Tammi Campbell Exactly Wrong, 2021, MAKI Gallery, Tokyo, Installation view
About
Tammi Campbell’s method for penetrating the male-dominated Modernist and Minimalist canons hinges on an enormous amount of research that allows her to technically and truthfully replicate each work. The results of which are perfect stand-ins for their respective originals. Her visible additives, whether bubble wrap, tape, or leaving some element undone, tend to generate both “a-ha” excitement and confusion. A closer look at these paintings show that the protective bubble wrap and tape are in fact an illusion—trompe l’oeil painting taken to its hyperrealistic extreme. The materials cast completely from acrylic paint medium suspend viewers in a perpetual state of anticipation and prevents us from entering a true work of art.
Tammi Campbell (b. 1974, Calgary, Alberta) received her BFA from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Recent solo exhibitions include Exactly Wrong, MAKI Gallery, Tokyo; Boring Art, Anat Ebgi, Los Angeles, CA; and On View, Blouin Division, Montréal, QC. Campbell has also exhibited her work across Canada and the U.S. including Arsenal, New York, NY; Gavlak, Los Angeles, CA; Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK; Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Toronto, ON; and the Galerie de l’UQAM, Montréal, QC. She participated in the Canadian Biennale 2014 at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, as well as the 30th International Symposium of Contemporary Art of Baie-St-Paul. In fall of 2023, Campbell will return to Los Angeles for her second solo exhibition at Anat Ebgi. Campbell lives and works in Montréal, Quebec.
Tammi Campbell A-New, 1967 with Artist Frame, Corrugated Cardboard, and H Masking Tape, 2023
Conservation MSA acrylic on canvas with shaped walnut artist's frame, platinum gold leaf, and acrylic paint
96 x 24 inches / 243.8 x 61 cm
Tammi Campbell Small Torn Campbell's Soup Can (Pepper Pot) with Masking Tape, 2021
Acrylic and Pencil on Canvas with Wood Frame
22 x 18 inches / 55.9 x 45.7 cm
Tammi Campbell Imagined study #2 for Frank Stella's Sinjerli Variations c. 1968 with Bubble Wrap and Packing Tape, 2021
Acrylic on canvas
Diameter 46 inches / 116.8 cm
Tammi Campbell "LET'S BOTH GIVE IT TRY", Framed with Bubblewrap and Packing Tape, 2021
Pastel on paper, wood frame, plexiglass and acrylic paint
29 x 35 ¹⁄₂ inches / 73.7 x 90.2 cm
Tammi Campbell "I'M COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED", Framed with Bubblewrap and Packing Tape, 2021
Pastel on paper, wood frame, plexiglass and acrylic paint
29 x 35 ¹⁄₂ inches / 73.7 x 90.2 cm
Tammi Campbell 'ARTISTS WHO MAKE “PIECES”', Framed with Bubblewrap and Packing Tape, 2021
Pastel on paper, wood frame, plexiglass and acrylic paint
29 x 35 ¹⁄₂ inches / 73.7 x 90.2 cm
Tammi Campbell Another Hollywood Dream Bubble, framed and wrapped, 2019
Pastel on paper, framed with plexiglass, acrylic paint
30 x 35.5 inches / 76.2 x 90.2 cm
Tammi Campbell Concetto spaziale - Attese (conserved), 2018-2019
Acrylic on canvas, calcium carbonate, polyvinyl alcohol medium 21.5 x 18 inches / 54.6 x 45.7 cm
The packing materials and tape were in fact sculpted from acrylic paint, adding a layer of tongue-in-cheek illusion, and awe at the artist’s obsessive compulsive eye for detail and precision. Campbell’s appropriative practice has a feminist slant, using totemic male artists who dominate institutional, collection, and market narratives to question institutional structures, the art canon, and highlight the (in)visibility of women or lesser known artists. —Kunsty Kvetch
9 hidden gems not to be missed at Art Basel Hong Kong
Canadian artist Tammi Campbell replicates iconic artworks made by famous male artists from the 1960s and 1970s, but adds her own feminist twist. — Aaina Bhargava
Which Artists to Watch in Cultured ‘s Armory Show Market Report
pierces male modernism with her disruptive play on 20th-century masters. With copious research, she faithfully replicates minimalist and Pop icons, from Josef Albers to Frank Stella to Andy Warhol—the genius of the works lies in added elements of bubble wrap and packing tape, illusions made entirely of acrylic paint medium. — Jacoba Urist
Anat Ebgi's booth featured an incredible selection of prints, sculptures, paintings, and textiles, and also reflected the current broader emphasis on work by emerging women artists and artists of color, as well as craft materials and techniques seen in both the primary and secondary markets. — Ayanna Dozier
She demonstrates virtuoso trompe l’oeil skills as she mimics all kinds of packaging that usually surround art in transit, such as corrugated cardboard and parcel tape. This tactic brilliantly emphasizes the hidden actions of art labourers and the commodification of collectible paintings; yet the heroic perfectionism that Campbell devotes to rendering these illusions makes us wonder if she is distancing herself from or identifying herself with the cited artworks. —Oli Sorenson
"Boring Art." That's what Tammi Campbell has titled her show at the L.A. gallery Anat Ebgi. It's not what she delivers. Everything in the show, in fact, both is and isn't what it seems. — Leah Ollman
Tammi Campbell: Working towards Perfect Imperfection
"I think the main focus of my work, intentionally and maybe unintentionally, concerns a dialogue with the history of modernism and its male dominance." — Tammi Campbell
Tammi Campbell | Presenting Male Artists as Relics
There is more going on than re-creation. The bubble wrap, plastic, cardboard and tape have been carefully crafted from acrylic paint in the trompe l’oil style and are not “the real thing.” — Jody Zellen
Perhaps your work compels a feeling of gentle joy in the audience, a recognition of simplicity, an awareness so complex that it transcends complexity itself, in the way that Clarice Lispector writes in “Such Gentleness” (Complete Stories, New Directions, 2015), it’s a lighter and more silent way of existing. —Maeave Hanna
Material Deceit | The work artist of Tammi Campbell is not what it seems
“If you really look, you know it’s off, but something about the human brain is quick to accept what it sees. It won’t allow you to think it might be an imitation. Some people can’t process it even if you tell them, ‘This is made of acrylic paint. This is fake.’ I will have studio visits and people will say, ‘Uh huh, uh huh, but are you worried about the archival quality of the tape?’ No, it’s all paint!” —Tammi Campbell
So the copies are not so much a matter of theft as they concern an act of resurrection in a historical sense--bymeans of a conscious rebellion. Thus, the artist brings late modernism and early contemporary art up to date--in a nearly scholarly fashion, one marked by skill and intelligence. —Jonathan Goodman
Dedication to the Grid: Tammi Campbell’s love letter to modernism
The dedication to the subject matter is as important as each individual line. Campbell’s work then adds a layer of meaning as her dedication are not just to the line and the repetition but also to Martin and modernism. —John Shelling
Tammi Campbell’s first solo show is in ‘cultural Mecca’ Regina
“Usually, painting is seen as kind of a window into another world in some ways, so you’re getting to observe something or see something, and it’s intended to ignore the structure or the object that the image is on. I’m really trying to push the object to the front and centre and play around with what a painting could be and what the possibility of a painting is.” —Tammi Campbell
Untruth to Materials or Tammi Campbell’s Art After Modernism
Campbell's consistent use of masking tape as subject is the first clue that there is something special about this substance. Her online documentation depicts the curling bands of yellow-beige in an almost fetishistic light. —Dagmara Genda
The proposition that Campbell's work presents is this: despite deferrals and pronouncements of its death, painting remains an unfinished project. —Nancy Tousley
Mono/Chromatic (solo), College Building Galleries, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
Tammi Campbell/Leah Rosenberg, College Building Galleries, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
Dear Agnes (solo), Website Commission, Remai Modern, Saskatoon, SK
Abstraction and Empathy (solo), Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK
2015
New Works (solo), Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, Montréal, QC
Concerning Certain Events, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2013
Fool Me Twice, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, SK
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Storage Wars, The Hole, Los Angeles, CA
2021
Pt. 2: Invasive Species, Anat Ebgi, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Not Too High, Not That Low, Division Gallery, Toronto, ON
Field Guide, Remai Modern, Saskatoon, SK
2017
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
What is, Public Access, Chicago, IL
Why Can’t Minimal, The Rooms, St. John’s, NL
2016
Why Can’t Minimal, Open Space, Victoria, BC
Why Can’t Minimal, College Building Galleries, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
2015
Out of Line, Oakville Galleries, Oakville, ON
Why Can’t Minimal, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, AB
2014
Canadian Biennial 2014: Shine a light/Surgir de l’ombre, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
Hard To Look At, Central Art Garage, Ottawa, ON
Why Can’t Minimal, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
They Made A Day Be A Day Here, School of Art Gallery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
Echo, Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, Montréal, QC
2013
They Made A Day Be A Day Here, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Point, Ligne, Plan, Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, Montréal, QC
The Thick Of It, Mercer Union, Toronto, ON
They Made A Day Be A Day Here, Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie, AB
Le Projet Peinture/The Painting Project, Galerie de l’UQAM, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC
Le temps s’est arrêté/Time has Stopped, Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, Montréal, QC
2012
Art on Paper Biennial, Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC
Where It’s At, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Sincerely Yours, Propeller Centre, Toronto, ON
Spring, Douglas Udell Gallery, Edmonton, AB and Vancouver, BC
2011
Afterlife, Art Gallery of Regina, Regina, SK
Winter, Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Preview, Douglas Udell Gallery, Edmonton, AB
Plains of Abstraction, Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, touring 16 galleries, SK
2010
This Train, Kenderdine Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
Drawing/Drawn, Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver, BC
40th Anniversary Spring Show, Douglas Udell Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2008
Sight Unseen: Selections from the Permanent Collection, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2007
Articulation, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2006
Flesh Wounds, Art Gallery of Regina, Regina, SK
2005
Biennial SCAM 2, touring MB, SK, and AB
2003
Transcendent Squares, Rosemont Art Gallery, Regina, SK
Residencies
2018
International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP), New York, NY
2014
Artist in Residence, Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Island, ON
2012
The Decapitated Museum, The Banff Centre, Banff, AB
30e édition du Symposium International d’Art Contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, Baie-Saint-Paul, QC
2010
Banff Self-Directed Artist in Residence, The Banff Centre, Banff, AB
2009
Plug In Summer School, Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art, Winnipeg, MB
2007
Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop, University of Saskatchewan, Emma Lake, SK
2003
Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop, University of Saskatchewan, Emma Lake, SK
2001
Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop, University of Saskatchewan, Emma Lake, SK
Exhibition Catalogs and Texts
2017
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Painting. Bruce Grenville, David MacWilliam. Vancouver Art Gallery, Published by Black Dog Publishing, London, UK, 2017.
What Is? Michael J. Golec, Keeley Haftner. Published by Public Access, Chicago, USA, 2017.
2016
At the Threshold of Appearances. Troy Gronsdahl. Commissioned by the College Art Galleries, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 2016.
Why Can’t Minimal. John G Hampton. Published by Art Museum at the University of Toronto, 2016.
2014
Shine A Light: Canadian Biennial 2014. Andrea Kunard, Greg A. Hill, Josée Drouin-Brisebois, Jonathan L. Shaughnessy, Rhiannon Vogl. Published by National Gallery of Canada/Musee des beaux-arts du Canada, Ottawa, ON, 2014.
DAG Volumes No. 2. The Truth in Materials: Tammi Campbell and Marc Courtemanche. Jeff Nye. Published by the Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, SK, 2014.
2013
They Made A Day Be A Day Here. Joan Borsa, Anthea Black, Nicole Burisch, Shawna Dempsey & Lorri Millan, and Amy Fung. Published by Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie, AB, 2013.
Le Projet Peinture: un instantané de la peinture au Canada/The Painting Project: a snapshot of painting in Canada. Julie Bélisle, Louise Déry, Robert Enright, Nicolas Mavrikakis, and Jonathan Shaughnessy. Published by Galerie de l’UQAM at Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, 2013. pp. 180-183.
2012
Sincerely Yours. John Kissick. Published by Propeller Centre, Toronto, ON, 2012.
After Life. Jack Anderson, Published by the Art Gallery of Regina, Regina, SK, 2012.
2010
Shifts: Art and Art History at the University of Saskatchewan, This Train Fine Arts Alumni 1990-2010. Kim Ennis. Published by University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 2010. pp. 39-42.
2003
Moving Beyond Words: Biennial SCAM 2. David Garneau. Published by Small City Art Museums Collective, AB/SK/MB, 2003.
Transcendent Squares. David Garneau. Published by the Rosemont Art Gallery, Regina, SK, 2003.
Selected Bibliography
2017
Mann, Mark. The Five Disappearances of Tammi Campbell. Momus, Toronto, ON. September 6, 2017.
2016
Amos, Robert. Is Minimalism really worth mocking? Times Colonist, Victoria, BC. September 25, 2016.
Shelling, John. Dedication to the Grid: Tammi Campbell’s love letter to modernism. Star Phoenix, Saskatoon, SK. August 29, 2016.
2015
Clement, Eric. La precision signee. La Presse, Montréal, QC. December 19, 2015. Arts pp.13.
Genda, Dagmara. Untruth to Materials: Tammi Campbell’s Art After Modernism. Border Crossings, Spring 2015, pp. 56-63.
Genda, Dagmara. Why Can’t Minimal. C Magazine, Spring 2015. pp. 55-56.
2014
Whyte, Murray. Maxing out Minimal art’s funny bone. Toronto Star, Toronto, ON. September 10, 2014.
Leyden Cochrane, Steven. Making a day of it: Group exhibition draws together far-flung network of Prairie artists. Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, MB. September 4, 2014
Tousley, Nancy. Tammi Campbell’s dialogue with Modernism: Is what you see really what you see? Canadian Art Magazine. Toronto, ON. Spring 2014, cover, pp. 96-102.
Balzer, David. Tammi Campbell: Dear Agnes. Artist Project. Canadian Art Magazine (iPad edition). Toronto, ON. Spring 2014.
McLaughlin, Bryne. Tammi Campbell’s Studio Troubles Sask-Modern Legacy. Canadian Art Magazine (online). Toronto, ON. March 3, 2014.
2019
Cooley, Alison. They Made A Day Be A Day Here: Prairie Positive. Canadian Art Magazine (online). Toronto, ON. January 16, 2014.
2013
Delgado, Jérôme. La peinture, d’un océan à l’autre: Une exposition monstre s’ouvre à la galerie de l’UQAM. Le Devoir. Montréal, QC. May 1, 2013.
2012
Déry, Louise. The Painting Project: A New Initiative on Canadian Painting Takes Place. Canadian Art Magazine. Toronto, ON. Summer 2012, pp. 66-71.
Mackrous, Paule. Je fixais des vertiges : quelques réflexions [Symposium international d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul 2012], University of Quebec in Montréal, Montréal, QC. September 11, 2012.
2011
Ebstein, Alex and Smith, Matthew. Highlights from (e)merge: The Artists Platform. New American Paintings (online), September 26, 2011.
Collections
The Aïshti Foundation, Jal El Dib, Lebanon
Banque Nationale du Canada, Montréal, QC
BMO Financial Group, Toronto, ON
Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, SK
MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK
Collection Majudia, Montréal, QC
Mouvement Desjardins, Quebec, QC
Musee d’Art Contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, Baie-Saint-Paul, QC
National Gallery of Canada/Musée des beaux-arts du Canada, Ottawa, ON
RBC Financial Group, Toronto, ON
Remai Modern (Mendel Art Gallery), Saskatoon, SK
Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina, SK
TD Bank Group, Toronto, ON
University of Regina, Centre for Kinesiology, Sport and Health (Public Art Commission), Regina, SK
University of Saskatchewan Art Collection, Department of Art & Art History, Saskatoon, SK
![This image depicts an artwork by Tammi Campbell titled "Start Over Please." This artwork was created in 2023 and measures 64" x 72" [HxW] (162.56 x 182.88 cm). Its medium is Oil and acrylic on canvas.](https://anatebgi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Tammi-Campbell_TC1115_1679534219.jpg)
![This image depicts an artwork by Tammi Campbell titled "A-New, 1967 with Artist Frame, Corrugated Cardboard, and H Masking Tape." This artwork was created in 2023 and measures 96" x 24" [HxW] (243.84 x 60.96 cm). Its medium is Conservation MSA acrylic on canvas with shaped walnut artist's frame, platinum gold leaf, and acrylic paint.](https://anatebgi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Tammi-Campbell_TC1114_1679534223.jpg)
