about
Keeley Haftner (1985) is a Saskatchewanian-Canadian artist based in the Netherlands whose artwork deals with garbage as a material and a concept – in other words, with matter out of place and time. She uses care as a medium to create material-driven artworks that prompt a reconsideration of perceived valuelessness. This is achieved using a wide range of technologies, disciplines, and time-based media that result in often dramatic transformations of waste – for example, leaves 3D-printed from disposable cups, or stones out of shattered glass made molten. She was born and raised on Treaty 6 territory on the traditional lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and Métis nations, to which she and her ancestors are deeply indebted. Her work has been exhibited internationally in the USA, Canada, and Europe at venues including Schering Stiftung Berlin (DE), the Art Institute of Chicago (USA), and the Keramiekmuseum Princessehof (NL). Haftner received her BFA from Mount Allison University (2011) and her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2016).
Recent awards include Canada’s prestigious Sobey Art Award (Long-List, 2023), and the biennial De Kei Prize (Short-List, 2023). She has participated in many residencies, including the European Ceramic Workcentre (NL), Vermont Studio Center (USA), Living in the Play: NIDO II (IT), and SÍM (IS). Haftner has given workshops and presentations at galleries, universities, conferences and festivals including Transmediale (DE) and Open Engagement at the Queen’s Museum (NYC). Haftner created site-specific work for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Terrain Biennial (2021/2023), and solo presentations for This Art Fair, Amsterdam (2021/22). Selected publications include the 3D Additivist Cookbook (2016) and the BAKSTEEN | BRICK exhibition catalogue Kunsthal KAdE (2022). Her work is in numerous public and private collections, including the Ceramic Museum of the Netherlands and The Over Holland Collection. Haftner is a 2018 and 2021 recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Research and Creation Grant, and a current Professional Artist with Stroom (NL).
