David Altmejd (Canadian, born )

David Altmejd (Canadian, b.1974) is a sculptor known for his highly detailed works that play with conceptions of interior and exterior, surface and structure, and representation and abstraction. Born in Montréal, Altmejd attended the Université du Québec à Montréal, and went on to receive his MFA from Columbia University.

Quickly developing a reputation for his use of unconventional materials, including decapitated werewolf heads, mirrors, plastic flowers, and faux jewelry, Altmejd creates sculptures that explore complex and symbolic narratives. He is interested in the process of construction, focusing on the ways in which different elements of his works come together to generate meaning.

He has been included in a number of prestigious exhibitions at venues such as Artists Space and Deitch Projects, and participated in the Istanbul, Whitney, and Venice biennials. He is represented by Xavier Hufkens and Andrea Rosen Gallery.

Altmejd lives and works in New York City.

Timeline

1974
Born in Montréal, Canada
1998
Received BFA, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada
2001
Received MFA, Columbia University, New York, NY
2009
Received the Sobey Art Award
2015
Awarded the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec

Exhibitions

2016
David Altmejd Exhibitions in 2016:
Giants, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium (solo exhibition)
L’air, Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium
Solid Liquids: Internationale Tendenzen der Skulptur in der Gegenwartskunst, Kunsthalle Münster, Münster, Germany
Theories of Modern Art, Stuart Shave | Modern Art, London, United Kingdom
Everybody is Crazy, But Me, Maison Particulière asbl, Brussels, Belgium
Human Figure, Riva Project, Brussels, Belgium
A Material Legacy: The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Collection of Contemporary Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC
2015
David Altmejd Exhibitions in 2015:
The Flux and the Puddle, Louisiana Museum, Denmark (solo exhibition)
Galerie René Blouin, Montréal, Canada (solo exhibition)
Faces, Stuart Shave | Modern Art, London, United Kingdom (solo exhibition)
Possible Collection, Honolulu, Zürich, Switzerland
A Brief History of the Future, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
The Art of Our Time, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Rock Hound Swap Meet, organized by Randy Wray, Junior Projects, New York, NY
2014
David Altmejd Exhibitions in 2014:
Flux, Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France; Musée d'art moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Canada (solo exhibition)
Juices, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY (solo exhibition)
The Grace of a Gesture: Fifty Years of Gifts, Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
Love Story - Anne & Wolfgang Titze Collection, Belvedere Museum, Vienna, Austria,
Hybrides, curated by Tatyana Franck, Galerie Sophie Scheidecker, Paris, France
Man in the Mirror, The Walter Vanhaerents Art Collection, Brussels, Belgium
Lone Tree, Marlborough Chelsea, New York, NY
Homecoming, Galerie Division, Montréal, Canada
Elevated: Contemporary Art in the AGO Tower, The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada
Astralis, Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton, Paris, France
Misled by Nature, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, Canada
States of Mind, Maison Particulière, Brussels, Belgium
David Altmejd, Roni Horn, Didier Vermeiren, Dahn Vo, Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium
The Body Metonymic, Oakland University Art Gallery, Rochester, MI
2013
Zach Feuer Gallery and Untitled, New York, NY, "Jew York", June 20 – July 26
2013
Middelheim Museum, Antwerp, Belgium, My Little Paradise, curated by Hans Op de Beeck and Sara Weyns, May 26 – September 15
2013
Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Herzliya, Israel, Theatrical Gestures, January 26 – April 20
2013
Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium (solo)
2012–2013
L’Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez, Bordeaux, France, “La Belle et la Bête,” October 13 – January 27
2012
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON “Builders: Canadian Biennial 2012,” November 2 – January 20
2012
Stuart Shave | Modern Art, London, England
2012
MOCA Cleveland, Cleveland, OH, “Inside Out and from the Ground Up,”
2012
The Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, “Misled by Nature,” organized by the National Gallery of Canada, September
2012
Musée Goya de Castres, Tarn, France, “Hybrides & Chimères: La Conquête d’un Rêve Êveillé,”
2012
“Pothole,” Salon 94 Bowery, New York, NY
2012
Musée d’art contemporain de Montreal, Montreal, Canada, “Zoo,” curated by Marie Fraser
2012
Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland, “Figury/Figures,” curated by Agnieszka Tarasiuk and Fabio Cavalluci
2012
Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN, "Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination," curated by Mark Scala
2012
Art Gallery of Winnipeg, Canada
2012
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada
2011
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY (solo)
2011
Galerie de l’UQAM, Montreal, Canada, “Conte crépusculaire [Twilight Tale],” with composer-performer Pierre Lapointe
2011
"Mondes inventés - Mondes habités" (Invented Worlds - Inhabited Worlds), curated by Marie-Noëlle Farcy and Clément Minighetti, Mudam Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2011
“Barroco Nova, Site 3: The Fold and Possible Worlds,” Museum London, London, Ontario, Canada
2011
“HabiteR / Collection Frac Midi-Pyrénées,” Les Abattoirs, Toulouse, France
2011
“Night Scented Stock,” Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY
2011
“The House Without the Door,” David Zwirner, New York, NY
2011
“Shape of Things to Come: New Sculpture,” aatchi Gallery, London, UK
2011
“Everything You Can Imagine is Real…,” Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium
2011
"Der Traum vom Fliegen - The Art of Flying,” curated by Britta Heinrich, Haus Der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
2010
Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium, “Le guide,”
2010
"Surrealist Conspiracy" curated by Michael Rooks High Museum of Art, Wieland Pavilion Skyway Galleries, Atlanta, GA
2010
"It is what it is. Recent Acquisitions of New Canadian Art,"National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
2010
"The Visceral Body" Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver Canada
2010
“Ten Year Permanent Collection,” Les Abattoirs, France
2010
“Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” curated by Jeff KoonsNew Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, “Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, “Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, “Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, “Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
2010
"Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum Rotunda,” Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY
2010
“ALPHA OMEGA: Works from the Dakis Joannou Collection,” DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
2009
Les Abattoirs, Toulouse, France, curated by Pascal Pique
2009
Magasin, Centre National d’Art Contemporain de Grenoble, Grenoble, France(solo)
2008
Stuart Shave/Modern Art, London
2008
Lustwarande 08 - Wanderland, De Pont, Tilburg, Netherlands (solo)
2008
Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, Germany, “Freeway Balconies,” curated by Collier Schorr, July 5 – September 21 forthcoming
2008
Château et dans les Fabriques du Domaine Départemental de Chamarande, France “Legende” May 25 – September 28, 2008 forthcoming
2008
Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, “Installations: Selections from the Guggenheim Collections," April 27 – January 5, 2009
2008
Gallery Met at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, NY, October 13 - November forthcoming (solo)
2008
Art Gallery of Toronto (AGO), Canada, Fall forthcoming
2008
Tate Liverpool, UK, Liverpool Biennial, curated by Lawrence Sillars, September 18 – November 30, 2008 forthcoming
2008
Fundament Foundation, Tilburg, The Netherlands, “Lustwarande 08-Wanderland,” June 28 – September 28, 2008 forthcoming
2008
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY, May 2 – June 14
2008
Musée D’Art Contemporain de Montréal, “Triennial of Québec Art,” May 24 – September 8, 2008 forthcoming
2008
Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Canada, “Intrus/Instruders,” curated by Mélanie Boucher, April 24 – September 28, 2008 forthcoming (catalogue)
2007
Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, CO, “Star Power: Museum as Body Electric,” curated by Cydney Payton, October 28 – May 11, 2008 (catalogue)
2007
Spertus Museum, Chicago, IL, "The New Authentics: Artists of the Post-Jewish Generation,” curated by Staci Boris, November 30 – April 13, 2008 forthcoming
2007
Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern, Switzerland, “Six Feet Under: Autopsy of Our Relation to the Dead,” Sep. 22, 2007- Mar. 30, 2008 Travels to: The Rose Art Museum of Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, May 9 - July 13, 2008
2007
Birch Libralato, Toronto, Canada,"David Altmejd, Renate Anger, and Eric Cameron," curated by Micah Lexier, October 20 - November 17
2007
Athens, Greece, "Fractured Figure - Works from the Dakis Joannou Collection", September 6, 2007 - March 29, 2008
2007
Rivington Arms, New York, NY, "To Build A Fire,” curated by Yuri Masnyj, April 13 - May 12
2007
Walter Vanhaerents Collection, Belgium, "Disorder in the House,” March 24 – March 31, 2009
2007
Fundació La Caixa Museum, Barcelona, Spain, "David Altmejd 'Stages,'" curated by Sílvia Sauquet, June 21 – September 9 (brochure)
2007
Canadian Pavilion, 52nd Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy, "David Altmejd: The Index", June 10 – November 21, commissioned by Louise Déry (catalogue)
2007
Oakville Galleries, Gairloch Gardens, Ontario, Canada, "David Altmejd. Métamorphose / Metamorphosis,” curated by Louise Déry, January 26 – March 25 Travels to: Galerie de l’UQAM, Montréal, Canada; May 10 – July 8
2007
Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, Canada, September 13 – October 27 (catalogue)
2006
Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland, "Six Feet Under: Autopsy of Our Dealing With the Dead,” November 2 - January 21, 2007 Travels to: Stiftung Deutsches Hygiene Museum, Dresden, Germany, September 21 - March 30, 2008
2006
Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany, "The Eighth Square,” August 19 - November 16
2006
Kunsthalle Bonn, Bonn, Germany, "The Guggenheim Collection,” July 21 - January 7, 2007
2006
Andrea Rosen Gallery, Amagansett, NY, "The Dining Room Show", July 21 - July 23
2006
The Eighth Square, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany (catalogue)
2006
The Guggenheim Collection, Kunsthalle Bonn, Bonn, Germany (catalogue)
2006
A Brighter Day, James Cohan Gallery, New York, NY (catalogue)
2006
Stuart Shave | Modern Art, London, England
2005
L’écho des limbes, Galerie Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Montréal (catalogue)
2005
The Zine UnBound: Kults, Werewolves and Sarcastic Hippies, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (catalogue)
2005
The The, Stuart Shave | Modern Art, London, England
2005
Ideal Worlds. New Romanticism in Contemporary Art, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
2005
Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Belgium
2004
Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY
2003
Galerie Optica, Montreal, Canada
2003
Sarah Altmejd, Galerie SKOL, Montreal, Canada
2002
David Altmejd, Clear Structures for a New Generation
2002
Demonclownmonkey, Artists Space (curated by Matthew Ritchie), New York
2002
Interval, Sculpture Center, New York
2002
Pointe de chute at Galerie de l'UQAM, Montreal

Public Collections

Musée d’art moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM), Luxembourg
Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
Musée des beaux-arts du Québec
Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels
Sishang Art Museum, Beijing
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Whitney Museum, New York
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas
Galerie de L’UQAM, Montréal
Israel Museum, Jerusalem
K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong
Les Abattoirs, Toulouse
Long Museum, Shanghai
Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris

Literature

2015
Prentnieks, Anne. Jason Kotara ed. David Altmejd: The Flux and the Puddle. New York, NY: David Altmejd Studio
2015
Venero, Isabel and Amy Ontiveros eds. 25 Years Of Andrea Rosen Gallery. New York, NY: Andrea Rosen Gallery
2015
Prentnieks, Anne. Jason Kotara ed. David Altmejd: The Flux and the Puddle. New York, NY: David Altmejd Studio
2015
Venero, Isabel and Amy Ontiveros eds. 25 Years Of Andrea Rosen Gallery. New York, NY: Andrea Rosen Gallery
2015
Belisle, Josee “David Altmejd: Flux” Magazine of the Musee d’art contemporain de Montreal, Summer 2015: cover, inside cover, 4-5.
2015
Bruneau, Benjamin “Fetishizing Potential” Magenta Magazine June 2015
2015
Granjon, Émilie. David Altmejd: Faire Flotter les Choses, Vie des Arts, No. 239, 2015, pg. 16-21.
2015
Hampton, Chris “In Flux” The Walrus, July/August 2015
2015
Shapiro, Alyssa “David Altmejd: Artist, Fetishist, and Avid Bird Watcher (on Instagram)” Blackbook, June 2015
2015
Enright, Robert & Meeka Walsh “Seductive Repulsions: Interview with David Altmejd” Border Crossings, May 2015: 51-63
2014
Baumgardner, Julie “David Altmejd” Whitewalls Winter 2015: 107-115
2014
Herbert, Martin “Previewed” ArtReview October 2014: 35-40.
2014
Palmerton, Elwyn “Dark Star” Artillery, July-August 2014: 48
2014
Bradley, Paige “David Altmejd: Andrea Rosen” May 2014: 166
2014
“Galleries Chelsea: David Altmejd” New Yorker, March 10 2015: 09.
2014
Pollack, Barbara “Reviews: New York, David Altmejd” Artnews, March 2014: 90.
2014
Prentnieks, Anne “World Of Pure Imagination” Wall Street Journal Magazine, October 2014: 37-38
2014
Ross, Christine “Historical Time Ecologized” Esse No.81, Spring 2014: 66-74.
2014
Halle, Howard. “Art” Timeout New York Feb. 6-12, 2014:34
2014
Altmejd, David. Interview by Ashton Cooper. “24 Questions for Sculptor and Poodle Lover David Altmejd.” Blouin Artinfo Feb. 6, 2014.
2014
Ebony, David. "David Altmejd's Strange "Juices"." Art in America Online Feb. 11, 2014. "Mosters, Inc." Totonto Life Feb. 2014: 90-91
2014
Frank, Priscilla. "Artist Perfectly Explains Why No Other Art Form Can Accomplish What Sculpture Does." Huffington Post Online Feb. 10: 2014.
2014
Cashdan, Marina. “Maximum Potential.” Surface Feb. 2014: 56.
2013
Barliant, Claire. “Dream Weaver.” Frame Magazine Nov. 2013: 103-111.
2013
Kinsella, Eileen. “The Next Most Collectible Artists.” Art + Auction Jun. 2013: 121.
2013
Litt, Steven. “Inside Out and From the Ground Up.” ARTnews Jan. 2013: 102.
2013
Pohl, John. “Every little step predicts the next one.” The Montreal Gazette 11 Jan. 2013.
2012
Bernshausen, Sara, ed. VI5IONS: 15 Years Deutche + Guggenheim. Frankfurt am Main: Deutsche Bank AG, New York: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation,
2012
Bernshausen, Sara, ed. VI5IONS: 15 Years Deutche + Guggenheim. Frankfurt am Main: Deutsche Bank AG, New York: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation,
2008
Dalton, Trinie. "David Altmejd Talks About the Warewolf." Mythtym. Brooklyn, NY: Picture Box, 2008. 150-57.
2008
Driessen, Chris, Heidi van Mierlo, eds. Wanderlust: Excursions In Contemporary Sculpture. Tilburg: Fundament Foundation,
2008
Dalton, Trinie. "David Altmejd Talks About the Warewolf." Mythtym. Brooklyn, NY: Picture Box, 2008. 150-57.
2008
Driessen, Chris, Heidi van Mierlo, eds. Wanderlust: Excursions In Contemporary Sculpture. Tilburg: Fundament Foundation,
2008
Buck, Louisa, Vogue, Extraordinary, p.173-175
2008
Saltz, Jerry, Artnet.com, Statuary Story, June
2008
Hong, Catherine, W Magazine, Beyond Tomorrow, November, p. 212-214
2007
Altmejd, David, V Magazine, David Altmejd: Canadian Pavilion, Fall, p. 161
2007
Bagatavicius, Christina, Canadian Art, Giardini Birdland, Summer, p. 56-61
2007
Artkrush.com, One to Watch: David Altmejd, July 11
2007
O’Keefe, Alice, New Statesman, The Art of a Good Time, June 21
2007
CBC Arts Online, Altmejd’s Werewolves, Birdmen Create Buzz at Venice Biennale, June 11
2007
Goddard, P, The Toronto Star, Reviews, June 9
2007
Higgins, Charlotte, The Guardian, Pick of the Pavilions: Fake Loos, Baghdad Holidays and Birdmen, June 9
2007
Kennedy, Randy, The New York Times, Venice Biennale: Revenge of the Raptors, June 6
2007
Gleadell, Colin, The Daily Telegraph, Behind the Venetian Mask, June 5
2007
Saatchi Gallery Online, David Altmejd at the Canadian Pavilion, June
2007
, J.J., Art Review, David Altmejd: Shapeshifter, June
2007
Milroy, Sarah, The Globe and Mail, Art with Fur and Big Teeth, January 30
2007
Higgins, Charlotte, The Guardian, Emin Tops Artistic Bill as a Dozen Brits Make Grand Tour to Venice, May 2
2007
Goddard, Peter, Toronto Star, David Altmejd’s Metamorphosis, January 27
2006
Alessandrelli, Ir’met Zucca, Flash Art, Exquisite Corpse, July-September
2006
CBC Arts Online, Montreal Sculptor Will Represent Canada at 2007 Venice Biennale, July 11
2006
Gronlund, Melissa, i-D Magazine, David Altmejd: Art Star, May
2006
Sumpter, Helen, Time Out London, Reviews: David Altmejd, April 19
2006
Larson, Kay, ARTnews, Beautiful Mutants, February
2006
Cook, Roger, Miser & Now, A Sense of the Tact: Zurich, Berlin and London, Issue 8
2005
Neil, Jonathan T.D., Modern Painters, Emerging Artists: David Altmejd, November
2005
Velasco, David, Art Papers, Monsters in the Closet: Learning to Love David Altmejd, July-August
2005
Duplat, Par Guy, La Libre Belgique. Le sculpteur de loups-garous, March 30, p. 32
2005
Spaid, Sue, Art US, David Altmejd, March-April, p. 41
2005
Armetta, Amoreen, Contemporary, New York: Andrea Rosen Gallery: David Altmejd, March, p. 75-76
2005
Schmerler, Sarah, Art in America, David Altmejd at Andrea Rosen, March, p. 132-133
2005
Miles, Christopher, Frieze, David Altmejd, January-February, p. 98
2005
Kastner, Jeffrey, ArtForum, David Altmejd, January, p. 180
2005
Wiley, Kehinde, ArtForum, Top Ten, April, p. 82
2005
Lawrence, James, Burlington Magazine, Reviews: Contemporary Art, New York, January
2004
Sillman, Nick, The Brooklyn Rail. David Altmejd at Andrea Rosen Gallery, November
2004
Enright, Robert, Border Crossings, Learning from Objects, Issue 92, p. 66-75
2004
Glueck, Grace, The New York Times, Reviews: David Altmejd, November 26, p. E41
2004
Tsai, Eugenie, Time Out New York, Reviews: David Altmejd, November 11-17, p. 65
2004
Lee, Chris, Black Book, Death Becomes Them, Fall, p. 190-192
2004
Heartney, Eleanor, Art in America, The Well-Tempered Biennial, June-July, p. 70-71
2004
Bankowsky, Jack, ArtForum, This is Today, May, p. 233
2004
Beyer, Charles G, Flash Art, Scream, March-April, p. 60
2004
Dunn, Melissa, Flash Art, Whitney Biennial 2004: A Good-Looking Corpse, May-June, p. 63
2004
Johnson, Ken, The New York Times, Is Sculpture Too Free for Its Own Good?, May 7, p. E36
2004
Johnson, Ken, The New York Times, Scream, February 13, p. E36
2004
Flash Art, New York, New York: Art Fragments from the Big Apple, March-April, p. 59-63
2004
Kimmelman Michael, The New York Times, Touching All Bases At The Biennale, March 12, p. E27
2004
Lee, Pamela M., ArtForum, Crystal Lite, May, p. 174-175
2004
McCormack, Derek, The Look, Hairy Winston, Summer, p. 30
2004
Saltz, Jerry, The Village Voice, The OK Corral, March 17-23, p. 80
2004
Saltz, Jerry, The Village Voice, Modern Gothic, February 4-10, p. C85
2004
Sholis, Brian, Flash Art, David Altmejd: Hideous Progeny, March-April, p. 100-102
2004
Sundell, Margaret, Time Out New York, The Today Show, March 25 – April 1, p. 56-57
2004
Johnson, Ken, The New York Times, Material Eyes, January 9, p. E44
2004
Scott, Andrea K., Time Out New York, David Altmejd, Dana Schutz and Kirsten Stoltmann: Material Eyes, January 1-8, p. 52
2002
Johnson, Ken. The New York Times, Demonclownmonkey, April 19
2002
Saltz, Jerry. Village Voice, Arts. Something Else, May 7
2002
The New Yorker. David Altmejd, November 25, p.17
2002
Smith, Roberta. The New York Times. Clear Structures for a New Generation, November 29, 2002, p. E36
2001
Ninacs, Anne-Marie , Galerie de l’UQAM, Montreal, Point de chute (exhibition catalogue)
1999
Crevier, Lyne, Ici, Perles du diable, May 13
1999
Mavrikakis, Nicolas, Vior. Perle rar, May 27
English (US)

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