KEELEY HAFTNER
Canadian artist (b. 1985)
Based in The Hague, NL
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts (Studio)
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Chicago, USA
2014–2016 — Fiber and Material Studies
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
2007–2011 — Magna cum laude; Triple Major: Sculpture, Printmaking, Painting
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
(* indicates juried)
2026–2026 — Representative, Haagse Broedplaatsen / Stichting Ruimtevaart, NL
2024–2026 — Art Collective Member, Stichting Ruimtevaart, De Helena Building, The Hague, NL
*2018–2026 — Haagse Kunstenaar, Stroom, The Hague, NL
2024 — Stage Work Placement Mentor, Mercurius College, The Hague/Delft, NL
2021–2023 — Member, Artist Support Group (founded by Michael Shaw), Los Angeles, USA
2021–2023 — Writer-in-Residence, Bad at Sports, Chicago, USA
2018–2020 — Member, Makerspace Leiden, Leiden, NL
2017–2020 — Writer/Production Assistant, Bad at Sports, Chicago, USA
2013–2018 — Studio Assistant: Cauleen Smith; Tammi Campbell; Frances Whitehead
2016–2017 — Co-Founder / Curator, Public Access Gallery, Chicago, USA
2015–2016 — Sustainability Student Coordinator, SAIC, Chicago, USA
2015–2016 — Research Assistant, Textile Resource Center (SAIC), Chicago, USA
2014–2016 — Teaching Assistant, SAIC, Chicago, USA:
• Designed Objects: Milan (Helen Maria Nugent & Jim TerMeer)
• Papermaking (Andrea Peterson)
• Oil Painting (Magalie Guerin)
• Politics of Knitting (Karolina “kg” Gnatowski)
• Hardcore Repeat (Christine Tarkowski)
2013 — Docent, Mendel Art Gallery (now Remai Modern), Saskatoon, CA
2012–2014 — Director / Founder / Curator, Street Meet: Saskatoon’s Annual Street, Public and Graffiti Art Festival, Saskatoon, CA
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
2023 — Carbon Copies, curated by Wendy Gers, Keramiekmuseum Princessehof / EKWC@Princessehof, Leeuwarden, NL
2023 — Tesselescence, curated by Laura Shaeffer, Compound Yellow Gallery, Chicago, USA
2017 — limitless future, limited reflection, curated by Sibylle Friche, Paris London Hong Kong, Chicago, USA
*2017 — Tesselescence, Struts Gallery Inc, Sackville, CA
*2017 — Reasonable Grounds, Third Space Gallery, Saint John, CA
2014 — Potsherds, curated by Lucien Durey, HAUNT Gallery, Iceland
2014 — Potsherds, curated by Anitra Hamilton, Satchel Gallery, Canada
2013 — 7 Propositions, The Vault Gallery / Bruno Arts Bank, Bruno, CA
2013 — Waste Warrior Women of the Post-Saskatchewan Apocalypse, The Vault Gallery / Bruno Arts Bank, Bruno, CA
*2011 — Becoming / The Living Is Easy, Struts Gallery Inc, Sackville, CA
GROUP
2025–26 — Not a Soft Thing, SPARC, Chicago Cultural Center (DCASE), Chicago, USA
2025 — Murmurations, curated by Emily Lanctot, DeVos Art Museum, Marquette, USA
2025 — What We Carry, invitational, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, USA
*2025 — Let’s be Real, invitational, Heaven Gallery, Chicago, USA
2024 — 1en1is1, curated by A&J (Anne Verhoijsen & Jos Houweling), Arti en Armicitiae, Amsterdam, NL
2023 — Expositie Keramiekprijs De Kei, Museum Prinsenhof Delft, NL
2023 — Material Girl, curated by Annie Wischmeyer, ICA + The Poor Farm Experiment, IT
2023 — Indeterminate Limits, curated by Scotland Cook, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CA
2022 — CrisisFEST, curated by Maria Korporal, GG3 Gallery & Werkstadt Berlin, DE
2021–22 — Still Life, curated by Edra Soto, The Franklin Outdoor, Chicago, USA
2021 — Tesselescence, curated by Marlene Krygowski, Garden Apartment Gallery, Chicago, USA
2020 — Winifred Shantz Award Digital Exhibition, Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, CA
2020 — Life as We Know It, curated by Megan MacLaurin, InterAccess Gallery, Toronto, CA
2020 — FeMailArt, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, USA
2020 — ART-IN-PLACE, CNL Projects & Terrain Exhibitions, Chicago / The Hague
*2020 — RMG Exposed Online Exhibition, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, CA
*2019 — Artists for Future, Global 3000, Berlin, DE
2019 — Currents 826, Parallel Studios Inc, Santa Fe, USA
2018 — Role Call, curated by Bryn Jackson & Jenn Cooper, Sugar Space, Indianapolis, USA
*2018 — Edging Forward, IPCNY, New York, USA
*2018 — Beyond Words, curated by Danny Floyd, Chicago Artists Coalition, USA
*2017 — In Your Head, curated by Meg Noe, Chicago Artists Coalition, USA
2017 — Drawing, Randy Alexander Gallery, Chicago, USA
*2017 — Property, Roman Susan / Rogers Park-West Ridge Historical Society, Chicago, USA
2017 — We need to talk…, Petzel Gallery, New York, USA
2017 — On the Far Side of the Marchlands, curated by Morehshin Allahyari & Daniel Rourke, Schering Stiftung, Berlin, DE
2017 — Plastic Rhymes, curated by Ali King, Estevan Art Gallery & Museum, CA
*2016 — Occupation(s), Studio XX (Ada X), Montréal, CA
*2016 — Virtual Object, curated by Frank Rose, form & concept, Santa Fe, USA
*2016 — 150th Gala, Art Institute of Chicago, USA
2016 — MFA Show, curated by Kelly Schindler, Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, USA
2014–2016 — Repetition, Ink Slab Printmakers (travelling), Saskatchewan, CA
2013–2016 — Under New Management, travelling exhibition, CA
2014 — Alumni Exhibition, Purdy Crawford Centre, Sackville, CA
*2014 — EYJA, SÍM Gallery, Reykjavík, IS
2014 — RePRO:2014, Communication Art Gallery, Toronto, CA
2014 — PAL, Powwow, Seoul, KR
2012 — Members Show, aka artist-run, Saskatoon, CA
2011 — BMO 1st ART!, MOCA Gallery, Toronto, CA
*2010 — The Archive and Everyday Life, Hamilton Artists Inc, CA
GRANTS / AWARDS / HONOURS
(* indicates juried)
Canada Council for the Arts — Research and Creation Grant (2026 / 2021 / 2018)
Sobey Art Award — Longlist (Prairies and the North), Canada (2023)
Ceramic Award De Kei — Finalist (2023)
*Stroom PRO Onderzoek Grant, NL (2023)
*Stroom SPOT Individual Exhibition Grant, NL (2022)
Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics — Finalist (2021)
*Sunday Morning Grant, European Ceramic Workcentre (2021)
*Stroom PRO Deo Studio Visit Subsidy (2019–20)
Jeu de Paume / Transmediale, Paris (2017)
Schering Foundation, Berlin (2017)
*Arts, Science & Culture Collaboration Initiative Grant (2015–16)
*SAIC Graduate Scholarships & Travel Grants (2015)
Fiber & Material Studies Haystack Fellowship (2015)
*Ox-Bow Merit Scholarship (2015)
*SaskFestivals Project Grant (2014)
*Placemaker Program (2014)
*SaskCulture Capacity Building Grant (2013)
*PAVED Arts Production Fund (2013)
Saskatchewan Arts Board Travel Grant (2012)
*BMO 1st Art! Invitational (2011)
Fine Art Departmental Award, Mount Allison (2011)
multiple scholarships and fellowships (2007–2011)
RESIDENCIES
2025 — PAVED Arts Senior Production Residency, Saskatoon, CA
2024 — Artist Residency in Motherhood (ARiM), The Hague, NL
2023 — Compound Yellow Astral/Takeover Residency, Chicago, USA
2023 — Living in the Play: nido II, ICARTs / Poor Farm Experiment, IT
2022 — Clint Neufeld Artist Residency, Osler, CA
2021 — The Franklin Outdoor, Chicago, USA
2020–21 — European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC), NL
*2019 — Medalta International Residency, CA
*2016–17 — HATCH Projects, Chicago Artists Coalition
*2017 — Open Studio, Struts Gallery Inc
*2015 — Ox-Bow Residency
*2014 — SÍM Residency, Iceland
*2013 — Artscape Gibraltar Residency
2012 — Graven Feather Studio
*2012 — Ross Creek Centre for the Arts
*2012 — Bruno Arts Bank
*2011 — Vermont Studio Center
PERFORMANCES / PUBLIC PROJECTS
2025 — Tesselescence (Flag Repair), Nuit Blanche YXE, Saskatoon, CA
2025 — Tesselescence (Stichting Ruimtevaart), HOOGTIJ, The Hague, NL
2024 — Triangulation (with Sabine Käppler), Amsterdam Art Week, NL
2023 — Carbon Copy (Frances Whitehead), Royal Delft Museum, NL
2023 — Tesselescence (Umbrella Flag), Terrain Biennial, Chicago, USA
2023 — Carbon Copy 01, Princessehof, NL
2022 — This Art Fair (solo booth/performance), Amsterdam
2021 — Party Balloons, Terrain Biennial, Chicago
2021 — Public installations, Chicago Architecture Biennial
2021 — EKWC performances, NL
2009–2010 — Early symposium performances, Canada
COLLECTIONS
Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, NL
European Ceramic Workcentre Collection, NL
The Franklin Collection, Chicago, USA
Medalta Contemporary Collection, CA
Stichting Egress Foundation, NY / Amsterdam
Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection, Chicago
The Over Holland Collection, NL
Numerous private collections
WRITING / PUBLICATIONS
Writer-in-Residence, Bad at Sports (2021–2023); contributor (2017–2023)
Published in: Metropolis M, Canadian Art, Lumpen Magazine, exhibition catalogues, and journals
Includes:
2023 — Review, Jegens & Tevens
2022 — Interviews & essays (Bad at Sports Forum series)
2019 — Critical essays on waste, ecology, Venice Biennale
2017 — Interviews (Ina Blom, Simon Anderson, etc.)
2017 — Editorial essays (Public Access)
2011 — “The Artist Responds,” The Argosy
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2023 — Queer Entomology (collaborative commission)
2020 — Sunlight in Winter, New York
2017 — What Is?, Public Access
2016 — Digital Dark, Public Access
2016 — A Specific Amalgam of Spirit and Dirt, aka artist-run
2013–14 — Street Meet Festival, Saskatoon