Biography

Inspired by a quote from architect Le Corbusier who wrote that "A house is a machine for living in", I wanted to consider the "machines" that are a vital adjunct to the city. The paintings in this series are portraits of the structures, devices and tools necessary for living in an urban setting. This includes transportation devices such as taxis and subways that move us above and below the streets; transitional areas of lobbies and waiting rooms that function to sort and guide us from exterior to interior spaces; and bank machines which provide a street level interface to connect us to financial networks.

 

These are the "Machines for Living" of the modern city.

PETER HARRIS attended the University of Waterloo, graduating with a B.A. in painting in 1997. He has exhibited in both Canada and the United States and has received several awards including Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grant and Waterloo Region Arts Fund project grant. Harris' work is found in numerous private and corporate collections throughout North America and Europe, including Colart Collection, Montreal; OPSEU, Toronto and Schicker Thies, Erfurt, Germany.

 

Peter Harris lives and works in Toronto.

Works
  • PETER HARRIS, Hockney in NYC, 2025
    PETER HARRIS
    Hockney in NYC, 2025
    oil on canvas
    22 x 26 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Picasso and Haring in NYC, 2025
    PETER HARRIS
    Picasso and Haring in NYC, 2025
    oil on canvas
    22 x 32 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Airport Study 1, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Airport Study 1, 2024
    India ink on paper
    10 x 11 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Airport Study 3, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Airport Study 3, 2024
    India ink on paper
    10 1/4 x 14 1/8 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Elevator onto Harris, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Elevator onto Harris, 2024
    oil on canvas
    22 x 18 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Level 4 (with Paterson Ewen), 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Level 4 (with Paterson Ewen), 2024
    oil on canvas
    28 x 42 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Montreal Metro Station, Study, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Montreal Metro Station, Study, 2024
    India ink on paper
    11 3/4 x 19 1/4 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Passage Study 1, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Passage Study 1, 2024
    India ink on paper
    9 x 12 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Waiting with In the Mountains, 2024
    PETER HARRIS
    Waiting with In the Mountains, 2024
    oil on canvas
    24 x 18 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Metro with Lake and Mountains, 2023
    PETER HARRIS
    Metro with Lake and Mountains, 2023
    oil on canvas
    28 x 22 in.
  • PETER HARRIS, Waiting with Lemieux, 2022
    PETER HARRIS
    Waiting with Lemieux, 2022
    oil on canvas
    26 x 34 in.
  • level 3 waiting zone (with francis bacon) by peter harris
    PETER HARRIS
    Level 3 Waiting Zone (with Francis Bacon), 2019
    oil on canvas
    36 x 62 in.
  • subway (line 1) by peter harris
    PETER HARRIS
    Subway (Line 1), 2019
    oil on canvas
    36 x 56 in.
  • filtration plant 3 am by peter harris
    PETER HARRIS
    Filtration Plant 3 AM, 2013
    oil on canvas
    28 x 52 in.
Exhibitions
Publications