Barbara Astman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Astman
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Barbara Astman in her studio
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Barbara Anne Astman
12 July 1950 Rochester, New York, U.S.
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| Education | RIT (School for American Craftsmen), OCA |
| Awards | Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council |
Barbara Anne Astman RCA (born July 12, 1950) is a Canadian artist. She is known for using cool technologies like instant cameras, color copying machines (xerography), and digital scanners to show her ideas and feelings in her art.
Contents
Early Life and Art Journey
Barbara Astman was born in Rochester, New York, in 1950. She was one of three children. In 1970, she earned her associate degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Moving to Canada
That same year, Barbara moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She studied at the Ontario College of Art (now called OCAD University). She graduated in 1973. In 1975, she became a teacher at OCAD. She later led the photography department from 2001 to 2002. She taught art until 2021, when she retired as a professor.
Barbara Astman's Artworks
Since the early 1970s, Barbara Astman has explored many types of photo-based art. Her work has been recognized in Canada and around the world.
First Exhibitions
Her first solo art show was in 1973 in Toronto. Two years later, the National Film Board of Canada's photography division hosted her first museum show. This division is now part of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Major Art Shows
Barbara Astman has had many important solo exhibitions. A big show called Barbara Astman - Personal/Persona - A 20 Year Survey toured in 1995. In 2011, her art installation Dancing with Che: Enter through the Gift Shop also toured across Canada.
Other notable shows include Barbara Astman: I as artifact in 2014. In 2016, her two-part exhibition Barbara Astman Looking: Then and Now was well-received.
Group Exhibitions
Her art has also been part of many group shows. These include Beautiful Fictions (2009) and Light My Fire Part I (2013) at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Her work was also in Look Again: Colour Xerography Art Meets Technology (2015). In 2024, her art was shown at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Where Her Art is Kept
Barbara Astman's art is represented by Corkin Gallery in Toronto. Her old art records are kept at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Public Art Projects
Barbara Astman has created several public art pieces. These are artworks made for public spaces.
Notable Commissions
- She made a floor installation for the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1987.
- In 2005, she created a glass tower wall for the new Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Germany.
- For the Murano on Bay building in Toronto, she designed 217 windows with photo-based images in 2010.
- In 2013, she created a photo installation called The Fossil Book for the new Koffler Gallery in Toronto.
Helping the Arts Community
Barbara Astman has also helped the arts community. She has served on many boards and committees.
Leadership Roles
- She was on the Board of Trustees for the Art Gallery of Ontario from 2009 to 2013.
- She chaired the Art Advisory Committee for the Koffler Gallery.
- She was vice president of the board of directors for the Institute of Contemporary Art in Toronto.
She also helped organize an exhibition called The Emergence of Feminism: Changing the Course of Art in 2008. This show featured works by artists like Joyce Wieland and Suzy Lake.
Awards and Recognition
Barbara Astman has received important awards for her art.
- In 2000, she was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
- In 2024, she received a Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts. This is a very high honor for artists in Canada.
Art in Public Collections
Barbara Astman's art is held in many important public, corporate, and private collections. These are places where art is kept and shown.
Major Collections
Her work can be found in places like:
- The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
- The Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
- The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
- The Deutche Bank, New York
- The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Other Collections
Her art is also in these permanent collections:
- Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, ON
- Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
- Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, British Columbia
- The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, ON
- George Eastman Museum, Rochester, New York
- McIntosh Gallery, University of Western Ontario, London, ON
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- The University of Toronto Art Museum
- Oklahoma City Museum of Art
- Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
