Your Browser is not Supported.

We recommend the latest version of Safari, Firefox, Chrome, or Microsoft Edge.

David Gilbert

David Gilbert is a discerning scavenger of poignant and beautiful things. He composes ephemeral vignettes from simple materials such as fabric, yarn, and cardboard and then photographs them. The resulting photographs capture moments of true spontaneity and accident paired with a studied airiness and grace. The images, evocatively lit, become a theatrical record of the transitory scenes Gilbert constructs in his studio.

Catalog for Purchase

David Gilbert Heaven and Earth, 2023

David Gilbert Heaven and Earth (2023), a catalog produced on the occasion of the artist’s solo show at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery is available for purchase! The catalogue consists of 24 pages in full color.

Museum Exhibition

David Gilbert Solo Exhibition at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art

David Gilbert: Flutter, a solo exhibition surveying David Gilbert's career thus far, opens at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem, NC. On display in this exhibition - Gilbert's first institutional show - are photographs ranging from 2011 through 2023, revealing several themes and motifs the artist has returned to throughout his robust 12 year career. The exhibition opens April 18 and will run through August 18, 2024.

Review

David Gilbert: Flutter at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Winston-Salem

Robert Alan Grand reviews David Gilbert’s 2024 solo show Flutter at SECCA. Grand connects Gilbert’s work with iconic queer culture, both high and low.

Review

'In the Way of Stars' by Wayne Koestenbaum

From the February 2019 print edition of Artforum Magazine, Koestenbaum writes about David Gilbert’s practice and his show “House & Garden” at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery.

Acquisition

David Gilbert, Gone Girl, 2018

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has acquired Gone Girl, 2018 for its permanent collection through the LENS Photography Council.

Review

David Gilbert’s ‘The Secret Garden,’ Photography as Dreamscape

David Gilbert reviewed in the New York Times

Review

Goings on About Town: David Gilbert, Angels

“Angels,” David Gilbert’s solo show at the gallery was reviewed in The New Yorker magazine.

Review

David Gilbert, Coming of Age

Emily Hall review’s David Gilbert’s 2013 solo show.

Review

Photographer David Gilbert’s Tableaux Give Studio Detritus an Air of Drama and Glamour

Matt Sussman reviewed David Gilbert’s 2019 solo show Painted Ladies.

David Gilbert

b. 1982 in New York
lives and works in Los Angeles, CA

Education

2011
M.F.A., UC-Riverside, Riverside, CA

2004
B.F.A., Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, New York, NY

Solo Exhibitions

2024
Flutter, North Carolina Museum of Art (SECCA), Winston-Salem, NC
Fairy Tale, Rebecca Camacho Presents, San Fransisco, CA

2023
Heaven and Earth, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2022
My Heavens, Chris Sharp Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2020
The Great Outdoors, Gallery 12.26, Dallas, TX

2019
Painted Ladies, Rebecca Camacho Presents, San Francisco, CA

2018
House & Garden, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2017
Baby Girl, The Finley, Los Angeles, CA

2015
The Secret Garden, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2013
Coming of Age, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2011
Angels, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2010
Tierney Fellowship Show, Gulf and Western Gallery, New York, NY

2009
Blueboy, Workspace, Los Angeles, CA

Two Person Exhibitions

2017
David Gilbert and Rachelle Sawatsky, Neighbors, Del Vaz Projects, Los Angeles, CA

Group Exhibitions

2025
Capture Photography Festival, Vancouver, BC
Possible Rainbow, Beauty Salon, Los Angeles, CA

2024
Made in My Bedroom, NOON Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Transmissions: Selections from the Marciano Collection, The Marciano Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA

2023
Purple Prose: Queer II literalism & A Flowering Cacophony, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY

2022
10 artists / 10 years, Lighthouse Works, Fishers Island, NY
87 Franklin Inaugural, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York, NY

2020
INSIDE.OUT UPSIDE.DOWN COSMIC.SPACE, Rebecca Camacho Presents, San Francisco, CA

2019
Henry is Blue, curated by Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer and Despina Stokou, West Hollywood, CA
Slippers, Queens, Los Angeles, CA

2018
Phantom Lim, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
Softcore, South Willard, Los Angeles, CA

2017
Hurts to Laugh, curated by Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer, Various Small Fires, Los Angeles, CA
1/1/1, AWHRHWAR, Los Angeles, CA

2016
Art of the Now, Hearst Corporation, New York, NY
Five, Marjorie Barrick Musuem of Art, UNLV, Las Vegas, NV

2015
A Room of One’s Own, Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York, NY

2014
Far and High, Fahrenheit Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
A Frayed Knot, organized by Cole Akers, Jancar Jones Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2013
Decenter: An Exhibition on the Centenary of the 1913 Armory Show, curated by Andrianna Campbell and Daniel Palmer, Abrons Art Center, New York, NY
Ma Prochaine Vie, ForYourArt, Los Angeles, CA

2012
External Original, curated by Sarah Mattes, Clifford Art Gallery, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
Group Show, Andrea Rosen, New York, NY
Ebb Tide, Rockoon, Los Angeles, CA
Out-of_______, organized by Leila Khastoo, Michael Benevento, Los Angeles, CA

2011
Works of Paper, ACME, Los Angeles, CA
Voluntary Sculptures, LM Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Rear Window, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Beige + Plastic, organized by Leila Khastoo, Los Angeles, CA

2010
Die Dame: Alika Cooper, David Gilbert, Rona Yefman, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Hallowing, curated by Paul Pescador, Infernoesque, Berlin, Germany
Last Minute Intervention, curated by Marichris Ty, SW2 Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2009
David Gilbert, Ian Pedigo, Jessica Stockholder, Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Summer Camp, Exile, Berlin, Germany
Group Show, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA
Sweet and Matchless, PLAySPACE, San Francisco, CA
The Dulcet Clime of the Bedchamber, Goff + Rosenthal, Berlin, Germany

2008
How Soon Is Now? AIM 28, Bronx Museum of Art, Bronx, NY
If I Told You You Were Beautiful, Oliver Kamm 5BE Gallery, New York, NY

2007
Goin’ Postal, Art Metropole, Montreal, Canada
Hidden Hands, White Box, New York, NY

Bibliography

2025
Moffitt, Evan, “A Queer Wish for Other Worlds”, Aperture, February 25

2024
Grand, Robert Alan, “David Gilbert: Flutter at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Winston-Salem”, Burnaway, June 6

2020
Sussman, Matt, “Photographer David Gilbert’s Tableaux Give Studio Detritus an Air of Drama and Glamour”, Art in America, January 16

2019
Neuman, Barry N., “David Gilbert: House & Garden at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery”, Whitehot Magazine, Febraury
Koestenbaum, Wayne, “In the Way of Stars”, Artforum, February

2017
Lehrer-Graiwer, Sarah, “Portfolio by David Gilbert”, BOMB, August 3
Campbell, Andy, “Hurts to Laugh“, Artforum.com, July

2015
Schwendener, Martha, “David Gilbert’s ‘The Secret Garden,’ Photography as Dreamscape”, The New York Times, November 19
“Goings on About Town”, The New Yorker, November 16

2014
Schwendener, Martha, “Gathering of Far-Flung Friends, and Trends”, The New York Times, May 8
Howe, David Everitt, “The Expanded Photograph”, ArtReview, May
Newbury, Susanna, “Superfluous Things”, X-Tra, Spring
Rector, Chelsea, “A Frayed Knot”, ArtSlant, February 15

2013
Hall, Emily, “David Gilbert”, Artforum, December
Kimball, Whitney, “Pink: David Gilbert at Klaus von Nichtssagend”, ArtFCity, October 2
“Goings On About Town”, The New Yorker, October 2
Asfour, Nana, “David Gilbert, ‘Coming of Age'”, TimeOut New York, September 30

2012
Diehl, Travis, “Out of _______ at Michael Benvento”, Artforum
“Goings On About Town”, The New Yorker, January 16

2011
Meier, Allison, “Debris After an Artistic Storm”, hyperallergic.com, January
Hering, Deirdre, “David Gilbert’s Unassuming Sculptures Become Angelic Photographs”, The L Magazine, December
Interview on iheartphotograph

2009
“Sweet 16: Artists Remake Covers”, Out Magazine, New York, April

2008
How Soon Is Now? catalogue, AIM 28, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY, p. 23

2007
Goin’ Postal , catalogue, Art Metropole, Montreal, Canada, p. 42
Baker, R. C, “Best in Show”, Village Voice, New York, August 15-21, p. 53
“Shortcuts”, Sleek Magazine, Berlin, Germany, Summer, p. 33

Public Collections

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Marciano Art Foundation, Los Angeles CA

Residencies, Grants, and Commissions

2021
Lighthouse Works

2019
Yaddo residency

2015
UNLV Artist in Residence

2013
Performa, About Time commission

2009
Tierney Fellowship