Devon Knowles

Devon Knowles has a material centred practice and works primarily in sculpture. Emphasizing the production methods of objects as well as their materials, she formalizes the experience of these by reconfiguring both into new, unified works. These new sculptural forms question how these newly shaped proximities influence one another, and in turn, the language that surrounds them. Consistently central is the consideration of how things “fit together” and why. From coloured glass, steel and cast aluminum to fabric and street detritus, the varied histories, economies, and social meanings of diverse materials and processes are unpredictably combined. As she engages with elements of perception, opticality and tactility alongside the direct act of making, Knowles encourages the viewer to access her work from a shared intimacy and sympathetic attentiveness.

Her work has been included in exhibitions nationally and internationally including Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver; Vancouver Art Gallery; Or Gallery Berlin; Simon Fraser University Gallery, Burnaby; Western Front, Vancouver; and Off-Lomas, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her work is held in public and private collections including, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Claridge Collection (QC), the Medcan Collection (ON) and the Nanaimo Art Gallery (BC). She has received numerous public art commissions for both civic and private collections. 

Knowles is Assistant Professor (Studio) where she is head of Sculpture. Currently teaches in Sculpture and the MFA Graduate Seminar. She received a BA in Studio from the University of Guelph  (2001) and an MFA from the University of Victoria (2008).

Image : Devon Knowles, Grains of Sand, 2024, glass frit, nylon rope, painted metal, rubber, 56 x 18 x 4 in. (142 x 45 x 10 cm). Image c/o Catriona Jeffries, image credit: Rachel Topham Photography