Toronto-born Michael Snow, ‘a giant in the art world,’ dead at 94

Toronto-born filmmaker and artist Michael Snow, known around the world for his paintings, sculptures and the experimental short film “Wavelength,” which was shot over the course of a week in 1966, has died. He was 94.

The death was confirmed by New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery, which represented Snow. He died Thursday, according to Senior Director Tamsen Greene.

Tributes from the art world began pouring in after his passing was made public.

In a statement, the Art Gallery of Ontario said that everyone was “very sad” about the news.

“Michael Snow was a great artist and person — a legendary Toronto artist whose highly acclaimed and influential career spans all media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film, video projection, sound art, bookmaking and experimental jazz,” the statement reads.

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 in Italy 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.

With files from The Canadian Press

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