Ian Carr-Harris

“My work centers on acts of re-tracing – we could call it re-touching – conceived as forms of demonstration." (1997)

Ian Carr-Harris has been creating and exhibiting his art for over 30 years, including sculptures, site-specific installations and photography and more recently, illuminated books.

He began his intellectual life studying history and library science; his artistic work first emerged in the 1970’s with an exhibition at A Space, then Canada’s pioneer artist-run centre. Since that time, he has continued to exhibit his work in Canada and internationally. Carr-Harris represented Canada at the 1984 Venice Biennale, at Documenta 8 in Kassel in 1987, and at the Sydney Biennale in 1990. He has paralleled his outstanding artistic achievements with a commitment to guiding new generations of artists; since 1975, he has taught sculpture and installation at the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Carr-Harris has written extensively on the work of other artists, has served on the boards of art galleries and artist-run centres and has contributed to public policy in the arts as a member of the Metro Toronto Public Art Advisory Commission. He is the winner of the 2007 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts.