Maya Kulenovic is a Canadian painter, based in
Toronto. She was born in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia Herzegovina) in 1975.
She studied classical piano at the Sarajevo Conservatory from 1984 to 1992,
followed by a three years Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in painting at Mimar
Sinan University in Istanbul, Turkey. Between 1995 and 1997, she completed an
AOCAD Honours course at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, and in
1998 she graduated with a Master of Arts from the Chelsea College of Art and
Design in London, England, during which she was a resident at the Goodenough
College, also in London.
An artist's technique often gives clues to how
he/she thinks about his subjects, life, beauty, and mortality. Maya Kulenovic's
aesthetics lies in the combination of vulnerability and strength of her
subjects, and the same can be seen in the way she handles her material. In her
paintings there is a constant dialogue between spontaneity and control. Her
technique comes from the tradition of old masters, which she studied for many
years. She uses translucent glazes and dark palette to create chiaroscuro
effects reminiscent of Caravaggio and Rembrandt; yet her work does not have the
obsessive or decorative quality of many contemporary paintings in 'traditional
realist' style. Instead, Maya Kulenovic's technique is expressive, direct,
fresh, and often challenging; and it invites the viewer to participate
emotionally in the work.
EDUCATION
1997-98 Master of Arts, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, England
1997-98 Residency at Goodenough College, London, England
1995-97 Fine Arts Department, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto. AOCAD
Honours.
1992-95 Painting Department, Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul, Turkey. BFA
program.
1984-92 Conservatory training in classical piano, Sarajevo, BH
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2006 MAYA KULENOVIC, QUAB Gallery, Art
Central, Calgary (April)
ECHOES OF THE LAMENT, Gallerie Luz, Montreal (March- April)
PENUMBRA, Blackheath Gallery, London, England (May)
2005
WAKE, QUAB Gallery, Art Central, Calgary
2003
YEAR ZERO, SPIN Gallery, Toronto
2002
SUBLIME, Partners Films, Toronto
2001
INTER NOS, ZYPR Gallery Toronto
MAYA KULENOVIC: Portraits, Una Mas, Toronto
2000
SEER, I-Land Gallery, Toronto
MAYA KULENOVIC, Partners Films, Toronto
EXPOSURE, SPIN Gallery
CAPRICE II, La Vitrine, Scotia Plaza, Toronto
1999
PROCESSION Gallery 89, John Abbott College, Montreal
CAPRICE, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto
MAYA KULENOVIC, paintings, Revolutionary Bean cafe, Beaches, Toronto
1996-98 VERTIGO
studio MFA show, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, UK
WALLS-VOIDS Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto
GROUP EXHIBITIONS- SELECTED
2006
Galerie Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
War, QUAB Gallery, Calgary
Stampede, QUAB Gallery, Calgary
Fence Project; Sungnam - Pangyo, Korea - Public Design Innovation Centre
Abstract Mind Mural, A. Castilo Art Foundation; Museum of Science and Industry,
Chicago
2005
1040 Gallery, Montreal
QUAB Gallery, Calgary
International Women in Art, Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago
Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago
2004
QUAB Gallery, Calgary
INANIMATION, Museum of the Future, Toronto (installation, Collaboration with A S
Hamilton)
Art at War, Chicago State University, Chicago
Art at War, Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago
Auction of M Kulenovic paintings at Boston College, Boston (Benefit for FOB )
1999
Sable- Castelli Gallery, Toronto. Three people exhibition with Marianna Gartner
and Julie Moos.
1995-04 Hot'n'Fresh, SPIN Gallery, Toronto
Mini-Me SPIN Gallery, Toronto
Toronto Fashion Show, SPIN Gallery, Toronto
Gender Less Generation, SPIN Gallery, curator Juno Youn, Toronto
Faculty exhibition, MacLaren Gallery, Georgian College, Barrie
Children of the Revolution, Fleurs du Mal Gallery, Toronto
Sable- Castelli Gallery, Toronto
Rhythm, Ritual and Repetitive Action, curated by Virginia MacDonnell, Propeller
CVA
Pump House, London, England. Chelsea College MFA show.
Divine, curated by Rae Johnson, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts.
John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto.
The DD Exhibition 1996, International Drawing Exhibition, Kyoto, Japan
Inaugural Exhibition, Propeller Gallery, Toronto
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Nathan Philips Square (Best Student Award)
Touring exhibition at Marmara, Istanbul and Bosphorus Universities, Istanbul
SIEMENS. Juried exhibition organized by the Siemens Inc.
AWARDS AND GRANTS 1996-99
Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation Grant
London Goodenough Trust bursary
Mudge Massey Graduate Travelling Scholarship
David L. Stevenson Scholarship
Mrs. W.O. Forsyth Scholarship
was offered the Ontario- Quebec Student Exchange Fellowship
Av Isaacs Tuition Scholarship
NCR Canada Ltd. (Best Student Award), Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
REVIEWS AND CATALOGS-SELECTED
Art at War, Chicago Sun -Times, Galleries, by Margaret Hawkins
Art at War, Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture, by Bara Sapir
ZED TV, YEAR 0, Maya Kulenovic. CBC Vancouver
The Globe and Mail, Inter Nos exhibition image and review, listings section, Nov
2001
Eye Magazine, Exposure Exhibition Review, Sep 2000
MIX Magazine, Caprice, Summer issue 1999
The Globe and Mail, Sable-Castelli exhibition review, Gallery Going, Feb 1999
Rhythm, Ritual and Repetitive Action exhibition catalogue,
MA 1998, Chelsea College of Art an Design, London, England, exhibition catalogue
The DD Exhibition catalogue, Kyoto, Japan
Soho International Art Catalogue, New York
* And numerous on-line based magazines
TEACHING POSITIONS
2002 Art History. Industrial Design Department, Humber
College, Toronto
2001 Art History. Industrial Design Department, Humber
College, Toronto
Drawing From
Imagination. Fine Arts Department, Georgian College, Barrie
Concept in
Drawing. Fine Arts Department, Georgian College, Barrie
2000 Painting Studio Course. Faculty of Art and Design,
Georgian College, Barrie.
Life Drawing
Course. Faculty of Art and Design, Georgian College, Barrie.
Computer
Imagery Course. Faculty of Art and Design, Georgian College, Barrie.
LECTURES AND ARTICLES 1998-2000
Core, a critical essay published in L'Espace magazine, Summer. Montreal.
Peter Horvath at Spin Gallery, shotgun review, LOLA magazine
Toronto Artist Run Culture panel discussion, Georgian College, Barrie
slide presentation of own work and discussion, Georgian College, Barrie
slide presentation of own work, London Goodenough Trust, London, England
* and many private slide presentations.