b. Toronto.  Lives in London, UK

EDUCATION
2006

MFA Goldsmiths College, London

2000

AOCAD Diploma, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto

1996-98

Fine Art Program, Concordia University, Montreal

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024

English Paintings, Vardaxoglou, London.

Les Rapports, Bradley Ertaskiran, Montreal

2023

Extended Family, Vardaxoglou, London

Foliates, Sundy, London

2022

Partitions, Galeria Nuno Centeno, Porto

2021

Common Eras, Bradley Ertaskiran, Montreal

2020

Thank you India, Goodbye Pakistan, Hello England, Freehouse, London

2019

Maghrib, Parisian Laundry, Montreal

2015

I & I, Kunsthalle Winterthur, Winterthur

Licking Forward Tangerine, noshowspace, London

2014

CAPITAL!, Galerie Michael Janssen, Berlin

One Minus One, Ana Cristea Gallery, New York

2013

Wishful Thinking, Vous Etes Ici, Amsterdam

Shaan Tariq Hassan-Syed, Birch Libralato, Toronto

2011

Hole, Vous Etes Ici, Amsterdam

2009

Please Play By The Rules, Galerie Michael Janssen, Berlin

2008

Stage, Birch Libralato, Toronto

2007

Arena, Brown, London

2005

Crowds and Constellations, PlugIn ICA, Winnipeg and Art Gallery of Windsor

2004

Two Dogs Fucking, Mercer Union Peephole, Toronto

2003

People Systems, Robert Birch Gallery, Toronto

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024

Unreal City; Abstract Painting in London, Saatchi Gallery London.

2023

Gifts from the Future; Selections from the Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

2022

There Goes the Neighbourhood, Indigo + Madder, London

What Now?, PM/AM Gallery, London

Abstract Hallelujah, Lundgren Gallery, Palma Mallorca

2021

Slow Burn, Indigo + Madder, London

2020

Offering, cur. by Fynn Leitch, Art Gallery of Peterborough, Ontario

When You Waked Up the Buffalo, cur. by Ben Lee Ritchie Handler, Nicodim Gallery, LA

2019

A Tapered Teardrop, Terrace Gallery, London

The Inhuman/Difficult Transition, cur. by Andrea Medjesi-Jones, Thames-Side Studios, London

2018

The Other Side, cur. by Justine Kohleal, The PowerPlant, Toronto

Destroyed by Shadows, Cornerstone Gallery at Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool

A Stranger Comes to Town, cur. by Norte Maar, Spring Break Art Show 2018, New York

Here, cur. by Swapnaa Tamhane, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

2016

John Moores Painting Prize 2016, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool

Manuel Graf and Shaan Syed, Herrmann Germann Contemporary, Zurich CH

Shaan Syed and Sam Windett, Patrick De Brock Gallery, Knokke BE

Works in Series, noshowspace, London

2015

The People’s Pamphlets, cur. by Jessica Cochrane, Spudnik Press, Chicago

The Violet Crab, cur. by Than Hussein Clarke and Vincent Honore, David Roberts Art Foundation (DRAF), London

New Century Abstracts, cur. by Carla Garnet, Art Gallery of Peterborough, Peterborough and Thames Art Gallery, Chatham-Kent

2014

On White, Geukins & DeVil, Antwerp and Knokke

Emergency 6 Biennial, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth

Patrick De Brock Gallery, Knokke

2013

Synesthesium, with Benjamin Brett and Stuart Cumberland, Ana Cristea Gallery, New York

2012

Paper Does Not Blush, Galerie Michael Janssen, Berlin

2011

The Multiple Show, Vous Etes Ici, Amsterdam

Fade Away, Transition Gallery, London and Gallery North, University of Northumbria

Inbetween, Doris McCarthy Gallery at the University of Toronto, Toronto

2010

Fifteen, cur. by Louise Hutchinson and George Henry Longly, S1 Artspace, Sheffield

Addendum, La Salle de Bains, Lyon

Jerwood Contemporary Painters 2010, Jerwood Space, London, Project Space, Leeds, Durham Art Gallery, Durham

Sophisticated Boom Boom (in Black and White), Domo Baal, London

2009

Baker’s Dozen, CGP Gallery, London

Supersurface, Laurent Delaye Gallery, London

Niko’s Rear Entrance, West Brunswick Sculpture Triennial, Brunswick

2008

ArtFutures 2008, Bloomberg Space, London

Foreground Background, cur. by Swapna Tamhane, Elementa Gallery, Dubai

2007

Where Something Becomes Nothing, S1 Artspace, Sheffield

Distinction, Galerie Michael Janssen, Cologne

Sovereign European Art Prize Exhibition, Rochelle School, London

2005

Wearetheartists, cur. by Oliver Kielmayer, International Biennale of Contemporary Art, National Gallery, Prague

2004

RBC 6th Canadian Painting Competition, Gallery One, Toronto (travelling nationally)

2003

RBC 5th Canadian Painting Competition, Museum London, London Ontario (travelling nationally)

2001

Expect Relevance, K3 Project Space, Zurich

RBC 3rd Canadian Painting Competition, Gallery One, Toronto (travelling nationally)

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2024

Ghosh, Ravi.  “The Conversation: Nurjahan Akhlaq and Shaan Syed”, ArtReview.com, 07 Mar 24

2023

Frankel, Eddy.  “Shaan Syed: Extended Family”, Time Out London, 23 Aug, 2023.

2021

Enright, Robert.  “The Future Past; Painting in Our Time: Manuel Mathieu, Shaan Syed, Bea Parsons, Amanda Boulos”, Border Crossings, Issue 156 May 2021.

2020

Green, Mazzy Mae, “Negotiation and Reciprocity; Shaan Syed at Freehouse”, Modern Matter, July 2020

2019

Mason, Shana Beth.  “Exploration/Excavation: An Interview with Shaan Syed”, Frontrunner Magazine, June 2019.

Tamhane, Swapnaa.  “A Stubborn Way to Encourage Real Looking”, Canadian Art online, 15 Aug 2019

2017

Vali, Murtaza.  “Toronto Reviews; Here: Locating Contemporary Canadian Artists, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto”, Artforum, (in print and online) November 2017

Taylor, Kate.  “Bringing the Hyphen to the Nation”, Globe and Mail, July 28

Ricco, John Paul.  “The Commerce of Anonymity”Qui Parle: Critical Humanities and Social Sciences Journal, Vol. 26.  University of California at Berkely / Duke University Press

2015

Mort, Anna.  “Artist of the Week: Shaan Syed.”  LVL 3 Media, Dec. 1 2015

2014

Martinelli, Yasmine.  “Feature Shaan Syed: All Capitals!”  Lodown Magazine, Issue 94, 2014

Young, Paul David.  “Not for Sale: Outside the Convention Center in Miami.”  Hyperallergic, December 6, 2014

In The Frame.  “Artist’s Duvet Day Pays Dividends.” The Art Newspaper, December 2, 2014

Munro, Cait.  “The 10 Best Booths at UNTITLED.”  Artnet News, December 4, 2014

Balzer, David.  “Miami Slideshow: Hot Art from the North and Beyond.”  Canadian Art online, December 4, 2014.

Krishtalka, Sholem.  “Notes on a Toronto/Berlin State of Mind”, Canadian Art online, April 23, 2014.

Grothe, Simon, “Die Kunst der Erinnerung.”  Der Tagesspiegel, April 5, 2014, 17.

2013

Basciano, Oliver.  “The Andrew Project Book”  ArtReview 65, no.7 (October 2013), 154.

2010

Vermoortel, Pieternel.  “A Scene that Celebrates Itself; Conversation with Shaan Syed”, Tablet, Issue 03 2010.

2006

Eyland, Cliff.  “Sarah Anne Johnson and Shaan Syed”.  Border Crossings 25, no. 3 (August 2006), 117-118.

2005

Kielmayer, Oliver.  “Erkentnis im Dunkeln.”  Kunstbulletin, no. 10 (October 2005), 26-29.

2004

Driedger, Sharon Doyle.  “Ten Artists Who Rock”.  Maclean’s, January 12, 2004. 42.

Kielmayer, Oliver.  “Shaan Syed at Galerie Brigitte Weiss”, Canadian Art 21, no. 4 (December 2004), 78.

2003

Proudfoot, Shannon.  “15 Glimpses at Painting’s Future.”  National Post, November 20, 2003, sec. E, 6.

Dault, Gary Michael.  “Intimacy Once Removed.”  The Globe and Mail, August 16, 2003, sec. E, 3.

2001

Govani, Shinan.  “Searching for Jane.”  The National Post, November 3, 2001, sec. E, 7.

Fullerton, Kim.  “Shaan Syed’s Tricks of Memory.”  XTRA!, March 8, 2001. 33.

PUBLICATIONS and CATALOGUES
2024

Conversation between Stephen Andrews and Shaan Syed, published on occasion of solo show “Les Rapports” at Bradley Ertaskiran, Montreal.

2023

Breathing Colour, essay by Omar Kholeif, published on the occasion of solo show “Foliates” at Sundy, London.

2018

RBC Canadian Painting Competition 1999-2018, RBC and Canadian Art, essay by Justine Kohleal, exh. catalogue.

2017

Here: Locating Contemporary Canadian Artists, Aga Khan Museum:  Aga Khan Museum, ed.  Toronto, essay by Swapnaa Tamhane, exh. catalogue.

2015

Shaan Syed: Catalogue.  Kunsthalle Winterther, Kielmayer, Oliver ed. Cologne: Snoeck

The People’s Pamphlets; Shaan Syed.  Cochran, Jessica, ed.  Chicago: Spudnik Press, artist edition pamphlet.

Green Apples Cum Shots Graffiti. London: noshowspace, artist book.

New Century Abstracts.  Art Gallery of Peterborough and Art Gallery of Chatham, ed. Peterboroug: Art Gallery of Peterborough and Art Gallery of Chatham, exh. cat.

2014

Shaan Syed’s Fruit Milk Shade, Garnet, Carla.  Toronto: Open Studio, exh. pamphlet.

100 Painters of Tomorrow.  Beers, Kurt.  London: Thames and Hudson 2014.

2013

The Andrew Project; 1000 and Something Portraits in Toronto Berlin and London, 2010-2013.  Syed, Shaan.  London: S1 Artspace and FormContent 2013, artist book.

2011

The Responsive Subject: Guy Meese.  FormContent, ed.  London: FormContent, exh. cat.

2010

Chroma Design Architecture & Art in Color.  Glasner, Barbara and Schmidt, Petra, ed.  Basel: Birkhauser, 2010.

Jerwood Contemporary Painters.  Jerwood Visual Arts, ed. London: Jerwood Visual Arts, exh. cat.

2008

Carte Blanche Vol. 2: Painting.  Urquhart, Jane, ed. Toronto: The Magenta Foundation

Foreground/Background.  Tamhane, Swapna, ed. Dubai: Elementa Gallery, exh. cat.

Sovereign European Art Prize Exhibition.  Sovereign Art School, ed. London: Sovereign Art Foundation, exh. cat.

2005

Shaan Syed: Crowds and Constellations.  Matijcio, Steven and Liss, David, ed.  Winnipeg: PlugIn Editions,  Exh. cat.

RBC Painting Competition 10th Anniversary Book.  Richard Rhodes, et al.  Toronto: Royal Bank of Canada

AWARDS and GRANTS
2024

Arts Council England DYCP Grant

2018

Canada Council for the Arts, Development Grant

2013

Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award

Arts Council England / National Lottery UK, Project Grant

Canada Council for the Arts, Project Grant

2012

The Elephant Trust

2010

Jerwood Contemporary Painters

2006

Canada Council for the Arts, Development Grant

2003

Canada Council for the Arts, Emerging Artist Grant

COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of Peterborough, Peterborough

Barts Health NHS Trust (VitalArts), London

Bank of America, Oklahoma

Bloomingdales, New York

CDPQ Global Investing, Montréal / London

Claridge Collection, Montreal

Collection Majudia, Montréal

Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto

Duke University Hospital Art Collection, Raleigh NC

EF Education First, Zurich

Goldsmiths College, University of London

Helabank, Berlin

Ivey Collection, London ON

Modern Forms, London

MoMa Library, New York

National Bank / Banque Nationale, Canada

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

RBC Royal Bank of Canada

Saatchi Collection, London

Scai The Bathhouse, Tokyo

Scotiabank, Canada

Soho House Group (Barcelona House), Barcelona

Stiftung Kunstlerhaus Boswil, Boswil

TD Canada Trust, Toronto

UBS Art Collection