Michael Snow (1929 - )

• visual artist, film maker and musician
• works in many media, including drawing, painting, sculpture and photography
• born December 10, 1929, in Toronto, Ontario.
• grew up and was educated in the Toronto neighborhood of Rosedale.
• recalling his early years he said " I think the two most important things in my life ... were that my father went blind when I was 15, and, that my mother... is a very fine pianist." €
• became interested in art during his high school years
• won the Art Prize upon graduation from Upper Canada College in 1948
• entered the Ontario College of Art and specialized in design
• he began to play music with a group and developed his painting skills independently
• graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1952
• after a brief stint as a commercial artist, spent 18 months travelling in Europe, playing music, visiting museums and drawing
• returned to Toronto, established a studio and worked as film animator
• appeared plying music in Don Owen's Toronto Jazz
• married artist Joyce Wieland
• launched his career in 1956 with his first solo exhibition
• from 1962 to1972 he lived in a loft in the Soho neighborhood of New York City
• there he created a series of paintings called "Walking Women"
• and made his underground art film "Wavelength" which became widely recognized
• returned to Toronto in mid 70's
• Snow's art can be found in numerous collections throughout the world; including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and in the Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris
• public works of art include
  • "Flight Stop", fiberglass flying geese in Toronto's Eaton's Center
  • "The Audience" -14 large figures of sports fans, located at the northeast and northwest corners of Toronto's SkyDome
• in 1994 there was a forty year retrospective exhibition in Toronto: The Michael Snow Project. It was the largest exhibition ever afforded a Canadian artist
• honours include being awarded first prize in the 1968 Belgian International Independent Film Festival
• was Canada's representative in the 1970 Venice International Biennale.
• has received honorary doctorates from Yale and Brock Universities
• in 1983 he received the Order of Canada for his contribution to culture
• more information
• view his work
• filmography

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