Ian Wallace

Ian Wallace (born 1943) is a British-born Canadian artist, living and working in Vancouver, British Columbia. Wallace has been an influential figure in the development of an internationally acknowledged photographic and conceptual art practice in Vancouver called the Vancouver School since 1965.

Artistic practice Wallace has exhibited painting and photography nationally and internationally since 1965. He is known for juxtaposing monochrome painting and photography in a way that problematizes the differences between the two mediums, referencing aesthetic and social issues through themes of the studio, the museum, and the street.

Selected exhibitions In 2010, he began Abstract Paintings I – XII (The Financial District) and in 2014 gave the works to the National Gallery of Canada, complementing his 30 works already in the collection. They were shown at the National Gallery in 2015.

Education and teaching Wallace was raised in British Columbia and studied art history and theory at the University of British Columbia. During that time, Wallace became involved with Vancouver's artistic scene as a musician and poet while also exploring an interest in Conceptual art. Through his emphasis on the importance of a knowledge of art history, his support for visiting artist programs, and his progressive courses that examined the common history of various media including film, photography, and painting, Wallace influenced a generation of artists emerging from the Vancouver scene, including members of the so-called Vancouver School of artists, Jeff Wall, Ken Lum, Stan Douglas, Roy Arden and Rodney Graham.

Awards In 2004, Wallace received a Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts. He was also named an Officer of the Order of Canada, the second-highest honour for merit, in December 2012. In 2016, he was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

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