WILL GILL

Will Gill is a multidisciplinary artist interested in photography, sculpture, painting and theatrical environments. Much of the artist’s current work finds itself at the intersection of two or more of these areas. Photography has become a focal point in Gill’s practice, in the sense that it can simultaneously incorporate his interests in making physical things and composing through a lens. Experimentation with analog approaches to lighting and material has been a driving force in Gill’s creativity, with the resulting photographs acting as vignettes that touch on isolation, mystery, longing, transcendence, and otherworldliness. Ultimately, Gill’s interests lie in the precarious nature of life somewhere near the edge, be it remote location or psychological space.

Will Gill, on his practice:

I am captivated by stark environments, both on land and at sea. The winters in Newfoundland are long and grey. When I first moved to here in 1998, that scarcity of sunlight made an important impression on me. The result was that I began to create work that had, or appeared to have, its own internal light and energy. The vibrant colours of Newfoundland’s vernacular architecture made their way into my work – bright and eclectic colour palettes that have been used for generations as an antidote to the grey of the sea, sky, and rock. I continue to work with a simple flash, theatrical gels, reflective fabric, and retroreflective glass beads to make work that employs light as an avenue to meaning.

Will Gill earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mount Allison University in 1991, with a focus on sculpture. He has maintained a studio practice since graduation exploring photography, painting, sculpture and video work. Selected career highlights include a commission for an installation at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche (2012), participation in a collateral exhibition at the 55^th Venice Biennale (2013), inclusion in The Arctic Circle Residency in Svalbard Norway (2014), a solo exhibition in the 2017 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival,  a sculpture commission for the inaugural Bonavista Biennale (2017) and a Fogo Island Arts residency (2017). The Scotiabank Photography Award longlisted his work for the 2021 competition. Gills work has also been recognized by the Sobey Art Award jury on three occasions (long list in 2004, 2006 and 2023). His works have been disseminated widely and are in many public, private and corporate collections throughout Canada. He is currently working towards a large solo exhibition at The Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton NB in May 2026.