Ed Zelenak

1940–

Ed Zelenak (1940– ) is a Canadian sculptor. Born in St. Thomas, Ontario, he currently lives and works in West Lorne, Ontario. A participant in the London Regionalism movement, Zelenak became well known in the 1960s for his work in wood and fiberglass, and he has continued to innovate and explore new materials throughout his career.

Zelenak attended the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto from 1957 to 1959. He later attended the Fort Worth Art Centre and Barsch Kelly Atelier in Dallas, Texas, from 1960 to 1961. After working under artists J.W.G. (“Jock”) Macdonald and Claes Oldenburg, Zalenak began his career with large wood and fiberglass sculptures that provoked a number of major public commissions. His later work has been defined by a subtle spirituality and an intimate connection to his materials. Using a combination of tin, copper, plastics, wood, and pigments, Zelenak’s sculptural works use repeating forms that resist narrative readings. He is focused on the familiar iconography of everyday signs and symbols such as trees, crosses, arrows, circles, the sun, and the moon.

His sculptures have been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and Europe. His work was included in the 1969 exhibition Heart of London, curated by Pierre Theberge, which first called attention to the London Regionalism movement. His work has been featured in a solo exhibition at the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon and in a 40-year retrospective titled Ed Zelenak: Divining the Immeasurable at Museum London in London, Ontario. His work has been collected by the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, the Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Cantonal des Beaux-Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Czech Museum of Fine Arts, Prague. He is currently represented by Christopher Cutts and Michael Gibson galleries.