Defend the Darkroom is an amazing podcast about inspiration, desire, drive and creativity hosted by Paulette Michayluk. The most recent two of Paulette’s interviews stuck with us here at TCS and we wanted to share them with you! Check out Defend the Darkroom with Barbara Astman as well as Defend the Darkroom with George Webber!
Defend the Darkroom with Barbara Astman
“We all have that one artist whose work is compelling and interests us – it provides us with interesting ideas that challenge how we look at the world, ourselves, our work. Barbara Astman’s photography does that for me. I love how she constructs images, layers images (and meanings) while creating bold statements. It was such a pleasure to speak with Barbara. She was really easy to talk to and so open about how she is dealing with COVID, the start of her career, how she arrived in Toronto and why she is so active in the art community. It was an inspiring conversation and has made me think about how I do things differently.
I hope that you enjoy our conversation!” – Paulette Michayluk
Listen to Defend the Darkroom with Barbara Astman here: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/defendthedarkroom/DefendTheDarkroomBarbara_Astman.mp3
About Barbara Astman:
Barbara Astman belongs to a visionary group of artists who have continued to radicalize visual culture since the early 1970s by defining new ways of seeing. Over four decades, she has explored a wide range of photo-based media and produced work, which has received national and international recognition. She is represented in important public, corporate and private collections including the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Deutche Bank, New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Her artist’s archives are held in the E.P. Taylor Research Library & Archives, AGO.
Astman has an extensive and prestigious solo exhibition history, most recently, Barbara Astman Looking: Then and Now, a two-part exhibition (Corkin Gallery, 2016) and Barbara Astman: I as artifact featuring a new series of works accompanied by a comprehensive publication (McIntosh Gallery, 2014). In May 2011, her installation, Dancing with Che: Enter through the Gift Shop, (Kelowna Art Gallery, 2013) toured across Canada. Her major touring retrospective exhibition, Barbara Astman – Personal/Persona – A 20 Year Survey was curated by Liz Wylie (Art Gallery of Hamilton, 1995). She has been included in major group exhibitions, such as: Toronto: Tributes + Tributaries, 1971-1989 (AGO, 2016), Living Building Thinking: Art and Expressionism (McMaster Museum of Art, 2016), Look Again: Colour Xerography Art Meets Technology (AGO, 2015), Herland, (60 Wall Gallery, New York 2014), Light My Fire Part I: Some Propositions about Portraits and Photography (AGO, 2013), and Beautiful Fictions (AGO, 2009), among many others. Astman was commissioned to create a photographic installation (The Fossil Book) for the inaugural exhibition at the new Koffler Gallery (Toronto, 2013). Canadian Art Magazine featured a profile of Astman’s career in the Spring 2014 issue. Prefix Photo featured a portfolio and profile of Astman’s most recent work and career in the Spring/Summer 2020 issue.
Astman has completed several public art commissions, including the Murano on Bay in Toronto comprised of 217 windows with photo-based imagery (2010), a public art installation for the new Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Germany (2005) and a floor installation for the Calgary Winter Olympics (1987).
Active in the Toronto arts community, Astman has served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the AGO Board of Trustees (2009-2013). Currently, she is the Chair of the Art Advisory Committee, Koffler Gallery, Toronto and President, Board of Directors, Prefix (ICA) Institute of Contemporary Art, Toronto. In addition, she has co-curated an installation titled The Emergence of Feminism: Changing the Course of Art, featuring work by Joyce Wieland, Suzy Lake and Lisa Steele (AGO, 2008).
Astman has degrees from the Rochester Institute of Technology, School for American Craftsmen, and Ontario College of Art. She has been a professor at OCAD University since 2001.
Astman is represented by Corkin Gallery, Toronto and Elan Fine Arts, Vancouver. Written by Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator of Canadian Art, AGO.
Defend the Darkroom with George Webber
“While speaking with George Webber he said: “Time is the currency of photography” – so true. George has been part of Calgary’s photo community for decades; not only as an instructor but also as a documenter, through creating artistic commentary and as a commercial shooter. George started as a script writer which gave him an intense understanding of time, process and the necessity of creating relationships. He extols the importance of learning about life – not just staying put and isolated in one world. I really appreciate how thoughtful and dedicated George is to his passion.
I hope this conversation gets you thinking about how you are inspired and who inspires you each day.” – Paulette Michayluk
Listen to Defend the Darkroom with George Webber here: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/defendthedarkroom/DefendTheDarkroomGeorge_Webber.mp3
About George Webber:
George Webber has been photographing the people, landscape and architecture of the Canadian west for over 40 years.
His books include Requiem, A World Within, People of The Blood, Last Call, In This Place, Prairie Gothic, Badlands, Alberta Book and Saskatchewan Book (Fall 2020).
Webber’s work is included in the collections of many Canadian and international museums and archives.
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