BIO
Jessica Mensch's work straddles painting, video, music, stage design, and installation, inviting contemplation between these spheres of production and the position of women within them. Mensch received her MFA from Hunter College in 2019 and currently teaches in the Art Department at St.FX University in NS. She has received support from the Canada Council for the Arts and was shortlisted for the RBC Painting Prize. She has participated in national and international residencies and exhibitions. Mensch also works collaboratively with artists Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline to produce Sistership TV, a web series that explores topics such as telepresence and animal communication.
CV
EDUCATION:
2019 - MFA, Hunter College, New York, NY
2006 - BFA in Painting, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia
GRANTS, AWARDS, RESIDENCIES:
2021 - Canada Council Grant for Research and Creation, Canada
2019 - Wedding Cake House Residency (Dirt Palace), Providence, RI
2018 - Kossak Travel Grant
2018 - Canada Council Travel Grant
2017 - Residency at Extrapool, Nijmegan, Netherlands
2014 - Canada Council Grant for Visual Artists
2013 - Finalist for the RBC Painting Competition
2013 - Residency at The Banff Centre, Banff, AB
2013 - Film Commission: PHI Centre and Pop Montreal, Montreal, QC
2011 - Film Commission: SAW Video Association, Jog and Shuttle, Ottawa, ON
2011 - Residency at Studio XX, Montreal, QC
2007 - Jeunes Volontaires Grant, Montreal, QC
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023 - Artcite, Windsor, ON, The Sistership: Fortuna Perplexus, (multimedia exhibition by The Powers (Jessica Mensch, Emily Pelstring, and Katherine Kline)
2019 - Modern Fuel, Kingston, ON, Eyelash Wars, (window installation by Inflatable Deities - Jessica Mensch and Emily Pelstring)
2017 - St. FX Gallery, Antigonish, NS, Chromatrope, curated by Bruce Campbell
2017 - 8-11 Gallery, Toronto, ON, Future Extinctions, (a multimedia exhibition by Inflatable Deities– Jessica Mensch & Emily Pelstring)
2015 - Confederation Center of the Arts, Charlottetown, PEI, Chromatrope, curated by Pan Wendt
2015 - PDA Projects, Ottawa, ON, Cathode Mirror Worms, (a multimedia exhibition by Inflatable Deities– Jessica Mensch & Emily Pelstring)
2014 - FoFA Gallery, Montreal, QC, Eyelash Wars, (a multimedia exhibition by Inflatable Deities–Jessica Mensch & Emily Pelstring)
2012 - Visual Voice Gallery, Montreal, QC, THE FUZZ
2011 - Visual Voice Gallery, Montreal, QC, Strange Shapes Seen in the Sky, (a multimedia performance by Inflatable Deities–Jessica Mensch & Emily Pelstring)
2010 - Galerie Rye, Montreal, QC, The Pleasure Principle
2010 - Red Bird Gallery, Montreal, QC, The Wrong Feeling
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2022 - Unbound A/VArt: Redefining the Undefined (online exhibition), Winnipeg, MB, Mourning of the Living Past (Inflatable Deities - Jessica Mensch and Emily Pelstring)
2021 - Field Trip: Art Across Canada (online) Hecate’s Palladio, (a multimedia performance) 2021 - Ann Arbor Film Festival, Ann Arbor, Michigan, live performance for In the Screen! 2021 - Hesse Flatow, New York, NY, The Symbolists, curated by Nicole Kaack & Karen Flatow 2020 - The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ, Here and Now, curated by John Yau and Wes Sherman 2019 - 205 Hudson Gallery, Hunter College, New York, NY, laissez-faire et laissez-passer, curated by Nicole Kaack 2019 - Art Suomi, Helsinki, Netherlands, Ed Video booth, curated by Scott McGovern 2019 - La Galleria, New York, NY, Every Woman Biennial
2019 - NY (G), Brooklyn, NY, Wall Space, curated by Matt Jones 2018 - Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York, NY, Frabjous, curated by Lily Jamal, Dionis Ortiz & Joel Carreiro 2018 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, Super Heated, Stranger Comes to Town
2017 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, Black Mirror, curated by Ambre Kelly & Andrew Gori
2017 - 86 Orchard St., New York, NY, Known Unknowns, curated by Eleanor King
2016 - Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, ON, In The Shadow of the Millennium, curated by Darryn Doull
2016 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, Copy Paste, curated by Ambre Kelly & Andrew Gori
2015 - Galerie Dentaire, Montreal, QC, ARTSIDA6
2015 - Access Gallery, Vancouver, BC, A Vibrant Assemblage: Access' Annual Auction Fundraiser
2014 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, curated by Ambre Kelly & Andrew Gori
2013 - Art Toronto, Toronto, ON, RBC Canadian Painting Competition
2013 - The Print Shop, PS1 MoMA, Queens, NY, NY, curated by Greme Jellyfish
2013 - National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, RBC Canadian Painting Competition
2013 - Superchief Gallery, New York, NY, Group Gallery Exhibition by the Fitness Gym Rats...
2013 - Galerie Dentaire, Montreal, QC, ARTSIDA5
2012 - Visual Voice Gallerie, Montreal, QC, Body & Soul, curated by Bettina Forget
2012 - Ayden Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2011 - Red Bird Gallery, Montreal, QC, Works on Paper
2009 - The Long Haul Artist Run Center, Montreal, QC, Gauche
FILMOGRAPHY:
2021 - Exploring the Treaty Relationship, 5 mins Digital Video, co-directed by Jessica Mensch, Michelle Sylliboy, Antoinette Karuna, Leigh Gillam
2020 - Sistership TV: Episode 4, 30 mins Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline 2019 - Sistership TV: Episode 3, 30 mins Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline
2019 - Sistership TV: Episode 2, 30 mins Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline
2018 - Sistership TV: Episode 1, 30 mins Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline
2018 - Bio Caprice, 8 mins, Digital Video
2017 - Mourning of the Living Past, 14 mins, Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring as Inflatable Deities
2017 - Crone Island, 45 mins, Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring and Katherine Kline
2014 - Eyelash Wars, 22 mins, Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring as Inflatable Deities, Distributed by CFMDC, featured in CFMDC Experimental Works Compilation
2013/2016 - The Alicorn, 9 mins, Digital Video, co-directed with Emily Pelstring as Inflatable Deities, Produced by PHI Films, Distributed by CFMDC and Video Out
2012 - THE FUZZ, 5 mins, Digital Video
2011 - Utah 1978, 9 mins, co-directed with Emily Pelstring as Inflatable Deities, Produced by SAW Video Association
VIDEO SCREENINGS:
2022 - Sorcières 4 courts métrages, Cinémathèque québécoise, Montreal, QC, Sistership TV, EP 2: Medusa lols
2022 - Lumiere, Sydney, NS, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - ImagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival, Toronto, ON, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - Antimatter Media Art, Victoria, BC, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - The Atlantic International Film Festival, Halifax, NS, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - Arts Atlantic Symposium, Saint John, NB, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - CB Nuit, Cornerbrook, NFLD, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - Third Space Gallery, St. John, NB, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - Lumiere, Sydney, NS, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2022 - Art in the Open, Charlottetown, PEI, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2021 - Cool Fest, Montreal, PQ, Natasha Pickowicz teaches The Powers a little bit about cake
2021 - Nocturne, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS, Exploring the Treaty Relationship
2020 - Oddstream Festival, Nijmegan, Netherlands, The Sistership Arrives 2020 - Nocturne, Halifax, NS, The Sistership Arrives 2020 - Lumiere, Sydney, NS, The Sistership Arrives 2020 - Third Space Gallery, St. John, NB, The Sistership Arrives 2020 - CB Nuit, Cornerbrook, NFLD, The Sistership Arrives 2020 - Antigonight, Antigonish, NS, The Sistership Arrives 2019 - RISD Museum, Providence, RI, Crone Island
2019 - Modern Fuel, Kingston, ON, Eyelash Wars
2018 - Tone Deaf, Kingston, ON, Bio Caprice
2018 - Bump TV, Toronto, ON, Sistership TV, Episode 1: Gotta Crack a Few Eggs,
2018 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, Bio Caprice
2017 - Gallery 8-11, Toronto, ON
2017 - Hunter College Digital Media Collective Screening, Eyelash Wars
2016 - Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario, The Alicorn
2015 - Cool Fest, Montreal, QC, THE FUZZ
2013 - 5xPHI Screening: PHI Centre + Pop Montreal, Montreal, QC, The Alicorn
2012 - Aboretum Festival, Ottawa, ON, Utah 1978
2012 - Ottawa Explosion Music Festival, Vid-Yo Programme, Ottawa, ON, Utah 1978
SELECT LIVE MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCES:
2021 - The Powers Oracle: Consult the Fates (w/ K. Kline and E. Pelstring), The Witch Institute, Queens University, Kingston, ON
2020 - Mourning of the Living Past (w/ E. Pelstring), Art Souterrain
2019 - Mourning of the Living Past (w/ E. Pelstring), Flex Space, Hunter College, New York, NY
2019 - The Powers, (w/ K. Kline and E. Pelstring), Indexical Festival, Santa Cruz, CA
2019 - The Powers (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring + Ultra Violet, Dirt Palace, Providence, RI
2019 - The Powers (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring + Ultra Violet, Vox Populi Gallery, Philidelphia, PA
2019 - Mourning of the Living Past (w/ Emily Pelstring), Strangewaves Festival, Paris, ON
2019 - Mourning of the Living Past (w/ Emily Pelstring), Art Suomi, Helsinki, Finland
2019 - Mourning of the Living Past, (w/ Emily Pelstring), Art Mur, Berlin, Germany
2018 - The Powers, Quiet City, (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring), VIVO Media Arts Centre, Vancouver, BC
2018 - The Powers, Kazoo Fest, (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring), Guelph, ON
2017 - Mourning of the Living Past, Antigonight Festival, (w/ Emily Pelstring), Antigonish, NS
2017 - Mourning of the Living Past, 8-11 Gallery, (w/ Emily Pelstring), Toronto, ON
2017 - Mourning of the Living Past, (w/ Emily Pelstring), Electric Eclectic Festival, ON
2017 - Mourning of the Living Past, (w/ Emily Pelstring), Nijmegan, Holland
2017 - Crone Island, Masterpeace Theatre, Pender Island, BC (w/ Katharine Kline, Emily Pelstring)
2015 - Resurrection Machine, Art in the Open Festival, Confederation Centre of the Arts Gallery, (w/ E.Pelstring), Charlottetown, PEI.
2015 - The Powers, Sonorium Series, Gallows Hill Theatre, (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring), Salem, MA
2015 - The Powers, Aurora, (w/ K.Kline and E.Pelstring), Providence, RI
2014 - Eyelash Wars, La Rentrée, FOFA Gallery, Concordia University, (w/ E.Pelstring), Montreal, QC
2011 - Astral Drain, Suoni per il Popolo Festival, Sala Rossa, (w/ E.Pelstring): Montréal, QC
2011 - The Slow Drip, Studio XX, Wired Women Salon series (w/ E.Pelstring): Montréal, QC
CURATORIAL WORK:
2021 - Antigonight: Art After Dark Festival, Antigonish, NS
2018 - SPRING/BREAK art fair, New York, NY, Super Heated, co-curated with Rachelle Dang
2018 - 205 Hudson Project Space Gallery, New York, NY, Loop N Path, co-curated with Rachelle Dang
ART WRITING:
2022 - BODY Literature, Interview with L’Nu Interdisciplinary Artist Michelle Sylliboy, Sept. 8, 2022
2021 - BODY Literature, Interview with Atomic Culture: Mateo & Malinda Galindo, Oct. 6, 2021
2021 - BODY Literature, Interview with Interdisciplinary Artist Eleanor King, May 14, 2021
2021 - BODY Literature, Interview with Artist Khari Johnson-Ricks, January 28, 2021 2020 - BODY Literature, Interview with Artist Andy Van Dinh, May 28, 2020 2019 - Subversions Journal, World-Making with the Sistership of Spectral Technologies, April 27, 2019
2019 - BODY Literature, Interview with Sculptor Rachelle Dang, April 24, 2019
2018 - BODY Literature, Through the Looking Glass: An Interview with Camille Jodoin-Eng, Sept. 25, 2018
2017 - BODY Literature, An Interview with Delphine Hennelly, July 19, 2017
2016 - BODY Literature, An Interview with Painter Daniel Barkley, Sept. 26, 2016
2015 - BODY Literature, The Idealized Vision in Reality, March 3, 2015
2014 - BODY Literature, Don't Fall Asleep, August 5, 2014
2014 - BODY Literature, Matt Shane's Mental Landscapes, May 14, 2014
2013 - BODY Literature, Designing the Body Electric, October 22, 2013
2013 - BODY Literature, What's all the Fuss About? May 29, 2013
2013 - BODY Literature, Collage Art, Album Cover and Music, January 16, 2013
2012 - BODY Literature, A Conversation with Artist and Animator Emily Pelstring, October 17, 2012
2012 - BODY Literature, The Misfit Wonders of Painter Mitchell Wiebe, September 26, 2012
MEDIA COVERAGE:
Indexical Podcast: Interview with The Powers (w. E.Pelstring & K.Kline) by Madison Heying, May 13, 2020
Hyperallergic: "The Latest Hunter MFA Thesis Exhibition Highlights Collectivity", by Monica Castillo, Dec. 20, 2019
Underground Sounds: CKUT radio: Interview with The Powers (w. E.Pelstring & K.Kline) by James Nicholas Dumile Willoughby, January 14, 2019
Hyperallergic: "Spring Break is an Oasis for Art Fair Haters", by Hrag Vartanian, March 7, 2018
Artnews: "A Tour of the 2018 Spring/Break Art Show", by Maximiliano Duron, March 7, 2018
Bedford & Bowery: "The Best of Spring/Break, the Outre Art Fair in an Abandoned Times Square Office Building", by Scott Lynch, March 7, 2018
Droste Effect: "Armory Week: Independent, SPRING/BREAK and NADA", March 9, 2018
Canadian Art: "Must-Sees This Week", September 1, 2016
Artsy: "At SPRING/BREAK, 800 Artists Tackle Technology, Ownership, and Appropriation", by Alexxa Gothardt, March 2, 2016
Visual Arts News: "Chromatrope", Fall 2015
Canadian Art: "Must-Sees This Week", August 27, 2015
Cult Montreal: "Art this week", by Lisa Sproull, July 15, 2015
EKFFARSIS: "A Guiltless Hallucination of Beauty: a review of Eyelash Wars at the FOFA", by Celeste Pimm, November 15, 2014
Concordia News: "Concordia's must-see art this fall", by Kayla Morin, September 3, 2014
Culturefix Tumblr: " Opening Night Interview: An Oral History of Fitness Gallery, Part 1", August 7, 2013
Canadian Art: "RBC Canadian Painting Finalists", June 17, 2013
Cult Montreal: "Learning How Art Works: Jessica Mensch", by James Irwin, October 17, 2012
BODY Literature: "Jessica Mensch: Interviewed by Tammer El-Sheikh", by Tammer El-Sheikh, November, 2012
XX Files: CKUT radio: Interview about The Slow Drip by Valerie Walker, April 2011
Montreal Mirror: “Psychedelic, Surreal, Immersive”, by Alexandra Murthy, May 19, 2011
The Hour: "Hit List", by Robyn Fadden, July 29, 2010
Fugues: "The Pleasure Principle", by Yves Lafontaone, July 29, 2010
Fugues: "On aime...les arts", August 5, 2010
PROFESSIONAL WORK:
Art Editor, BODY Literature, Prague, Czech Republic