Brandon Vickerd

Brandon Vickerd is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Visual Art & Art History at York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). He holds a BFA from NSCAD and an MFA from the University of Victoria. His research focuses on public art and sculpture that challenges societal notions of progress and public space through site-specific interventions. Notable projects include Dance of the Cranes (Edmonton/Washington DC) and Wolfe and the Sparrows (Calgary), which subvert traditional monument aesthetics. He leads the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)-supported Digital Sculpture Lab, exploring digital-physical art intersections.

His work emphasizes community engagement, using humor and spectacle to provoke critical reflection on modernist ideals. Awards include the 2023-2024 AMPD Research Award for contributions to research-creation in public art. Grants include support from SSHRC, Canada Council for the Arts, and provincial arts councils. His interdisciplinary approach bridges high and popular culture, challenging dominant narratives of progress in Western society.