com, 14-21 March 2004
  • Dault, Gary Michael "Jay Isaac" Globe & Mail, p. R15, 6 April 2002
  • Dault, Gary Michael, “Natural Selection at Paul Petro”, Globe & Mail, Oct. 7, 2006
  • Dault, Gary Michael, “Jay Isaac at Paul Petro”, Globe and Mail, Sept 29th, 2007
  • Demkiw, Janis, "Jay Isaac, Maritime Frazetta", C Magazine, p.47, Issue 82, 2004
  • Dick, Terence, “Jay Isaac at Paul Petro”, Akimblog, March 4th , 2010
  • De Vito, Natalie "Selling Out and Buying In", Biz Art, Shanghai, November 2002 (catalogue)
  • Eden, Xandra, "Pleasurenaut at Bus Gallery" Lola #7, p. 30, August 2000
  • Eden, Xandra, (curator,) "Republic of Love", Power Plant, Toronto, 2004 (catalogue)
  • Eden, Xandra, (curator), Cue Foundation Catalogue, 2005
  • Garnet, Carla "Synthetic Psychosis" Canadian Art Magazine, Fall 2002, p. 136
  • Glabush, Sky, "Jay Isaac at Paul Petro", Border Crossings, Spring Issue, 2009
  • Hanna, Deirdre "Rococo romp" Now, p.81, 22 March 2001
  • Heather, Rosemary "Misty Horizon at Paul Petro" Tema Celeste, vol. #91, May-June 2002
  • Heather, Rosemary "The Matlock Juxtapoze" Mercer Union, Toronto, October 2002 (catalogue)
  • Hirschmann, Thomas "Pulp fantasies" Now, 28 March 2002
  • Langer, Eli, Interview with Jay Isaac, Millions Magazine, Issue 4, Nov. 2013
  • Lauder, Adam, “Think Tanked”, Canadianart .ca, April 22, 2010
  • Lauder, Adam, “The Old New Abstraction”. Canadian Art, Summer Issue, 2013
  • McKay, Gillian "Pleasurenaut at Bus Gallery" Globe & Mail, p. R13, 10 June 2000
  • Miller, Earl, "Jay Isaac", Border Crossings Magazine, page 91, Issue 146, 2018
  • Osborne, Catherine, “Maritime Frazetta at Greener Pastures”, National Post, March 7, 2004
  • Phillips, Brad, “Jolie Laide (Back), Artslant, May, 2014
  • Portis, Ben, “Jay Isaac”, Border Crossings Magazine, Issue #125, Winter, 2013
  • Rhodes, Richard, "Jay Isaac Paints Through Problems", Canadian Art online March 14th, 2015
  • Sworn, Corinne, "Republic of Love", Canadian Art, Summer , 2004
  • Temple, Kevin, “Art vs Real Life; Canadian Stories”, Toronto Star, p.C7, August 27th, 2006
  • Time Out Toronto, “Space Oddities”, p.185
  • Vaughan, R.M., "Isaac's fantastic journey" Eye Toronto, 28 March 2002
  • Vaughan, R. M., "All the pretty young things" Globe & Mail, p. V4, 11 May 2002
Publications
  • Hart House Review, 2020
  • Free Spirit News, Issue 13, 2020
  • Alive II, 2019
  • Futurisms, McIntosh Gallery, 2018, essays by Adam Lauder
  • Off the Grid, Abstract Painting in New Brunswick, 2014, Beaverbrook Art Gallery
  • 60 Painters, 2012
  • Triumphant Carrot: The Persistence of Still Life, 2010, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver
  • Carte Blanche, Vol.2: Painting, 2008, Magenta Foundation
  • Jay Isaac, 2005, CUE Foundation, NY
  • Officina America, 2002, Museum of Modern Art, Bologna, Italy
  • Selling out and Buying in, 2002. BizArt, Shanghai, China
Education
1993-97
  • Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, B.C. Four-year studio program
1996
  • Cardiff Institute of Art and Design, Cardiff, Wales, UK