• Born in 1981 in Mississauga, Ontario Lives and works in Toronto, Ontario

    Liddington acknowledges his relationship to the land as shaped by his settler ancestry as a third generation Canadian.

    After obtaining his BFA from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he focused on video and performance, Liddington completed an MFA at Western University, where he Graduated in 2007. Liddington’s work holds a continuous interest in cultural memory and it’s iterations through abstraction, representation and modernist forms of visual language. He is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including most recently a creation grant from Canada Council.

    Liddington’s work has been shown internationally, including performances in
    Athens, Greece and Onagawa, Japan, and select presentations in Toronto (AGO), Madrid (ARCO), Berlin (Art Berlin Contemporary), and New York (Frieze Art Fair, NADA). Liddington has had recent solo exhibitions at Cambridge Galleries (Ontario, Canada), SAAG (Lethbridge, Alberta), AKA Artist Run Center (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), and the AGYU (Ontario, Canada). Liddington has had multiple publications on his work, most recently a catalogue published jointly by the SAAG and AGYU with texts by Emelie Chhangur.

    A central part of Liddington’s practice is his use of residencies as a means of developing ideas of space and place. These include residencies at the AGYU (Toronto, ON), AKA artist-run (Saskatoon, SK) and Onagawa AIR (Japan). Liddington has been the recipient of numerous public and foundation grants, including support from the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts as well as being a finalist for the Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts. Liddington currently practices in Toronto, ON.



    Represented by: Daniel Faria Gallery

    I would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council as well as the Toronto Arts Council

    Education
    2007 University of Western Ontario, MFA
    2004 Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, BFA

    Exhibitions: Solo
    2022 Richmond Art Gallery, tba, Richmond, BC
    2021 Musée d’art de Joliette, tba, Joliette, QU
    2018 Daniel Faria Gallery, After, before, yesterday, meanwhile, now, you, me, those, the others, right and left, Toronto, ON
    2017 Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) (curator: Emelie Chhangur), the body will always bend before it breaks, the tower will always break before it bends, Toronto, ON
    2017 Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) (curator: Ryan Doherty), , the tower will always break before it bends, the body will always bend before it breaks, Toronto, ON
    2015 Daniel Faria Gallery, Some Objects and a Nude, Toronto, ON
    2015 Aka Gallery, It wasn’t until I closed my eyes that I could finally see what was there all along,
    Saskatoon, SK
    2014 Art Gallery Of Ontario, The Sun Has Always Set From East To West (Curator: Melissa Smith), Toronto,
    ON
    2013 Cambridge Galleries, Every moment can be traced back to the first time I felt the warmth of the
    sun touch my face, (Curator: Iga Janik), Cambridge, ON
    2013 Daniel Faria Gallery, Modern Love, Toronto, ON
    2012 Today a Legend Died. Viva La Revolution, Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto, ON
    2011 A Group of Objects, Come up to My Room: Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
    2010 coup de grâce, Clark and Faria, Toronto, ON
    2010 Neon Sign (The Warriors), Gallery 1313 (curater: Elizabeth Underhill), Toronto, ON
    2008 Appropriate Follies, XPACE Cultural Centre, Toronto, ON
    2008 Dr. No reading machine, Artmetropole, Toronto, ON

    Exhibitions: Group
    2018 MacLaren Art Centre (curator: Renée van der Avoird), Longevity or a Lack Thereof, Barrie, ON
    2016 Art Museum at the University of Toronto (curator: Emelie Chhangur), Rehearsal for Objects Lie on a Table, Toronto, ON
    2015 8-11, Flesh, Leaf, Marble, Twig, Toronto, ON
    2013 Fieldtrip Project (curator: Daisuke Takeya), Japan
    2012 Living Arts Centre (curator: Cole Swanson), Homecoming, Mississauga, ON
    2012 Le Gallery (curator: Amanda Needham), Death in the City, Toronto, ON
    2012 Daniel Faria Gallery (curator: Rui Amaral), New Meditations, Toronto, ON
    2012 Cambridge Galleries (curator: Iga Janik), MINI GOLF: A Social Practice, Cambridge, ON
    2012 Ed Video, K-Town, Guelph, ON
    2011 Angell Gallery / XPACE Cultural Centre, K-Town, Toronto, ON
    2011 Meet us on the Commons, AGM, Mississauga, ON (curated by Elizabeth Underhill)
    2011 Celebrity Still Life, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON (June) (curated by Cole Swanson)
    2010 Reality Check, Clark and Faria, Toronto, ON
    2010 Here, There and Nowhere, Board of Directors, Toronto, ON
    2010 Clark and Faria, Art Toronto 2010, Toronto, ON
    2009 Landscape for a Modern Day Canadian Vampire, Spark Contemporary, Syracuse, NY
    2009 group show, Zero to One Gallery, Kitchener, ON
    2009 Assembly, Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver, BC
    2009 Bowie, Clark and Faria, Toronto, ON
    2009 Clark & Faria Presents, Clark and Faria, Toronto, ON
    2007 Showcase 07, Cambridge Galleries (curated by Daniel Faria and Ivan Jurakic), Toronto, ON
    2007 Two Steps Back, (curated by Sarah Todd), Interaccess: Electronic Media Arts Centre, Toronto, ON

    Performances
    2015 Puerto Rico, Two Dancers, Athens, Greece
    2015 Nuit Blanche Saskatoon, An opera about a column made by union workers, who are played by non-union actors, without an opera (Curated by: Tarin Hughes), Saskatoon, SK
    2014 Canadian Opera Company (Operanation), A Tale of Two Pairs of Lovers and the Sun, as Told by Three Men (Jeux), Toronto, ON
    2014 Scotia Bank Nuit Blanche, The Sun has Always Set From East to West (Curated by: Denise Markonish), Toronto, ON
    2013 Onagawa AIR, Together we could have a revolution, Onagawa, Japan.
    2012 Born to Run (Site, 1964), OAAG at Hart House (UofT), Toronto, ON
    2011 Dandy Gangs, Kariya Park / Celebration Square / Square One, Mississauga, ON
    2010 Allegory for a Rock Opera, Nuit Blanche, Toronto, ON
    2010 Ballad for a working class pomo, Powerplant: Powerball 12, Toronto, ON

    Fairs
    2020 ARCO, Daniel Faria Gallery, Madrid, Spain
    2009-19 Art Toronto, Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto, Canada
    2016 Art Athina, 8-11 Gallery, Solo Booth, Athens, Greece
    2016 Art Toronto, Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto, ON
    2014 NADA New York, two-person, New York, USA
    2013 ABC Art Berlin Contemporary, Solo Booth, Berlin, Germany
    2012 Art Toronto, Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto, ON
    2011 Art Toronto, Performance: Dandy Gangs, Toronto, ON
    2011 Art Toronto, Daniel Faria Galelry, Toronto, ON
    2009 Art Toronto, Clark and Faria, Toronto, ON

    Residencies
    2019 Grey Church, Vancouver, BC
    2016 Art Gallery of York University – with York University dance students, Toronto, ON
    2015 AKA Artist Residency Program, Saskatoon, SK.
    2013 Onagawa AIR, Onagawa, Japan.
    2011 vsvsvs artist residency, Toronto, ON
    2009 Spark Contemporary, Syracuse, NY

    Curatorial Projects
    2015/16 The Conversationalists I/II/III/IV/V, Scrap Metal Gallery, Toronto, ON
    2012 Youth Line Auction, Neubacher Shor, Toronto, ON
    2011          What Goes Around Comes Around, XPACE Cultural Centre, Toronto, ON
    2008          Driving in the landscape, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
    2007          Its all been done / Whats been done, University of Western Ontario,
             Graduate student conference / exhibition, London, ON
    2004 Steps of a Prescribed Procedure, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
    2003          SOtA: student publication, NSCAD / Khyber gallery, Halifax, NS

    Corporate Collections
    Scotiabank, Corporate Art Collection, Toronto, ON
    National Bank of Canada, Corporate Art Collection, Montreal, QU
    RBC, Corporate Art Collection, Toronto, ON
    TD Bank Financial Group, Corporate Art Collection, Toronto, ON
    BMO Financial Group, Corporate Art Collection, Toronto, ON
    Soho House, Chicago, USA
    Soho House, London, UK

    Donations
    2017 Auction, Stellar Living 2017, Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
    2015 Auction, Canadian Art Foundation, Toronto, ON
    2015 Auction, Project 31, OCAD University Toronto, ON
    2013 Auction, C Magazine Toronto, ON
    2013 Auction, Stellar Living 2013, Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
    2012 Auction, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto, ON
    2012 Auction, Youth Line Auction, Toronto, ON
    2011/12 Auction, XPACE Cultural Centre
    2011 Auction, Art with heart, Toronto, ON
    2011 Auction, TPW: Photorama, Toronto, ON
    2011 Auction, Cmagazine, Toronto, ON
    2011 Auction, Western Front, Vancouver, BC
    2010 Auction, Canadian Art Foundation, Toronto, ON

    Talks/Panels
    2015 Workshop: professionalism in the arts, CARFAC Ontario, Toronto, ON
    2015 Art Now: Artist Talk, Western University, London, ON
    2015 Artist Talk, 8-11, Toronto, ON
    2015 Artist Talk, University of Saskatoon, Saskatoon, SK
    2015 A User’s Guide to Looking, Lecture Series: The Artist Project, Toronto, ON
    2014 Sculpture Now, University of Waterloo, Toronto, ON
    2014 Artist Talk, OCAD University, Toronto, ON
    2013 Artist Talk, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON
    2013 Artist Talk, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
    2012 Chair: Approaching Multi-Disciplinary Studio Education, UAAC-AAUC, Montreal, QU
    2012 Artist Talk, Conversations from the Toronto Art World, UofT, Toronto, ON
    2011 Presenter, OAAG Art Box, Toronto, ON
    2011 Artist Talk, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
    2010 Panelist: Sculpture as Time, AGO / AGO NEXT, Toronto, ON
    2010 Artist Talk: The Warriors, Gallery 1313, Toronto, ON
    2009 Moderator: Contemporary Drawing, XPACE, Toronto, ON
    2009 Moderator: Pedagogy Panel, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, ON
    2009 Guest Speaker: Spring Forward! A Resource (Share) Fair for Emerging Arts Professionals, OAAG, Toronto, ON
    2009 Moderator: Hot Buttons / Pointe Chaud, Ottawa, ON
    2008 Artist Talk: Appropriate Follies, XPACE Cultural Centre, Toronto, ON
    2008 Guest Speaker: Professionalism in the Arts!, St. Thomas - Elgin Public Art Centre, ON

    Published Writing
    2016 The not for profit side of the cultural sector needs you, published in Creating Momentum, OCAD University, Toronto, ON
    2013 Interview, Derek Liddington: A Love Story, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON
    2013 Editor/Author, Critique Workbook, WLC/OCAD U, Toronto, ON
    2010 Essay: A look at the Aesthete: after a being caught in a bad romance, XPACE, Toronto, ON
    2007 Can I Borrow That? Thesis Paper, University of Western Ontario, London, ON

    Jury Participation
    2014 Juror, Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant, Visual Arts Program, Toronto, ON
    2011/12/13 Juror, OCAD U Student Gallery, Toronto, ON
    2012 Juror, Youth Line Auction, Neubacher Shor, Toronto, ON
    2009 Juror, White Water Gallery, Annual Drawing Exhibition, North Bay, ON
    2008 Juror, Ontario Arts Council Project Grant, Visual Arts Program, Toronto, ON
    2008 Steering Committee, ArtLab, London, ON

    Grants / Awards
    2020 Creation Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto, ON
    2017 Mid-Career Artist Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2016 Production Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto, ON
    2016 Travel Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto, ON
    2015 Emerging Artist Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2014 Level 2: Mid-Career, Toronto Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2013 Travel Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto, ON
    2013 Emerging Artist Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2012 Level 1: Emerging Artist Grant, Toronto Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2011 Artist Prize - Shortlist, Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON
    2011 Production Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto, ON
    2011 Emerging Artist Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2009 Level 1: Emerging Artist Grant, Toronto Arts Council, Toronto, ON
    2008 Exhibition Assistance Grant, Ontario Arts Council, London, ON
    2008 Project Grant (curatorial), London Community Foundation, London, ON

    Catalogues/ Publications
    2017 TBA, Art Gallery of York University/Southern Alberta Art Gallery .
    2015 Flesh, Marble, Leaf and Twig, Stefanos Ziras & Eleni Papadimitriou, Derek Liddington. 2015. 8-11, Toronto, Canada.

    2013 A Love Story: Derek Liddington, Cambridge Galleries

    Bibliography
    2019 the body will always bend before it breaks, the tower will always break before it bends, AGYU/SAAG, 2019
    2017 Todd, Sarah. Flesh, Performing Objects, Readymade Bodies, Luma Quarterly, Issue 09, Volume 3 (Summer, 2017)
    2015 Randle, Chris. Flesh, Marble, Leaf and Twig, Art in America (November, 2015)
    2015 Genda, Dagmara. A New Level of Anxiety in Derek Liddington, MOMUS (Fall, 2015)
    2013 Janik, Iga. Derek Liddington: Interview, Cambridge Galleries (Winter, 2013)
    2013 Genda, Dagmara. Derek Liddington: A Love Story, Cambridge Galleries (Winter, 2013)
    2012 Walker, Ellen. Today a Legend Died, Cmagazine (Winter ,2012)
    2012 Needham, Amanda. Death in the City, Pilot (Summer, 2012 Issue 10)
    2012 Vaughan, R.M. Fender Blender, Globe and Mail (May 04, 2012)
    2011 Lau, Charlene K., Magenta Magazine
    2010 Starr, Lori. Artsync: Artists Interview, Fall, 2010, http://www.artsync.ca/interview-derek-liddington/
    2010 Genda, Dagmara. Artist Profile, BlackFlash 2.0, Summer, 2010, Issue 27.3
    Speciale, Michele. On Now, ArtSync.ca, Fall, 2010
    2010 Enright, Robert, Borderview: The Canonoclast: Derek Liddington, Border Crossing, March, 2010, Issue 113
    2009 Whyte, Murray. McFarland, Kydd, Gillmore, Kurland and everyone else at Clark & Faria, Toronto Star: Blog, 06/08/2009
    2008 Ho, Stacey. Reading Machine for Dr. No, Things of Desire, volume 1 number 8, 2008
    2008 Todd, Sarah. Two Steps Back, published by Interaccess, 2008.
    Smith, Greg J. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back, published by the torontoist, July 18, 2007
    2007 Dault, Gary Michael. Coke machine glows, Globe and Maill, August 4, 2007