Jesse Harris (b. 1981, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) graduated with a BFA from the University of Guelph in 2007. Underpinned by his interest in media studies, Harris’ work takes subliminal messages found in advertising, brand icons, and Pop Art, as his points of departure. Using these references, Harris builds on the humor and double meanings embedded in mass imagery by teasing out the absurdity of the message.
Harris’ practice includes public projects, two of which are MIRROR AS SIGN at Art Metropole (2013) and YOU’VE CHANGED, which is still on view on Queen Street West (2012). Recent exhibitions include Cooper Cole, Toronto (2019); Night Gallery, Los Angeles (2017); University of Toronto Art Centre, Toronto (2016); Roberta Pelan, Toronto (2016); Greenpoint Terminal Gallery, New York (2014); Mercer Union, Toronto (2014); Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art, Winnipeg (2013); and The Power Plant, Toronto (2013). Harris lives and works in Toronto, Canada.
CV
Born 1981, Toronto, Canada
Lives and works in Toronto, Canada
Education
2007
Bachelor of Arts with Honours, College of Fine Art and Music, Studio Art, The University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
Solo Exhibitions
2019
Ad Nauseam, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
2017
Material Art Fair, COOPER COLE, Mexico City, Mexico
2016
Pop Up, Art Metropole, Toronto, Canada
2015
PATHS, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
JESSIE HARRIS, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
2014
TITLE IT YOURSELF (PUBLIC NEWSPAPER), Niagara Artists Centre Flea Market Gallery, St. Catharines, Canada
2012
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, Ed Video Media Arts Centre, Guelph, Canada
LANGUAGE SEX VIOLENCE, Georgia Scherman Projects, Toronto, Canada
2011
JESSE HARRIS, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
ID VICIOUS, Tomorrow, Toronto, Canada
JESSE WARS HERE, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
2010
HEART HOUSE SHOW, Hart House, University of Toronto, Canada
IDYEAHS, Georgia Scherman Projects, Toronto, Canada
2008
JESSE THE BODY, LE Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2004
WRONG-‐DOING, Zavitz Gallery, University of Guelph, Canada
2 & 3 Person Exhibitions and Collaborations
2016
NADA New York, with Jenine Marsh and Davida Nemeroff, COOPER COLE, New York, USA
Shangri-Lost, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, curated by Simon Cole, Roberta Pelan, Toronto, Canada
2015
NADA Miami, with Sara Cwynar and Bjorn Copeland, COOPER COLE, Miami Beach, USA
2014
DX Intersection: Rise Up, with Jeremy Jansen, Design Exchange, Toronto, Canada
Poster, with Jeremy Jansen, Greenpoint Terminal Gallery, Brooklyn, USA
NADA Miami, with Sara Cwynar and Vanessa Maltese, COOPER COLE, Miami Beach, USA
2012
Permanent Demand, with Andrew Jeffrey Wright & William Buzzell, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
2011
Shangri-Lost 6, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, 107 Shaw St., Toronto, Canada
2010
Brand New Work, Jeremy Jansen & Niall McClelland, 1424A Dundas St.W, Toronto, Canada
2009
Ennui Blanche, with Niall McClelland, unauthorized public project, Toronto, Canada
2008
Shangry-Lost 5, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, Emporium Gallery, Montreal, Canada
Shangri-Lost 4, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, Adrift, Toronto, Canada
2007
Shangri-Lost 3, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, Room & Board Gallery, Montreal, Canada
Shangri-Lost II, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, My Hero Gallery, Montreal, Canada
Shangri-Lost, with Jimmy Limit & Shawn Kuruneru, LE Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2006
Gateways II Bookland II, with Liisa Graham & Nicholas Kennedy, Runnymede Public Library, Toronto, Canada
2005
Gateways to Bookland, with Liisa Graham & Nicholas Kennedy, Port Credit Public Library, Port Credit, Canada
If Schools Out, What’s In?!, with Cameron McKnight-MacNeil, Zavitz Gallery, Guelph, Canada
Selected Group Exhibits
2018
Art Toronto, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
2017
True Lies, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2016
Showroom, curated by Sarah Robayo Sheridan, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery/University of Toronto Art Centre, Toronto, Canada
2015
Freedom Culture, The Journal Gallery, Brooklyn, USA
2014
40 Years, 40 Yeahs, Art Metropole 40th Aniversary Benefit, Union Station, Toronto, Canada
2 and a Half Men (or Colin Engle), COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
TBD, curated by Su-Ying Lee, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, Canada
Taking (A) Part, Mercer Union, Toronto, USA
Steve French, Side Effects Gallery, Brooklyn, USA
2013
Endless Vacation, COOPER COLE, Toronto, Canada
Garden Show, COOPER COLE (offsite), Toronto, Canada
Rock Art & the X-Ray Style, organized by Ryan Foerester, Brighton Beach, USA
More Than Two (Let It Make Itself), curated by Micah Lexier, The Power Plant, Toronto, Canada
2012
Like Minded, curated by Micah Lexier, Plug In ICA, Winnipeg, Canada
Power Ball: Quarter-Life Crisis, The Power Plant, Toronto, Canada
2009
Air Conditioned Jungle, curated by Gregory Elgstrand, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, Canada
Selected Public Works
2013
MIRROR AS SIGN, Art Metropole, Toronto, Canada
2012
YOU’VE CHANGED, organized by Spectrum Art Projects, Toronto, Canada
Selected Press
2016
Steadman, Ryan. “Highlights from NADA New York”, Observer
2015
Janowski, Maya. “Cooper Cole @ Art Basel”, The Editorial Magazine
White, Murray. “On the Wall: What’s in the galleries this week”, The Star
“Jesse Harris: Paths”, Canadian Art
Moore, Rhiann. “Jesse Harris: PATHS at Cooper Cole Gallery”,
“‘Road to Ruin’ at Cooper Cole, Toronto”, ARTnews
“The Top 10 Toronto artists to watch in 2015”, blogto
2014
Adam, James. “How Much Art Can You Take? MoCCA’s Thought Provoking Show Turns the Spotlight on Itself”, The Globe and Mail
2012
“Capital Gains”, Now Magazine
“‘You’ve Changed’ Mural by Jesse Harris”, Juxtapoz.com
“Poptimism: ‘Originality is Fake’ by Jesse Harris”, Art Nouveau Magazine