Jack Kenna

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Jack Kenna, "Kool Krates," 2022

found milk crate, stained glass, 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 5". Courtesy of the Gallery.

A multifaceted artist, Jack Kenna learned the aesthetics and techniques of stained glass from his mother, an accomplished artist in this realm. Drawing from his repeated experience of moving houses and studios over the years, Kenna has inadvertently collected dozens of plastic milk crates, using them for storage as well as makeshift DIY furniture. And now, these versatile objects serve as the basis for his art objects, accruing even greater value and purpose. The artist removes one side of each milk crate, refitting it with stained glass compositions that combine elements of Minimalism, Op art, and hard-edge abstraction in their design. Some sculptures are stacked into columns, others are randomly placed on the floor, while still others are lit from behind suggesting illuminated church windows or light boxes used in contemporary advertising (and subsequently in photography). By manipulating and combining such paradoxical materials, Kenna's sculptures embody strength and fragility in surprising, witty, and elegant ways.

Jack Kenna received his BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in 2019. He has participated in residencies at the Bonnie McComb Kreye Studio Residency and the Vancouver School Board. Recent exhibitions include Platforms 2020: Public Works, commissioned by the City of Vancouver; Gridworks, a solo exhibition at Slice of Life Gallery; Inside Cat at Telephone Gallery;Tumbling Blocks at Burrard Arts Foundation; and A Matter of Influence at Howard495. Jack Kenna lives and works in Vancouver.