Brent Wadden: Artist on the Rise

Channeling the art-world zeitgeist favoring all things handmade and artisanal, Brent Wadden has been captivating collectors with his large hand-loomed geometric tapestries.

All eight displayed in a lauded show at New York’s Mitchell-Innes & Nash gallery last spring were snapped up, while another one soared to $192,000 at Christie’s in June. Marked by imperfections and visible seams, the works have a homespun feel that’s reinforced by the Canadian artist’s use of secondhand yarns sourced from eBay and Craigslist. But the tapestries have the wall impact of grand modernist canvases, with references to Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, even Op Art. Tellingly, Wadden—who splits his time between Berlin and Vancouver—calls the works woven paintings, explaining, “Hopefully they create some confusion in the viewer, leading to a fascination with the process.”

Read the full list on (opens in a new window) Architectural Digest.