Collection: Tom Dean

Tom Dean’s work defies easy categorization. Best known for his sculpture, he has also created paintings, videos and multiples. His art explores tensions between the ordinary and the mythical, ranging from miniature to monumental and referencing both everyday objects and classical imagery. Deeply material and physical, his works evoke themes of the psyche, desire and the soul.

Born in Markdale, Ontario (1947), Dean became a central figure in Montréal’s alternative art scene in the late 1960s. He co-founded Véhicule Art Inc and Véhicule Press, and co-published Beaux Arts magazine. His ambitious projects such as The Floating Staircase and Excerpts from a Description of the Universe were widely exhibited in Canada and the US. He lived in New York from 1986 to 1989, continuing to show work internationally.

In 1999, Dean represented Canada at the Venice Biennale, with a major exhibition and catalogue. His work has been collected by major institutions including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.

Source: Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Tom Dean CV