Brent Wadden

Brent Wadden is a painter whose artistic focus revolves around fiber, particularly wool and yarn. His work has drawn comparisons to artists such as Sheila Hicks, Anni Albers, and Clyfford Still.

Biography of Brent Wadden

Brent Wadden was born in 1979 in Nova Scotia, Canada. He earned his B.F.A. from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2003, studying under the late conceptualist painter Gerald Ferguson.

Wadden creates abstract woven artworks that blend elements of painting, design, craft, and folk art traditions. By mounting his handwoven textiles on canvas, Wadden blurs the boundaries between mediums, integrating craft techniques into the realm of painting. His practice explores the nuances and irregularities that arise from repetitive processes, uncovering subtle disruptions in the accumulation of lines, colors, and forms.

Initially concentrating on vibrant, tessellated paintings and drawings, Wadden shifted his focus in 2010 to working on a weaving loom. His woven artworks incorporate influences from Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, First Nations and Bauhaus textiles, folk art, and indigenous art-making traditions, particularly those from his native Nova Scotia. They also touch upon contemporary political issues.

He has exhibited widely, with his first solo museum exhibition, "The Grey Area," presented in January 2016 at the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton. Recent solo shows include "WHIMMYDOODLES" at Pace Gallery in Los Angeles (2023), "Plecto" at Pace Gallery in Seoul (2022), "Brent Wadden" at Peres Projects in Berlin (2021), and many more.

Additionally, Brent Wadden's works have been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including "Chewing Gum VI" at Pace Gallery in Hong Kong (2023), "Desde el Salón (From the Living Room): Sol Calero selects from the Hiscox Collection" at Whitechapel Gallery in London (2021), "Mingei Now" at Sokyo Gallery in Kyoto (2019), "Letain, Thurman, Wadden" at McNamara Art Projects in Hong Kong (2018), among others.