Hartt received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from [[University of Ottawa|the University of OttowaOttawa]] in 1991 and a Master in Fine Arts from [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago|The School of the Art Institute of Chicago]] in 1994.
Hartt travels extensively to develop his research based work.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jen|first=Alex|date=2019-11-06|title=David Hartt: The Histories (Le Mancenillier)|url=https://brooklynrail.org/2019/11/artseen/The-Histories-Le-Mancenillier|access-date=2021-05-06|website=The Brooklyn Rail|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Magazine|first=Wallpaper*|date=2019-10-15|title=The Philadelphia artist activating Frank Lloyd
Wright’sWright's only synagogue|url=https://www.wallpaper.com/art/david-hartt-beth-sholom-congregation-frank-lloyd-wright-philadelphia|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Wallpaper*}}</ref>
In 2015, Hartt was included in the
major surgery exhibitionsurvey ''Ocean of Images: New Photography 2015
'' at the [[Museum of Modern Art]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cotter|first=Holland|date=2015-12-03|title=Roots of Conceptual Art, Caught by a
Camera’sCamera's Eye|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/arts/design/roots-of-conceptual-art-caught-by-a-cameras-eye.html|access-date=2021-05-06|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the wake of [[Hurricane Maria]] in 2017, Hartt produced a series of interventions on Habitat Puerto Rico, a housing development initially designed by [[Moshe Safdie]] and subsequently abandoned by the Puerto Rican government in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/exhibits-books-etc/graham-foundation-hosts-an-exhibition-about-moshe-safdies-uncompleted-habitat-puerto-rico_o
|title=A Reflection on Moshe Safdie's Uncompleted Habitat Puerto Rico |last=Johnson |first=Sara |date=October 13, 2017 |website=Architect magazine.com |access-date=2021-05-06
|website=www.architectmagazine.com}}</ref> By placing videos, sculpture, sound, photographs alongside plants and other biomaterials, Hartt attempted to investigate the site not as the development it was intended to be but as what it became.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-09-21|title=david hartt presents 'in the forest' installation at the graham foundation|url=https://www.designboom.com/art/david-hartt-in-the-forest-graham-foundation-chicago-architecture-biennial-09-21-2017/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=designboom {{!}} architecture & design magazine|language=en}}</ref><blockquote>
‘What’s‘What's interesting is not only the response to the failed utopia, but really using
Safdie’sSafdie's project as evidence of which to examine the contemporary context of [[Puerto Rico]], looking its status as colonial state, the debt crisis, the failures of new liberalism. For me
it’sit's an amplifier,
it’sit's a way through which I can begin to explore these ideas.’<ref>{{Cite web|last=Magazine|first=Wallpaper*|date=2017-10-27|title=Artist David Hartt captures a portrait of a forgotten Puerto Rican housing project|url=https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/artist-david-hartt-moshe-safdies-habitat-puerto-rico-graham-foundation-chicago|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Wallpaper*}}</ref></blockquote>In 2021, the [[
Philadelphia Museum of Art|Philadelphia Museum of Art]] celebrated their reopening after a $228 million reconstruction with the exhibition New Grit: Art & Philly Now in which Hartt is featured.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Salisbury|first=Stephan|title=Sprawling show of 25 artists with Philadelphia ties will greet visitors when Art Museum revamp is revealed this week|url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/philadelphia-art-museum-core-reopening-new-grit-20210501.html|access-date=2021-05-06|website=
https://www.inquirer.com
|date=May 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He is an assistant professor in the Department of Fine Art at the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-05|title=David
Hartt’sHartt's ‘Le'Le Mancenillier’Mancenillier' is Coming to Frank Lloyd
Wright’sWright's Pennsylvania Synagogue|url=https://observer.com/2019/09/david-hartt-le-mancenillier-frank-lloyd-wright-synagogue/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Observer|language=en-US}}</ref> Hartt is represented by David Nolan Gallery. He is also a founding member of the Black Reconstruction Collective.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-13|title=The Black Reconstruction Collective works to dismantle systemic racism within art, design, and academia|url=https://www.archpaper.com/2020/11/black-reconstruction-collective-works-to-dismantle-systemic-racism-within-art-design-and-academia/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=The
Architect’sArchitect's Newspaper|language=en-US}}</ref>
