Liz Magor facts for kids

Liz Magor (born in 1948) is a Canadian artist who creates amazing sculptures. She lives in Vancouver. Her art often explores ideas about history, shelter, and how we survive. She uses everyday objects like blankets and makes them into new art pieces. She is also known for using special mold-making techniques.

About Liz Magor

Liz Magor was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 1948. She studied art at several schools. These included the University of British Columbia and Parsons School of Design in New York. She also earned a diploma from the Vancouver School of Art.

Teaching and Influence

Magor became a respected art teacher. She taught at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Later, she moved to Vancouver. There, she continued teaching at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. She had a big impact on many younger artists. Her work was even shown on the PBS show Art21: Art in the Twenty-First Century. This show features important artists of our time.

Exhibitions Around the World

Liz Magor's art has been shown all over the world. She creates sculptures, art installations, and photographs. Her solo shows have been in places like Chicago, Cambridge, and Nice. Her art has also been displayed in Hamburg and Zurich.

In Canada, her work has been seen in many major galleries. These include the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal and the Art Gallery of Ontario. You can also find her art at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Canada. In 1984, she represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in Italy. She was also invited to show her art at documenta 8 in Germany in 1987.

Awards and Recognition

Magor has received many important awards. In 2001, she won the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts. This is a very high honor in Canada. In 2009, she received the Audain Prize. This award celebrates lifetime achievement in visual arts.

In 2014, she won the Gershon Iskowitz Prize. This led to a special solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario. In 2019, France named her a Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This means she was recognized for her contributions to art and literature.

Liz Magor's Art Style

LightShed in 2006

Liz Magor creates sculptures, art installations, and public art. She also takes photographs. Her sculptures often look at everyday objects. She recreates them and shows them in new ways. For example, she has made copies of food items and their containers. She has also recreated driftwood, logs, and old clothes.

Making and Remaking Objects

Magor loves to focus on the process of making art. She also pays close attention to the materials she uses. Her work often shows the difference between real objects and copies. She uses mold-making and casting techniques. This allows her to make exact replicas of things.

She has made copies of coats, trays, and cutlery. She calls these "serviceable objects." She sometimes uses them to hold other items, like candies or cigarettes. These artworks make us think about discarded items. They also make us wonder about the hidden life of objects. More recently, Magor has been using old clothes and wool blankets in her art.

Art and Perception

Art, Liz Magor says, helps us see things in new ways. It makes us look at things longer than we usually do. In our daily lives, we often quickly decide what something means. Magor's art challenges these quick decisions. Her sculptures often mix reality with unreality. They make us question what we first see.

Public Artworks

You can find Liz Magor's public artworks in various places. Some are in Vancouver and the surrounding area. Others are located in Toronto and its nearby regions.

Galleries Representing Her Work

Liz Magor's art is shown by several galleries. In Canada, she is represented by Susan Hobbs Gallery and Catriona Jeffries. In the United States, you can find her work at Andrew Kreps Gallery. Marcelle Alix represents her in France.

Where to Find Her Art

Liz Magor's art is part of many public and private collections. You can see her work in Canada at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It is also at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at The University of British Columbia. Other Canadian collections include the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Canada.

Internationally, her art is in the Henry Art Gallery in the United States. In France, her work is held by the Centre national des arts plastiques. It is also part of the Frac Corse and Frac Île-de-France collections.