David Gillanders was born in Toronto, Canada and studied at Western University, London and McGill University, Montreal. He lives and works in Ottawa, Canada. Recipient of grants from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Ontario Arts Council, David Gillanders has exhibited his work widely in Canada and the United States.

His exhibition Les matins infidèles: L’art du protocole (2014) at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec was awarded Best Exhibition in a Museum, University Gallery or Foundation at the Gala des arts visuels, Montreal, 2014. His work has been reviewed in the Montreal Gazette, Le Devoir, Vie des Arts, ArtFocus, among others. His work is held in notable collections, among them the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the MNBAQ Art Bank, the City of Ottawa Fine Art Collection, the Art Gallery of Northumberland, National Bank, Loto-Québec, and BMO Financial Group.