Interdisciplinary artist Michael Snow dies at 94
By Christian Collington, The Canadian Press on January 6, 2023.
TORONTO – Interdisciplinary artist Michael Snow, known in Canada and internationally for his abstract painting, public sculptures and the experimental 1967 film “Wavelength,” has died. The Toronto-born artist died Thursday, said Tamsen Greene, senior director of New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery, which represented Snow. He was 94. The National Gallery of Canada said in a statement that Snow was “a giant in the art world” and a “formidable ambassador.” They also said his work transformed how viewers appreciated artwork, challenged perceptions and changed their understanding of art. Snow experimented across many decades with a variety of media including film, paintings, sculptures, photography and music. A biography on the Art Canada Institute website describes Snow as a self-taught musician who played piano in jazz bands. In 1974, he was a part of the Canadian Creative Music Collective, an improvisation group that founded Toronto’s Music Gallery. Snow lived for many years in New York, where he released “Wavelength.” Noted for its 45-minute camera zoom, it is regarded as groundbreaking experimental cinema. Another aspect of his career was public art, with works such as the Toronto Eaton Centre’s geese installation “Flight Stop,” created in 1979, and the Rogers Centre’s “The Audience” a sculpture of excited fans. In 1970, Snow was featured in a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1981 and upgraded to a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2007. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2023. 12-11
