David Crompton is an artist based in Vancouver, Canada. Exploring on foot, he focuses his inquiry on the subtle, often overlooked corners of urban spaces and the transient objects and architectural forms found within them. His compositions favour geometric structure, layering, and the ephemeral qualities of light, shadow, and reflection. Through photography, printed matter, sound and motion imagery, Crompton seeks to reveal the underlying poetry of these settings.

A graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, his work has been exhibited in galleries, festivals, and media channels throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Crompton’s pieces are included in the Media Centre collection at the Marshall McLuhan Salon (Canadian Embassy in Berlin) and he has been awarded grants by the Canada Council for the Arts and the British Columbia Arts Council.

Crompton has produced several photography-based artist zines, including Common (2014), Strait Goods (2017), and the five-volume Surrounded (2017), which highlights his work from 2013 to 2017. His most recent collection, Umwelt (2024), documents work from 2018 to 2024.

David Crompton is an artist based in Vancouver, Canada. Exploring on foot, he focuses his inquiry on the subtle, often overlooked corners of urban spaces and the transient objects and architectural forms found within them. His compositions favour geometric structure, layering, and the ephemeral qualities of light, shadow, and reflection. Through photography, printed matter, sound and motion imagery, Crompton seeks to reveal the underlying poetry of these settings.


A graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, his work has been exhibited in galleries, festivals, and media channels throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Crompton’s pieces are included in the Media Centre collection at the Marshall McLuhan Salon (Canadian Embassy in Berlin) and he has been awarded grants by the Canada Council for the Arts and the British Columbia Arts Council.


Crompton has produced several photography-based artist zines, including Common (2014), Strait Goods (2017), and the five-volume Surrounded (2017), which highlights his work from 2013 to 2017. His most recent collection, Umwelt (2024), documents work from 2018 to 2024.

studio@crompsy.com

studio@crompsy.com

studio@crompsy.com

ONE & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2024 Seen | Guest Artist at Propellor Studio and Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2017 — SummerSeven | (With Tristesse Seeliger) South Main Gallery Vancouver, Canada

2016 — Strait Goods | GAM Gallery (Capture Photography Festival) Vancouver, Canada

2015 — Common | Remington Gallery, Vancouver, Canada | March 6 - 28, 2015

ONE & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2024 Seen | Guest Artist at Propellor Studio and Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2017 — SummerSeven | (With Tristesse Seeliger) South Main Gallery Vancouver, Canada

2016 — Strait Goods | GAM Gallery (Capture Photography Festival) Vancouver, Canada

2015 — Common | Remington Gallery, Vancouver, Canada | March 6 - 28, 2015

ONE & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2024 Seen | Guest Artist at Propellor Studio and Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2017 — SummerSeven | (With Tristesse Seeliger) South Main Gallery Vancouver, Canada

2016 — Strait Goods | GAM Gallery (Capture Photography Festival) Vancouver, Canada

2015 — Common | Remington Gallery, Vancouver, Canada | March 6 - 28, 2015

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS, SCREENINGS AND FAIRS

2018/19 — Winter Group Show | South Main Gallery | Vancouver, Canada

2017 Vancouver Photobook Fair | Western Front | Vancouver, Canada

2015 — OpenSpaceShow | The Playground | Vancouver, Canada

2015 — MobFORMAT 15 Format International Photography Festival | Derby, UK

2010 — Walk in/Here You Are* (2010 Cultural Olympiad) | Vancouver Public Library, Canada

2006 — Marshall McLuhan Salon Canadian Embassy* | Berlin, Germany (Ongoing)

2006 — Northwest Film & Video Festival* Portland, Oregon

2006 – European Media Arts Festival* Osnabrück, Germany

2006 – PDX Film Festival* Portland, Oregon

2006 – Filmfest Dresden* Dresden, Germany

2006 – Ann Arbor Film Festival* Ann Arbor, Michigan

2006 – South By Southwest [SXSW]* Austin, Texas

2006 – Transmediale* Akademie der Kuenste, Berlin, Germany

2006 – Club Transmediale* Maria am Ostbahnhof Lounge, Berlin, Germany

2006 – Stuttgarter Filmwinter* Stuttgart, Germany

2005 – Resfest* Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait* Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga, Canada

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait* Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait* Lian and Danny Taran Gallery, Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, Montréal, Canada

*With Andrew Herfst

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS, SCREENINGS AND FAIRS

2018/19 — Winter Group Show
South Main Gallery | Vancouver, Canada

2017 Vancouver Photobook Fair
Western Front | Vancouver, Canada

2015 — OpenSpaceShow
The Playground | Vancouver, Canada

2015 — MobFORMAT 15
Format International Photography Festival | Derby, UK

2010 — Walk in/Here You Are*
(2010 Cultural Olympiad) | Vancouver Public Library | July-September 2010

2006 — Marshall McLuhan Salon Canadian Embassy* | Berlin, Germany (Ongoing)

2006 — Northwest Film & Video Festival*
Portland, Oregon

2006 – European Media Arts Festival*
Osnabrück, Germany

2006 – PDX Film Festival* Portland, Oregon

2006 – Filmfest Dresden* Dresden, Germany

2006 – Ann Arbor Film Festival*
Ann Arbor, Michigan

2006 – South By Southwest [SXSW]*
Austin, Texas

2006 – Transmediale* Akademie der Kuenste,
Berlin, Germany

2006 – Club Transmediale*
Maria am Ostbahnhof Lounge, Berlin, Germany

2006 – Stuttgarter Filmwinter*
Stuttgart, Germany

2005 – Resfest*
Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait*
Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga, Canada

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait*
Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2004 – The Weather / Le temps qu’il fait*
Lian and Danny Taran Gallery, Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, Montréal, Canada

*With Andrew Herfst

ARTISt PUBLICATIONS

2024 – Umwelt

2017 – Surrounded. 01: Other Geometries

2017 – Surrounded. 02: Surface Area

2017 – Surrounded. 03: PNW

2017 – Surrounded. 04: Strays

2017 – Surrounded. 05: Unpopular Music

2017 – Strait Goods

2014 – Common

2012 – Where I'm From

CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLICATIONS

2004 – The Banal | Cate Rimmer, published by SBC Galerie d'art contemporain | ISBN 978-0-920473-71-9

2008 – Damp: Contemporary Vancouver Media Art | Oliver Hockenhull, Alex Mackenzie | Published by Anvil Press | ISBN 978-1-895636-89-5

2024 – Duct Tape Magazine [Issue Number 3: Vancouver Special] | Mark Mizgala, Jennifer Nikkel

REsidencies

2024 – AZ West

2010 – National Film Board

©2025 DAVID CROMPTON

©2025 DAVID CROMPTON

Elsewhere:

© 2025 DAVID CROMPTON