Swoon #4

Carl Stewart (b. 1964)

Carl Stewart is a contemporary textile artist, whose work examines themes of queer identity, loss, and commemoration. Originally from Prince Edward Island, Stewart obtained his training at the University of Prince Edward Island and at Charlottetown’s Holland College School of Visual Arts. Following his studies, he moved to Ottawa, where he continues to weave and exhibit his work. He is known for his large-scale works and works based on internet imagery of gay porn, which emphasize the tactile experience of physical touch. His more recent work recycles fabrics taken from abandoned mattresses to interrogate notions of cleanliness and class.

Stewart has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and the United States. His work is held in the collections of the City of Ottawa and the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York.