Nick Rooney 

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHY 

 

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Born in Calgary, Canada, Nick Rooney holds a Master of Arts in Painting from the University of the Arts London (Camberwell College of Arts). Early in his career, he focused on refining traditional oil painting techniques while grounding his contemporary work in art history. Rooney’s current practice investigates the tension between geometric minimalism and classical realism. He examines how painting—a single medium—can simultaneously create the illusion of depth and realism while embracing the flatness of shape and form. His compositions often remove classical subjects from familiar settings, placing them in

abstracted environments defined by balance, pressure, and transition. The resulting friction between realism and minimalism challenges viewers to reconsider how meaning is constructed. Rooney has exhibited both locally and internationally, including at the Saatchi Gallery and Scope Miami. His work is part of major collections including TC Energy, the Calgary Stampede Art Collection at the BMO Centre, and the JR Shaw Institute for Art at the Glenbow Museum. Nick Rooney is currently an Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at the University of Calgary. 

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​​​​​​​​​​​STATEMENT 

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My studio practice and research investigate painting as a visual language capable of producing seemingly contradictory outcomes: the convincing illusion of realism and the stark simplicity of geometric abstraction. Through hard-edge geometric minimalism, I construct environments that embody transition, where tension, pressure, weight, and the search for balance, classical realist techniques, I render subjects precisely while deliberately removing them from traditional contexts. My compositions draw inspiration from the Dutch Golden Age, particularly the work of Pieter Claesz, who positioned objects and fruit precariously along edges to evoke a sense of delicate balance and impending collapse. This body of work conceptualizes abstraction as a stage and realism as a character. The geometric forms engage in dialogue with the objects, serving as a framework to examine the historical lineage of still-life painting, the implications of climate change, wealth disparity, and the increasing strain on global food resources. In keeping with the traditions of still life, I invite viewers to critically examine how meaning is ascribed to objects in the world around them.

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​​CURRICULUM VITAE 

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EDUCATOR 

• Assistant Professor of Visual Studies, University of Calgary, Present 

• Alberta University of the Arts - Continuing Education Instructor, 2022-2025

• University of Calgary- Sessional Instructor,  2021-22

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EDUCATION 

2020

• Masters in Fine Arts, Painting.  University of the Arts London- Camberwell. London, England

2012

• Bachelor of Fine Arts , Painting . Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, Alberta. 

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PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

• Glenbow Museum, JR Shaw Institute for Art in Canada, 2025

• TC Energy, 2024

• BMO Centre, 2024

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REPRESENTATION

• Blumka Contemporary, New York, USA. 

• Loch Gallery, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto Canada. ​

• ​Ashdale Gallery, Vancouver Canada. 

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS 

2025

• Thin Edge of a Wedge, April 5-26. Loch Gallery Calgary

2023

• On the other side, April 13-27. Loch Gallery Calgary and Toronto

2022

• Nature's Edge, April 7-21. Loch Gallery Calgary

2018

• Messengers, Nov 22-23. New Edward Gallery, Calgary Alberta

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

• Scope Miami, Blumka Contmepary Presents Nick Rooney and Dan Witz, Art Basel Miami, Florida. 

2020

• Saatchi Gallery presents, London Grads Now- Royal College of Art, Slade School of Art, Goldsmiths: University of London. Saatchi Gallery. London, England. 

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2019 

• Ghost Stories, September 13-October 10. Ruberto Ostberg Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• Paint Pushers, 11th Annual Group Show, September 27-29, 1838 Westmount Rd NW, Calgary Alberta. 

2018​

• New Edward Gallery:Under Five Hundred Group Show, Dec 14- 22. New Edward Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• The Paint Exhibition, October 12-13. 239-29 Ave NE, Calgary Alberta.

• Art Calgary 2018 , March 15-17. cSpace King Edward , Calgary Alberta. 

• Peoples Portrait Prize, March 12-24. cSpace King Edward, Calgary Alberta .

2017

• Neon & Cream Pop up Show, December 1-2. St. Louis Hotel, Calgary Alberta. 

• ​Daydreamers Group Show, October 20-21. 239-29 Ave NE, Calgary Alberta. 

• Trinity Group Show, June 21-24. Christine Klassen Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• Connections 2017 Group Show, June 16-July 8. Ruberto Ostberg Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• Peoples Portrait Prize, March 19-25 . cSpace King Edward, Calgary Alberta. 

 

2016

• Unicorn Dreams Group Show, October 14-15. 239-29 Ave NE, Calgary Alberta. 

• Second Coming Group Show, June 24- 30. Christine Klassen Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• Connections 2016 Group Show, June 17-July 9. Ruberto Ostberg Gallery, Calgary Alberta. 

• Collaborations in Paint. Group Show , June 3-July 31. Peanut Gallery , Calgary Alberta 

 

2015

• The Changing Face, Calgary Contemporary Portraiture. Group Show, September 1-30.           Essentia, Calgary, Alberta             

• Connections 2015 Group Show. June 12-July 4, Ruberto Ostberg Gallery, Calgary Alberta 

 

2012 

• Louder Than Words ACAD Grad Show, May 17-26,  ACAD, Calgary, Alberta 2011  

• Terrible Disappointments Fourth Year Painting Show. November 6-12,   

    ACAD, Calgary, Alberta  

• 4th International Art Fair “Antik & Kunst Stuttgart -Sirdelfingen”. January, 

    Stuttgart, Germany 

 

2010 

•   Blank Canvas. October 1st, Higher Ground, Calgary, Alberta 

•   Arte Moderna Dalla Polonia. September 18- October 8, Gallery Pliedro,    Trieste Italy 

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PUBLICATIONS 

• ​Simes Jeremy, September 2015, Metro Calgary, Show Shines a light on Human side of Art. https://www.readmetro.com/en/canada/calgary/20150910/14/

• Out of Step Books Publishing, Copyright 2014, Excavate: Unearthing Artistic Skeletal Remains, Pg 207. 

 

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