“The head takes a long time to make and paint, on equal scale to one’s one. Making an imagined portrait is a kind of thought-transference project, it manifests curiosity in and empathy for the other.”
-Shary Boyle
Shary Boyle works across diverse media, including sculpture, painting, installation and drawing. The artist’s references and explorations include the history of ceramic figurines, folk art and ancient mythologies and is known for her bold, fantastical explorations of the figure. Highly crafted and deeply imaginative, her practice is activated through collaboration and mentorship the artist uses the uncanny as a way to create unique works that explore themes of gender politics and the female figure.
Shary Boyle represented Canada in the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. She has performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY (2008), The Hammer Museum, LA (2006) and the Olympia Theatre, Paris (2005). Shary Boyle is the recipient of the Hnatyshyn Foundation Award and the Gershon Iskowitz Prize. Boyle’s work is included in many public collections around the world including, Musee des Beaux- arts de Montreal, The National Gallery of Canada, La Masion Rouge Foundation, Paris and the Korea Ceramic Foundation.
Shary Boyle’s solo shows include Outside the Palace of Me, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON, 2021; Music for Silence, Buttermint Equilux, Louis Vuitton Maison, Toronto, ON, 2012; The Clearances, Space Gallery, London, 2007; Travels to the Realm Between, Katharine Mulherin Gallery, Toronto, ON, 2003; Lit From Within, VonRot GmbH, Berlin, 2001.
Boyle’s work has also been included in such group shows as For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, PQ, 2020; Dark Spring, Sargent’s Daughters, New York, 2019; Making Narratives, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, South Korea, 2017; Canadian Biennale 2017, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, 2017; Shine a Light: Canadian Biennial 2014, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2014; My Winnipeg, La Maison Rouge, Fondation Antoine de Galbert, Paris, 2011; Monster, West Vancouver Museum, Presented with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, Vancouver, BC, 2010; Darkness Ascends, Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON, 2006.
“The head takes a long time to make and paint, on equal scale to one’s one. Making an imagined portrait is a kind of thought-transference project, it manifests curiosity in and empathy for the other.”
-Shary Boyle
Shary Boyle works across diverse media, including sculpture, painting, installation and drawing. The artist’s references and explorations include the history of ceramic figurines, folk art and ancient mythologies and is known for her bold, fantastical explorations of the figure. Highly crafted and deeply imaginative, her practice is activated through collaboration and mentorship the artist uses the uncanny as a way to create unique works that explore themes of gender politics and the female figure.
Shary Boyle represented Canada in the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. She has performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY (2008), The Hammer Museum, LA (2006) and the Olympia Theatre, Paris (2005). Shary Boyle is the recipient of the Hnatyshyn Foundation Award and the Gershon Iskowitz Prize. Boyle’s work is included in many public collections around the world including, Musee des Beaux- arts de Montreal, The National Gallery of Canada, La Masion Rouge Foundation, Paris and the Korea Ceramic Foundation.
Shary Boyle’s solo shows include Outside the Palace of Me, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON, 2021; Music for Silence, Buttermint Equilux, Louis Vuitton Maison, Toronto, ON, 2012; The Clearances, Space Gallery, London, 2007; Travels to the Realm Between, Katharine Mulherin Gallery, Toronto, ON, 2003; Lit From Within, VonRot GmbH, Berlin, 2001.
Boyle’s work has also been included in such group shows as For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, PQ, 2020; Dark Spring, Sargent’s Daughters, New York, 2019; Making Narratives, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, South Korea, 2017; Canadian Biennale 2017, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, 2017; Shine a Light: Canadian Biennial 2014, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2014; My Winnipeg, La Maison Rouge, Fondation Antoine de Galbert, Paris, 2011; Monster, West Vancouver Museum, Presented with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, Vancouver, BC, 2010; Darkness Ascends, Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON, 2006.