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Kyle Alden Martens

Kyle Alden Martens

Statement


Throughout my interdisciplinary practice I employ themes of anticipation, subtlety, and humour with a steady undertone of queerness. I’m interested in examining queer identity without pinpointing sex through an exploration of closeted sexuality, the display and concealment of identity, and celebration of the subversive. Each series presents a combination of friendly and fetishized objects, installations, and videos—cute yet unruly, softly rebellious.

Bio


Kyle Alden Martens is an interdisciplinary artist based in Montréal. He graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in 2015 with a BFA in Intermedia. They have exhibited solo exhibitions with AXENÉO7 in Gatineau, the Khyber Centre for the Arts in Halifax as well as his exhibition PORTABLE CLOSETS, which was shown nationally at Stride Gallery, Centre Clark, and Eastern Edge Gallery. Martens has also presented work with Bradley Ertaskiran, Pop Montreal, Eyelevel Gallery, and the Centre for Art Tapes. He is a current MFA candidate in sculpture at Concordia University where he is supported by the Dale and Nick Tedeschi Arts Fellowship, the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC), and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC).

CV


  • KYLE ALDEN MARTENS
  • kylealdenmartens.com
EDUCATION
  • 2018-2022 - MFA Candidate, Studio Arts - Sculpture, Concordia University
  • 2015 - Valedictorian, Dean’s List, NSCAD University
  • 2011-2015 - BFA in Intermedia / Drawing NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
Grants / Awards
  • 2021 - Brucebo Fine Art Residency Scholarship
  • 2020-2021 - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC)
  • 2019-2020 - Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC)
  • 2019-2020 - Concordia Graduate Travel Award
  • 2018 - Dale and Nick Tedeschi Arts Fellowship
  • 2016 - Creation Grant, Grants to Individuals, Arts Nova Scotia
  • 2015-2016 - Media Art Scholarship, Centre for Art Tapes
  • 2015 - New York Studio Residency Program Scholarship
  • 2014 - Xerox Canada Scholarship
  • 2014 - Joseph Beuys Memorial Scholarship
  • 2014 - Effie May Ross Memorial Scholarship
  • 2014 - FUNSCAD Scholarship, NSCAD University
  • 2012 - Premier's Centennial Arts Scholarship, Saskatchewan Arts Board
Solo Exhibitions
  • Upcoming - Circa Art Actuel, Montréal, QC
  • 11-12/2019 HEAVY FABRIC, AXENÉ07, Gatineau, QC
  • 10/2018 PORTABLE CLOSETS, Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s, NL
  • 9/2018 PORTABLE CLOSETS, Centre Clark, Montréal, QC
  • 3/2018 PORTABLE CLOSETS, Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB
  • 11/2015 EQUIPMENT - Residency Exhibition, Khyber Center for the Arts, Halifax, NS
  • 10/2015 Studies of Intercourse and Water, Corridor Gallery, VANS, Halifax, NS
  • 6/2015 DOCUMENTS, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
Residencies
  • Upcoming - Acre Residency
  • Upcoming - Brucebo Fine Art Residency, Gotland, Sweden
  • 10 - 12/2017 Studio Residency, Céline Bureau, Montréal, QC
  • 8 - 11/2015 Robotics Residency, Khyber Center for the Arts, Crit Paper, Pleiades, Halifax, NS
  • 1 - 5/2015 - New York Studio Residency Program, School of Visual Art, Dumbo, NY
Duo Exhibitions / Group Exhibitions / Performances
  • Upcoming - Mayten’s Projects, Toronto, ON
  • 11/2020 Opening Night, Art Pop, Rialto Theatre, Montréal, QC
  • 7-8/2020 En bonne compagnie, Bradley Ertaskiran, Montréal, QC
  • 3/2019 Maureen IV, Yves Laroche Gallery, Montréal, QC
  • 2-3/2019 Ignition, Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Montréal, QC
  • 8/2016 Ritual / Virtual Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 8/2016 Pumped, A Video Curation by Coral Shorts, Kleiner Salon, Berlin, Germany
  • 5/2016 Out of the Centre, Centre for Art Tapes, Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS
  • 12/2015 Art in Drag, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2015 PEEL (Duo Exhibition), Art in Fest Exhibition, The Fruit Stand Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2015 NSCAD University Graduation Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2015 POTLUCK Group Show, NYSRP, Dumbo, NY, USA
  • 4/2015 PERFORM: Vol 2, Khyber Center for the Arts, Halifax, NS
  • 3/2015 Made in Brooklyn, NYSRP, Dumbo, NY, USA
  • 12/2014 RED Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 9/2014 Over the Hills Performance Series, Eyelevel Gallery, The Halifax Citadel, NS
  • 7/2014 GreatLife! Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 6/2014 Wishing You Were Here, West Wing Gallery, Swift Current, SK
  • 6/2014 Y-Level Group Show, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2014 CSCE Art Competition Finalist, Maritimes
  • 4/2014 Intermedia General, NSCAD Academy Building, Halifax, NS
  • 4/2014 RIPA - Rencontre Interuniversitaire de Performance Actuelle, UQAM, Montréal, QC
  • 1/2014 Altered Landscapes / Imprinted Matter, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 12/2013 Gender Pit: Queer Gestures Enacting Utopias, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 12/2013 Media Landscape Group Show, Khyber Center for the Arts, Halifax, NS
  • 10/2013 Media Landscape Artist Group, Urban Encounters, Scotia Square, Halifax, NS
  • 7-9/2013 The Southwest Open, West Wing Gallery, Swift Current, SK
  • 4/2013 Idea and Process, NSCAD Academy Building, Halifax, NS
  • 12/2012 Language into Art and Friends, Khyber Center for the Arts, Halifax, NS
  • 9/2012 World Portable Gallery Convention, Velcro Gallery, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 7/2012 Curators Craig Leonard and Max Freiheit, Friends of Freiheit, North Adams, MA, USA
Publications / Press - Print / Online
  • 9/2018 Exhibition Essay, Centre Clark by Mikhel Proulx
  • 8/2018 Understanding the Turtleneck, Luma Film and Media Art Quarterly by NIK
  • 9/2017 Peeling Objects for Queer Play - Esse Arts + Opinions by Genevieve Flavelle
  • 11/2016 Parking Lot: Kyle Alden Martens - Public Parking by Luther Konadu
  • 2/2016 New Art: Kyle Alden Martens - The Coast
  • 11/2015 Interview with Kyle Alden Martens - The Arts Abstract
  • 11/2015 Must-sees November 12 - 18, 2015, EQUIPMENT - Canadian Art
  • 10/2015 Review by Anna Taylor, Akimbo, Halifax
  • 7/2015 CRITpaper, VIRTUAL BODIES - Khyber Center for the Arts Publication
  • 6/2015 Must-sees June 18 - 24, 2015, Khyber Center for the Arts Perform Vol. 3 - Canadian Art
  • 2015 NSCAD Graduation Publication
  • 2015 FreeCoffee - NSCAD Student Publication
  • 11/2014 RIPA - Rencontre Interuniversitaire de Performance Actuelle Publication
  • 9/2014 Hill Communication, The Coast
  • 9/2014 Over the Hill Performance Series, Eyelevel Gallery
  • 9/2014 Must-Sees This Week: September 18 - 24, 2015, Canadian Art
  • 5/2014 CRITpaper Vol 2 Issue 2 - Khyber Center for the Arts / NSCAD University Publication
  • 2014 FreeCoffee - NSCAD Student Publication
  • 8/2013 The Periodical Project Issue 7 : The Natural World
  • 2/2013 The Periodical Project Issue 5 : Distance
  • 2013 FreeCoffee - NSCAD Student Publication
Artist Talks / Workshops / Speeches
  • 12/16/2020 What Worked for Me 4, AirCRAFT Emerging Artist Residency, NSCCD, Halifax, NS
  • 3/08/2019 What Worked for Me 3, AirCRAFT Emerging Artist Residency, NSCCD, Halifax, NS
  • 10/10/2018 Artist Talk for PORTABLE CLOSETS, Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s, NL
  • 9/8/2018 Artist Talk for PORTABLE CLOSETS, Centre Clark, Montréal, QC
  • 3/21/2018 Visiting Artist Talk, Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary, AB
  • 9/11/2017 What Worked for Me 2, AirCRAFT Emerging Artist Residency, NSCCD, Halifax, NS
  • 10/2017 Kyle Alden Martens & Emily Lawrence Interview by David Dahms - Visual Arts NS
  • 12/9/2016 What Worked for Me, AirCRAFT Emerging Artist Residency, NSCCD, Halifax, NS
  • 12/2015 Donor Appreciation Reception, NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
  • 11/30/2015 EQUIPMENT - Residency Exhibition, Khyber Center for the Arts, Halifax, NS
  • 10/18/2015 Khyber / Pleiades Panel Discussion, Halifax NS
  • 6/2015 DOCUMENTS, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 9/2014 Over the Hill Performance Series, Eyelevel Gallery
Relevant Work Experience
  • Teaching
  • 9 - 12/2020 Part-Time Faculty, SCUL 210, Sculpture and Material Practices,
  • Concordia University, Montréal, QC
Research Assistant
  • 5/2019 - 12/2019 Research Assistant to Kelly Jazvac, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
Teaching Assistant
  • 9/2021 - 11/2021 Teaching Assistant to Stefan Jovanovic, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
  • 9/2021 - 11/2021 Teaching Assistant to Karen Kraven, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
  • 01/2021 - 4/2021 Teaching Assistant to Kelly Jazvac, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
  • 01/2020 - 04/2020 Teaching Assistant to Lorraine Oades, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
  • 9/2019 - 11/2019 Teaching Assistant to Karen Kraven, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
  • 1/2019 - 4/2019 Teaching Assistant to Mary Sui Yee Wong, Concordia University, Montréal, QC
Gallery Work
  • 7/2015 - 6/2016 Administrative Coordinator - Mary E Black Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2013 - 9/2015 Installation/Archiving Assistant - Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 5/2015 - 9/2015 & 6/2016 Casual Studio Assistant to Eleanor King, Halifax, NS
  • 4/2014 - 12/2015 Lighting Technician - Mary E Black Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 11/2013 - 3/2014 Art Sale Associate - Seeds Gallery, Halifax, NS
  • 10/2010 - 7/2011 Paid Intern - Art Gallery of Swift Current, Swift Current, SK
Collections
  • Private Collections

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