Ryan Legassicke

Ryan Legassicke is a Canadian artist born in 1979. His work focuses on aesthetics, the build environment, memory and globalization.

With a background in furniture design and sculpture, Ryan’s work takes the form of sculpture, installations, site works and photographs. His efforts address the ways in which ideologies are manifested in the built environment and questions the resulting psychological effects. The results are often shown in non traditional locations including public space, historic sites and temporary exhibition venues.

Recent projects include the site specific work States of Security / Security States at Eastern State Penitentiary Historical Site in Philadelphia, PA (2012) and Shadows: Wall Disease at The Sculpture Center, Cleveland, OH (2014) and at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space in the Lower East Side, New York City (2014). Ryan has participated in residencies at Takt Kunstprojektraum in Berlin (2010) and at Spaulding Court in Detroit (2011). He has an MFA from the State University of New York at Buffalo (2009).

Ryan would like to acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and shares a studio with artist Janet Macpherson.

Solo Exhibitions
2015 Shadows (Wall Disease), Beit Zatoun House, Toronto, ON
2014 Shadows (Wall Disease), Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, New York, NY
2014 Shadows (Wall Disease), The Sculpture Center, Cleveland, OH (cat.)
2013 No Trespassing / Space Available & related works, 487 ½ Concord Ave, Toronto, ON
2012 States of Security/Security States, Eastern State Penitentiary Historical Site, Philadelphia, PA
2010 No Trespassing / Space Available, Art & Music Library Gallery, University of Rochester, NY
2009 No Trespassing / Space Available, 1716 Main St., Buffalo, NY
2007 Overgrown, curated by Shaun Moore & Julie Nicholson, MADE, Toronto, ON
2007 Whitby Junction Deja-vu, curated by Gil McElroy, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON
2002 A Faculty of Wonder, Marion Nicoll Gallery, Calgary, AB

Selected Group Exhibitions
2015 Jonald Dudd, curated by Chris Held, Lydia Cambron, Ben Garthus, City Bird Gallery, New York, NY
2015 Toronto Art Installers Art Show, curated by Blair Claxton, Charlotte Hale Gallery, Toronto, ON
2013 Borderline, curated by Megan Press, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON
2012 Radiant Dark, curated by Julie Nicholson & Shaun Moore, MADE off-site, Toronto, ON
2012 Made: Directions and Intersections in Current Canadian Design, curated by Julie Nicholson & Shaun Moore, The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, Clarington, ON (cat.)
2011 Urban Space, curated by Robert Blackson, Temple University Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Making Sense, curated by Dale Barret, John B. Arid Gallery, Toronto, ON
2011 Looking Back at the Future: 50 Years of Art at the TOAE, curated by Jennifer Rudder, First Canadian Place Gallery, Toronto, ON
2010 Takt Kunstprojektraum, Berlin, Germany
2008 Feasting Eyes, Artists Take on Food, curated by Gerald Mead, Kenan Center, Lockport, NY
2007 Whisper and Clang, curated by Melanie Egan, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON
2007 It’s a Beauty, curated by Dale Barret, Pearson International Airport, Toronto, ON
2006 Everyday Living & Other Helpful Hints, with Ryan McLay & Margaret Pryde, LOOP, Toronto, ON
2005 Come Up to My Room, curated by Pamila Matharu & Christina Zeidler, Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
2005 Alley Jaunt, curated by Paul McClure, Jennifer Bulthuis & Lise Beaudry, Toronto, ON
2005 Riverlands, Gallery 96, Stratford, ON (cat.)
2004 Junction Arts Festival, (storefront installation), Toronto, ON (juried)
2004 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, (also 2002, 2001, 2000, juried)
2003 Piano Works, curated by Gil McElroy, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, ON (cat.)
2000/01 Looking Forward, curated by Paul Greenhalgh, destinations included Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, Owen Sound, ON, McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON (cat.)

Selected Awards, Scholarships, Grants
2014 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2014, 12, 10 Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artists Grant
2013 Canada Council for the Arts Project Grant
2013, 11 Toronto Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant
2009 Canada Council for the Arts Research / Creation Grant
2008, 07 Deans Fellowship / Tuition Scholarship / Teaching Assistantship, State University of New York at Buffalo, NY
2006 Chalmers Professional Development Grant, Ontario Arts Council
2006 Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artists Grant
2004 Shelia Hugh Mackay Foundation Inc. Grant
2002 Pilchuck Glass School tuition Scholarship
2002, 01 Tyman and Victor Brosz Memorial Scholarship (ACAD)
2001 Best of Show, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (judges: Jessica Bradley, John Armstrong, Barbara Astman)
2001 Best Sculpture, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (judge: Carl Tacon)
2001 Illingworth Kerr Travel Scholarship, Alberta College of Art & Design
2000 Betty Kantor Award, Sheridan College School of Craft & Design

Talks, Visiting Artist, Residencies, Teaching
2012 Visiting Artist, State University of New York at Buffalo, Visual Studies Dept., Buffalo, NY
2012 Guest Faculty, Sheridan College Glass Studio, Oakville, ON
2011 Presenter, TEDx Bermuda (Separation Wall Global Park: A Proposal)
2011 Presenter, Homework: Infrastructures and Collaboration in Social Practice, presented by Broken City Lab, Art Gallery of Windsor, ON
2011 Artist in Residence, Spaulding Court, Detroit, Michigan
2010 Artist in Residence, Takt Kunstprojektraum, Berlin, Germany
2010 Instructor, Skateboard Deck Design, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON
2009, 08 Instructor of Record, Public Space, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
2008 Teaching Assistant, Gary Nickard - Intro to Critical Theory, SUNY @ Buffalo
2007 Instructor of Record, Basic Sculpture, SUNY @ Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
2007 Artist talk, Pecha Kucha, Soundlab, Buffalo, New York
2006 Guest Speaker, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, Alberta
2005, 04 Instructor, Klin Cast Glass Sculpture, Sheridan College School of Craft and Design, Oakville, Ontario
2003 Teaching Assistant for David Nash, North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster, Scotland, UK
2001 Summer Artists in Residence, Harbourfront Center, Toronto, ON

Professional Activities
2016-12 Installation Technician / Fabricator, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON
2016-15 Installation Technician / Fabricator, Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto
2015-09 Installation Technician / Fabricator, Harbourfront Center, Toronto, ON
2014 Fabricator for the exhibition Ron Thom & the Allied Arts, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON
2013 Fabricator for the exhibition Climate is Culture, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
2013 External Advisor, Living Arts Centre Artists in Residence Program, Mississauga, ON
2012 Curator, The Last Glass Show (the next glass show), Ontario Crafts Council Gallery, Toronto, ON
2009 Project Director, Beam Camp, Strafford, New Hampshire
2008 Project Assistant for Ingrid Calame, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
2008 Assistant to British artist David Nash, Bleanau Ffestiniog, Wales, UK

Collections
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON

Selected Bibliography
2015 Gil McElroy, “Ryan Legassicke: Wall Disease,” blog.sculpture.org, June 24.
2015 Allison Fonder, “Jonald Dudd Exhibition Challenges the Definition of Design,” core77.com, May 22.
2015 Douglas Max Utter, “Window to Sculpture Emerging Artists Series,” Sculpture Center, Cleveland, 14-15
2014 “Making and breaking barriers around the globe,” East Villager, New York, Oct.16, p3.
2014 Ann Albano, "Breaking Boundaries at The Sculpture Center," CAN Journal, Cleveland, Summer, 42.
2013 David Paterson, “City Strife: LAC unveils exhibition of urban grit,” Mississauga News, April 28.
2012 Nelda Rodger, ed. “Natural Selection,” AZURE, Toronto, May, 54-55.
2011 Sirkka Huish, “Speakers Touch a Variety of Topics at TEDx Bermuda,” The Royal Gazette Online, Bermuda, Nov. 30.
2009 Colin Dabkowski, "Theme Shift," The Buffalo News, Buffalo, April 17-24.
2008 Lucy Yau, “Feasting Eyes,” ARTVOICE, Buffalo, Sept. 11-17, 16-17.
2008 Dory Carr-Harris. “Made in Toronto,” Toronto Life, Toronto, February, 42-51.
2005 Lauren Hall. “An Essay” Riverlands. Stratford: Gallery 96.
2005 Kristi Cameron. “Up in the Old Hotel,” METROPOLIS, New York City, May, 70-72.
2005 Nelda Rodger, ed. “Rooms With a View,” AZURE, Toronto, May, 87.
2004 Ryan Legassicke. Still Life / Motion Life. (flip book) Toronto: self published.
2004 Rachel Gotlieb. “Ryan Legassicke & Tanya Lyons” Studio, Toronto, Summer issue, 4-6.
2003 Gil McElroy. Piano Works. Oshawa: Robert McLaughlin Gallery.
2001 John Kelsey & Rick Mastelli, eds. Studio Two: Traditions in Contemporary Furniture. Free Union, Virginia: The Furniture Society, 118.
2000 Ingrid Bachmann. “The Object Talks Back.” Looking Forward. Ed. Susan Warner Keene, Toronto: OCC, 45-50.

Education
2009 MFA Studio Practice State University of New York at Buffalo, NY
2002 BFA Glass/Sculpture Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary, AB
2000 dip. Furniture Design Sheridan College, Oakville, ON